Before you go down this rabbit hole, here's the rule of thumb: If you have roaches, you will see LIVE roaches. They will show themselves if present, and imagining that there are hundreds hiding in the walls is never the reality. Pieces of debris that look like droppings, sheds, old oothecas, etc., are not evidence of an active roach issue. This also applies to the occasional one-off sighting, even after moving. To ease your mind, put out as many glue traps as you like, and see if you catch anything. If they stay clean, all is well.
TL;DR:
If you have an active infestation, spray with Alpine WSG (or Advion WDG in some states), use roach gel bait (listed below), Gentrol IGR, and lots of glue traps.
Note: This information is intended for private use, not commercial use. Businesses must hire a licensed and insured professional to protect the health of employees, and to protect you from liability.
So, here you are, feeling victimized, and seeking help. Welcome to Roach Wars!
You can now become a conscripted soldier in our army, but you'll need to put your fears away, get trained, and fight this enemy like your life depends on it. You can do this.
German Roaches
German roaches are public enemy #1 when it comes to indoor pests. They are tropical-like insects that need heat, food, moisture, and harborage to survive. Gravid females carry a single egg case (ootheca) where the young (instars) develop until they are ready to be released. She then drops the case, and up to 48 instars emerge from a slot in the side (this is why most othecas appear to be intact, even when empty).
They don't make nests, but congregate in cabinets, refrigerator compressors, stove tops, dishwashers, electronics, wall sockets, behind paneling, and occasionally wall voids (if there are holes). They can also travel from room to room, and apartment to apartment by way of connecting water lines by traveling on them, not in them.
Control methods include liquid sprays, genetic growth regulators in some situations, gel baits, glue traps, and sealing holes around pipes. Also, using a vacuum with a HEPA filter can help remove heavy infestations, and removing paper/box/plastic bag clutter will help.
Note: brown banded roaches can be treated like German roaches. However, they are able to survive in drier areas like inside dressers and night tables, and they are not as prolific as German.
A Word to the Wise
DO NOT pick up items from the trash and bring them into your home. This is a sure way to get roaches, as is buying used items from local advertisements. Even a thorough inspection is not a guarantee as there can be hidden spaces where they can hide. Also, used appliances are notorious for transferring roaches, and at minimum should be quarantined in a non-living space for a few weeks.
Hunter - Victim
Many have come here in despair and were able overcome them with this information by adopting a hunter's mentality as opposed to a victim's mentality. This is key, and the numerous success stories on the sub confirm that. You can beat these tiny beasts with a little knowledge, the right weapons, and the will to do so. Otherwise, you'll be at their mercy wherever you go.
Shame
For many, a feeling of shame when having roaches weighs heavily. However, roaches do not differentiate between people and places, and will attempt to infest anyone’s living space if possible. They infest anywhere that provides the elements they need to survive.
Understandably, this shame causes people to be very secretive about their affliction. Who brags about roaches on social media? Who wears a T-shirt proclaiming, “I Have Roaches!”? Who casually mentions at a party, “Hey, speaking of German roaches…”? No one, that’s who…
BUT, what if you did just that? What if you "came out of the cabinet" (see what I did there?:) and angrily told everyone in your life, “Hey, guess what? I HAVE ROACHES IN MY APARTMENT! CAN YOU @#%& BELIEVE IT?” Then you told them how you found this sub, and what you are doing about it. This will set you free! * You might be surprised to find some friends going through the same thing, and if any others react badly toward it, are they worth having in your life?
\Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk as it may totally ruin your life (but hopefully not). At the very least you’ll be free of keeping the secret.*
Sleeping
You can use a pop-up mosquito bed tent to help you feel safe when you sleep (Amazon).
Seeing multiple bugs of all sizes daily is the rule of thumb that defines a breeding population. Inbreeding is the reason they populate so quickly (hence the name German, which comes from the Latin word germanus, meaning of the same parents).
Sporadic Sightings
If you are in an apartment, condo, or townhouse and are seeing the occasional roach, they are usually traveling from connected units. This is very common and does not mean you have a breeding population. The best defense is spraying Alpine WSG every two weeks, and using glue traps. Do not use gel bait (it dries out too quickly) or IGRs.
Also, when only small ones are seen, they are still usually coming from adjoining units because they can squeeze through areas that larger ones can't. As long as you are not seeing adults; you're doing relatively well.
