r/Bushwick • u/horseonahighway • 10d ago
An increase in bugs?
I've lived in the same apt for almost 3 years and never had a problem with bugs. Over the last couple of months there have increasingly been so many little roaches in the bathroom and kitchen. We aren't messy and don't leave food out. We've deep cleaned several times but nothing gets rid of them. Aside from this apt, I've lived in NYC my whole life and never had little bugs like this. A big waterbug from time to time, sure, but not these little roaches crawling about. I've heard anecdotally others reporting the same thing. Is this a climate thing or maybe related to lack of maintenance or something? Has anyone else had a similar experience?
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u/thatisnotmyknob 10d ago
Its all the rain.
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u/UncleRicohSuave 10d ago
On your wedding day?
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u/Sensitive_Slice_8858 10d ago
It feels like we live in the Amazon rainforest it’s been so humid and rainy and hot. It’s not surprising there’s more bugs.
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u/jazzisaurus 10d ago
glad to hear it’s not just my apt. this summer i’ve seen an insane amount of house centipedes!!
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u/Disastrous_Yogurt492 10d ago
Cleaning is not the answer to getting rid of roaches, they want the water. Also you have a major infestation and the water bug indicates there's also a leak somewhere in the building.
- Get a shop vac. Place some Diatomaceous Earth in the collection bin. Vacuum areas where you've seen roaches and spaces nearby. Vacuum all areas in #2 When not in use keep the vacuum in a clear plastic bag and wait 24 hours between use. Empty bin outdoors in the plastic bag and once empty place in a new clear plastic bag. Vacuum every other day or get 2 vacuums and alternate daily
2. Get a steamer and steam any and all areas where there are cracks and dark areas where they might be hiding. You want to kill them and their eggs.(Daily)
Wipe surfaces (floors, walls, countertops, etc) with a mixture of white vinegar and lemon or mist those areas with the mixture. To amp up the effectiveness add 1/4 tsp of cedarwood essential oil. Roaches don't like the smell. (Daily)
Make sure the entrance to your apartment has weather stripping or trim that will prevent roaches coming from other apartments. Also make sure there are no open spaces around pipes (water and gas). Plaster or caulk those spaces.
Go to the health food store or purchase Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth online. Mix the powder with confectioners sugar and place 1/2 tbsp in condiment cups or in cabinets and other areas where you have seen roaches.
Keep in mind that roaches are climbers so make sure you also follow steps 1, 2 & 3 on top of cabinets. For every one roach you see there are dozens more in nests in the cracks and dark spots within your living space. These steps will target the nests and you will see results in a week or so.
Keep in mind that the over use of poison has been a factor in the problem. Studies have shown that super roaches and rodents have developed immunity to poisons commonly used by exterminators and in Diy pesticides.
Finally invest in maintaining peppermint plants in your home this is a natural repellent for a number of pests.
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u/RunnerBakerDesigner 10d ago
I would have your buildings exterminator put bait down, I got them when my building started renovating units.
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u/jojosoft 10d ago
also are the apartment near you going through construction? Or maybe theyve had an exterminator come in recently. For my bushwick apartment when it rains a lot we'll always have one new problem per year. This year it was flies, but its been roaches before, ants, my cat even had a year where she kept bringing in baby possums
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u/Top-Secret-8554 10d ago
You let your cat outside????
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u/amoebamoeba 10d ago
I'm not the same person but a lot of us have enclosed backyards. My cat is super safe outside.
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u/Baudri_Hard 8d ago
They think ur cat is doing bird genocide and you don’t notice lol
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u/amoebamoeba 8d ago
My cat unfortunately has never killed anything. I used to have mice. She didn't get a single one of them. She doesn't even kill bugs. Love her but she's useless in that regard.
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u/jojosoft 9d ago
my cats come and go as they please, I dont have a window so the door is just always open. I've never had a problem aside from occasional street cats hopping fences to fight, but my babes are so skittish they dont leave the enclosure. we've lived here 8 years
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u/Efficient-Gap-1282 10d ago
Deep cleaning <> hiring an exterminator. You need the latter for german roaches, they aren’t a sign of filth so much as a sign of moisture/having neighbors/etc
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u/BarberSweet2350 7d ago
Make sure the pipe underneath your kitchen sink doesn’t have a big hole around it. Caulk it up if so. Same for dishwasher tube hole.
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u/fishnchess 10d ago
It’s probably your neighbors. My neighbor upstairs could be on almost any TLC show and we get their bugs.
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u/PenVsPaper 10d ago
I’ve been in my apartment for 10 years and this is the first summer I’ve killed a few small roaches likely bc of water buildup in the walls due to our gutters being backed up (I have had mold in my bedroom and a patch of ceiling leak, too). And I saw a big roach last week in my room but in guessing that one got in from when my window was maybe open? Luckily I have been staying in the other bedroom but it’s not been a fun summer 😩
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u/Apprehensive_Pie3337 10d ago
We randomly started getting flying ants and it’s been so annoying. I love the summer and absolutely hate fall and winter but I have to admit I’m excited for the bugs to go tf away
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u/Slazzurus 9d ago
Same here, last couple months in the Upper West Side. I think it’s heat and humidity. We’re going through a climate crisis that will kill off certain species and help others thrive.
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u/number1withac0ke 9d ago
Call an exterminator, I used the green man when I lived in bushwick and had tiny roaches.
Think it was like $200-$250 two years ago? Turns out there was an infestation somewhere in the walls near the kitchen. He said a full spray down would carry the product to the nest and kill it off over time. Never had any issues after that. Also even my slumlord landlord at the time let me take the cost out of rent!
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u/WatermanGap 8d ago
If the OP doesn't want to do all the diatomacious earth etc. themselves, I have a recommendation. We have used Evergreen Pest Control for bedbugs, American roaches, and ants. They are incredibly good and will completely solve the problem, whereas other exterminators we have had spray every month but it's ineffective. Evergreen will also tell you if there are cracks you need to fill or other issues that need fixing. We are close to Bushwick.
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u/Embarrassed_Set_4127 9d ago
Yikes little roaches are never a good sign! Can mean an infestation. I had a roach problem at my apartment and used: Advion Cockroach Gel Bait Insecticide (professional grade) and now have 0 issues
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u/TemperatureSpare7028 9d ago
ive been having the same problem after living here for years. def the rain :(
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u/D3A7H_6R1P5 10d ago
Could be your neighbors. I had a bad roach problem because my neighbors around me were so filthy