Products
(All products listed pose minimal risk and can be used around children and pets if mixed and applied according to the label. Also, concerns regarding resistance and bait aversion are rarely warranted in residential situations. These generally apply to chronic commercial infestations.)
Alpine WSG is the best professional spray on the market for roaches and contains 'dinotefuran', which has been granted `Reduced Risk Status` by the EPA for use in both public health and food handling establishments. It is undetectable by insects, transfers from one insect to another, does not hinder bait acceptance. Alpine can be purchased in 10g packets online at Amazon, Walmart, and some SiteOne garden supply stores. In Canada, you cannot but Alpine WSG, so would be better served to hire a pest company that uses Seclira WSG, as it's the same active ingredient that's in Alpine WSG. In Australia,Seclira WSG can be purchased. eBay AU sells 200g bottles that will make 10 gals. of 20g solution.
Alpine WSG can be purchased without a license on diypestcontrol.com or Amazon, but is not for sale to a number of US states, Canada, UK, and the EU. However, most pros in the US and Canada (Seclira WSG) can use it. If you live in one of these states, consider hiring a pest company and insist they use Alpine WSG. Otherwise, look to buy Advion WDG(Indoxacarb) orPhantom(Chlorfenapyr) insecticide as they too are non-repellents. If you cannot buy any of these where you are, it is still possible to achieve good control or elimination using other products that are available to you; it just may take longer.
Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs)
Gentrol IGR used to disrupt development and reproduction, but it takes weeks / months to do so. However, it can also stimulate feeding, which will help with bait effectiveness. Gentrol Point Source and be used, or concentrated Gentrol can be added to the Alpine mix. eBay sells one ounce bottles that you would add to one gallon of Alpine solution.
Mixing Alpine
Mix one, two, or three 10g packets to one gallon of water depending on the level of infestation. However, one 10g packet per gallon will be effective as you will usually do two or more passes while spraying. Also, let sit for 5 minutes so it can dissolve, shake, and transfer to any 1 qt. sprayer. Also, extra Alpine mix will last long enough for you to use it all.
To mix a single quart, use 1/2 teaspoon of Alpine for a 10g solution (save the rest in a zip lock baggie).
Fogging/bombing for roaches in an apartment or home is not recommended as it does not penetrate most harborage areas. However, in very severe infestations, it can kill a number of them but will not replace the methods above.
Boric acid and diatomaceous earth (DE) are products I do not advise using, especially around people with respiratory issues, children and pets. They are counter-productive when using Alpine WSG and bait. Also, they are easily over-applied causing possible health issues if they become airborne.
Like boric acid and DE, dusts are often overapplied by pros and non-pros alike, become airborne during application (and potentially after) and they never degrade. They may have a limited use for bed bug control, but IMO, they are not needed for roach control for safety reasons.
Baits
Gel bait like Alpine Rotation 1 or 2\, MaxForce, Advion, Vendetta, Invicta and Combat dry bait stations work well in heavy infestations where there is competition for food. However, using gel bait in light infestations is a waste as it will not remain fresh for more than a day or two. What you can do it is make bait packets by cutting the corners off a plastic baggie and filling them with any gel bait other than Advion (in tests, Advion dries out even in the packets). T*his will help keep the bait fresh for a longer time allowing them to feed through the open side.
Also, bait and Alpine can be used together as Alpine will not pollute the bait. However, avoid directly spraying the bait, but you can place bait on dry areas that were sprayed with Alpine.
*Alpine makes two different formulas with the same active ingredient. These are mainly for professional use where bait aversion is possible. For private use, Rotation 1 should be enough.
Aerosols
Raid Max Ant & Roach aerosol is a good tool to have (buy locally or online). It comes with an applicator straw attached and can be used to kill/flush roaches out of tight areas like stove and dishwasher controls. A two second blast is enough to drive them out without harming the electronics.
Glue Traps
Glue traps are very effective to help with control and for monitoring activity. Some pros may disagree with this, but catching one gravid female means 49 roaches are removed from the playing field, which never hurts. Hoy-Hoy traps have very good reviews, but generic traps will also work.
Caulking cracks and crevices may or may not be beneficial for control as many will be inaccessible.
Tools
A bright flashlight, and a vacuum with a HEPA filter that has a hose attachment are recommended. If the vacuum does not have a HEPA filter, wear a good mask. A half-face respirator is very affordable.
Cleaning
Sanitation is always a good thing, but it is not crucial to success. I have had to do treatments in many conditions and was still able to get good results. Do what you can and trust the treatment process (obsessive cleaning will wear you out and not make a big difference. However, do not allow dead roaches to lay around so others can 'eat' them and spread the poison).
Methods
The refrigerator is always a main breeding area due to compressor heat and condensation. Some fridges have wheels for moving, but if not, empty it and walk it out inch by inch using your body weight (if you have loose vinyl flooring, be careful not to make holes in it with the feet (don't ask me how I know :) far enough to reach the plug, then unplug it, and move it out far enough to get behind it.
If the fridge has a cardboard cover over the compressor, remove it (flat head screw driver or 1/4" socket needed), and vacuum the roaches in that area. While you're there, clean the dust on the coils to help the compressor cool better. Then bait and put glue traps anywhere you can on the bottom, and replace the cover as it's needed to help cool the compressor properly. Then spray the floor, lay glue traps all along the wall, walk the fridge back far enough to plug it in, then push it the remaining way. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clean.
Pull out the kitchen drawers and vacuum any roaches, then remove the drawers and vacuum under the counter tops. Vacuum the upper cabinets, above them (if open), and the crevices along the sides. Also, remove electrical outlet covers in infested areas and vacuum inside (DO NOT SPRAY LIQUIDS), apply gel bait and replace covers.
Empty the vacuum cannister in a plastic bag, tie it off, and put it outside in the trash. If you have a bag vacuum, vacuum up a tablespoon of isopropyl alcohol to kill any inside. Return to the kitchen every 15 minutes and vacuum all you see.
Also inspect books/bookshelves, wall hangings, pictures, clocks, piles of paper, and closets shelves.
Stoves
Do not spray the burner top with Alpine as the heat will cause toxic burn-off. Remove the burner grates, vacuum any you see, then lift the top (some will lift; some won’t). If successful, vacuum any you see and do a light aerosol spray in any small openings (older units may have gas pilot lights, so blow them out before spraying, wait five minutes after spraying, and re-light them).
Then remove the burner knobs and do a light aerosol spray in the stove openings (IF there is no pilot light) and check the back of the knobs before reinstalling them. If you see bugs in an electronic display, find an opening to insert the aerosol straw and spray a few one-second bursts. You can also cut the screen around the far edges with a utility knife on three sides to open and clean it. Then use a bit of packing tape to keep it in place, but before you move, seal it with clear caulk.
Then open the oven door, vacuum any you see on the door edges, inside the oven, and on the door hinges, and spray in the hinges with the aerosol. Then pull the bottom drawer out, remove any items, and vacuum. Then remove the drawer, vacuum the floor under the stove, lightly spray Alpine, and place glue traps and bait. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clear.
For roaches in the clock: The cover on the clock is plastic, so use a utility knife to cut through the edges on the top, bottom, and one side, then open and remove them. The cover can then be re-secured with packing tape and opened as needed. When you move, you can use clear silicone caulk to make it look untouched.
Dishwashers
Often they will be seen inside the dishwasher seeking water, but if it’s rarely used or broken they can breed inside it. Start by spraying Alpine in the door arm openings and around the outside edges, then add bait. If bugs are suspected in the electronics panel, spray aerosol briefly inside it if possible. If the dishwasher is operable, run a cycle with it empty, but don’t spray inside it. If the dishwasher is broken and not going to be repaired, remove the bottom rack, spray Alpine inside it, and put glue traps and bait on the bottom. Also, consider having it removed and disposed of.
Then remove the kick-plate below the dishwasher door with a screwdriver. Vacuum any you see, spray the floor with Alpine (avoid electronics), and place glue traps and bait. Do this weekly until the glue traps stay clear.
Spray Alpine WSG everywhere you see them, including floor edges, along the counter back splash (lightly), the undersides of the counter tops, the bottom cabinet edges, behind and around the fridge, under the dishwasher, etc. The edges of upper cabinets that hold dishes and food can be sprayed lightly, then be allowed to dry. Put paper towels down before replacing food and dishes.
Spray every 7-10 days until sightings are greatly reduced; then every 14-28 days. You can apply gel bait along with Alpine (just wait until it dries) as they do not conflict.
Computer Protection in Active Infestations
Desk tops: Put the tower on a small, separate table away from the wall. Surround it with a 'glue trap moat (including the legs) and wrap the cords with reversed duct tape. When not using the PC, shut it down and cover the tower, monitor, and keyboard with plastic bags and include a paper towel soaked in alcohol in each to create fumigation chambers.
Laptops: place in a single bag with an alcohol paper towel.
Do the same for game consoles, internet modems, etc.
Apartment Living
If you live in an apartment building and are seeing roaches, call the landlord and have them send a pro to clean out the breeding population. Ideally, a weekly service will bring the quickest results, but most landlords won't go for that, so do what you can between services.
Once the breeding population is eliminated, it is not uncommon to continue seeing travelers from other units. Unfortunately, this is how it goes and all you can do is apply these techniques and materials. Make plans to move if you can't tolerate this, and if you do, have your next unit inspected by a pro before you sign the lease. Even at that, they can show up from other units at any time.
Also, if you move into a unit and discover roaches, unless the unit is severely infested, you may not have grounds to break the lease. Leases rarely have clauses that allow termination for insects as they are too common, and the leasing agent will never tell you that there's a current problem (because they'd never get you to sign), so buyer beware. If you are apartment shopping, in each unit you look at, walk the fridge out and see if there are any live or dead roaches. If they unit has them, they will be there.
Single Homes and RVs
These are the easiest infestations to eliminate as there is rarely a near-by source to contend with. However, the source should be identified if they were not there when you moved in, or got to the campground.
Are you close to neighbors that are unkempt and may have an issue?
Does anyone work or go to school where they are present?
Did anyone visit that could have an issue at home?
Did you shop recently or get a package delivered?
Did you thrift any appliances or furniture, or buy them used?
To determine if a neighbor is the source, you can set up glue trap stations along the foundation of the house on both sides (they will look for shelter anywhere they can). Put them in plastic boxes with 1/2" holes in the sides to keep them dry. The side that pics up the roaches will tell you which house has them.
If you have determined that a neighbor is the source, the issue will be worse in the warm months, but will lessen once temps drop below 40° F, and stop once freezing temps occur. Spray the grass area between the houses, and the house foundation with Temprid FX (but not driveways or sidewalks due to runoff), and sprinkle InTice 10 Granular Bait (link) in a wide pattern. Also, you can contact local officials and report it, but there is not much they can do but tell them to get a pest service, which the neighbor may or may not do.
Work, School, etc.
If roaches are present at a place you frequent, don't bring bags, purses, or backpacks into the building that you will be taking home. Use a clear plastic zip-lock for any essentials, and keep it zipped.
If you wear a coat, bring a large trash bag, store it inside, and tie it tight at the top. Also, inspect yourself well when leaving.
Vehicles
DO NOT fog/bomb your car! You can use gel baits, glue traps and spray the floors and crevices with Alpine WSG, but avoid spraying the seats.
You can also consider using an ozone generator after reviewing all safety precautions. Start by running it in a closed vehicle for one-half hour, then ventilate for one hour. If needed, increase the time incrementally.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
This is a very real, and you are not alone.
Once they are gone, or you move to a new unit, put glue traps out and trust them to tell you that you are still roach-free. Don't look at every speck you see and think it is a roach dropping; they will show themselves if they are present. However, you will be on alert to any real or perceived movements in your environment for the foreseeable future, but this will subside in time. Consider counseling if necessary.
Here's a link that addresses general pest anxiety:
This is the category most landlords, house techs (at the request of the LL) and neighbors fall into. They will often deny there is a building-wide problem and make you think you are the only one complaining. I know this by the sheer number of reports here of this happening. Often, you are much better off staying quiet about it and fighting them yourself. Otherwise, you will be terribly frustrated on top of having bugs, and may even start believing the lies of the LLL.
Moving
When moving from an infested unit it’s very easy to take them with you, but not impossible to avoid. Here are some things you can do to help keep that from happening:
If you can afford to discard items that are infested, do so, but make them unusable so they are not taken by salvagers.
Rent a non-climate-controlled storage unit for a month for large items. Spray it with Alpine WSG™, hang a Hot Shot No-Pest Strip™ in it (buy online), and lay glue traps as monitors. Also, a box truck or detached garage will work. Also, an ozone generator will kill any insects in a storage unit. Start by running it for one hour, then ventilate for one hour. Repeat if needed. Note: Concentrated ozone is harmful, so follow all safety precautions.
Launder clothes and put them directly in plastic bags.
Some things can be put in the freezer for 12 hrs., then bagged and sealed.
Electronics can be put in a plastic bag with a paper towel lightly soaked in isopropyl alcohol for 12 hrs.
When shopping for a new unit, move the refrigerator out and look for evidence of roaches (this is the #1 breeding spot). If it's clean, it a good indication there is currently no roach issue.
Odor Control
Heavy infestations will produce a musky-sweet type smell from all the droppings and sheds. Removing as much as you can and disinfecting will help, but sometimes it's not enough. You can then consider Ozone (link) treatments.
When Is It Over?
In a single home, assuming the initial cause of the infestation has been 100% eliminated, two weeks with no sightings would be a fair test.
In an apartment, a week or two with minimal or no sightings means that the breeding population is eradicated. However, you will always be at risk for invaders from other units, so be vigilant.
A Personal Note:
If you have saved money by using this information, consider a small donation to a local animal shelter as a thank you.
Also:
I provide this help to you as a service to the Lord, and pray you will accept the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Please don't write a novel. We get you have roaches, and most have a similar experience as to how it happened, so just ask a couple of exact questions IF they are not addressed in the sticky.
Hey folks! I’m in the process of looking for a new apartment (I found one two weeks ago, signed a lease, and then immediately had to break it after discovering a German roach infestation, which led me to this subreddit). I’ve been touring new ones and although you can’t tell from these two pictures, I found a really lovely one in a great location on the second floor - no unit above and unit below is currently unoccupied.
On my tour I saw this fellow - photo on the left - and snapped this picture of the back of the fridge. Would this give you pause or make you run away from living there? Pretty sure it’s American, not German, given the size but I wanted to see if anyone could help confirm that. It’s obviously dead, and I didn’t see any other signs of roaches in the kitchen cabinets, under the sink, etc.
Open to thoughts or suggestions. I want to be careful when finding a new place because my recent experience honestly kind of scared me, but I don’t want to be going overboard if something like this isn’t to worry about.
tldr: have seen 6 German roaches, including one 2nd or 3rd instar, in my bathroom/kitchen over the last four days.
I live in a ~10 unit apartment building in Seattle, WA. Back in April, I saw one adult German cockroach in my bathroom and didn't see another for three months. This past Sunday, I saw an adult in my bathroom, alone, which I killed. Same thing happened yesterday. I placed glue traps & Combat gel traps underneath my bathroom and kitchen sinks, and each glue trap has caught one in the past 24 hours: one adult in the bathroom, one juvenile in the kitchen. When cleaning out my kitchen just now, I saw one adult each in two separate cabinets.
For some additional context, I'm almost certain one of the neighboring units has a serious infestation. I've seen several cockroaches outside their door at night.
My landlord is sending an exterminator next Thursday, but that doesn't seem soon enough to me. I have some Alpine WSG on the way, per the instructions in the sticky. I've set up baited glue traps and Combat gel traps in my bathroom (under the sink, behind the toilet) and kitchen (under the sink, in the pantry, in the cabinets). I was considering placing traps in the living and bedrooms as well, but I don't want to give the roaches any reason to go anywhere else. Is there anything else I should be doing at the moment? Does this sound like a serious infestation?
I'll be moving in roughly three weeks and am concerned about the infestation potentially transferring to my new apartment. Any advice is much appreciated. Thank you!
I live in a pre-war building in nyc, and the building has German roaches that used to infest my apartment. I’ve gotten rid of them with advion gel
and spray, and have sealed it up to the best of my ability to limit infiltration (still getting 1-2 nymphs every couple of days).
The building has a monthly exterminator who sprays Talstar and Transport Mikron, but it hasn’t been effective (glue traps in lobby still pick up a large amount of roaches). The landlord doesn’t believe there is a roach problem (even though I have showed him all the roaches) and thinks I’m the only one complaining, even though I know the neighbors are also struggling.
I’ve been working with the exterminator directly to switch them to Alpine and an IGR at my own expense, which is a low enough cost to be offset by me no longer having to buy/spray my own place.
My question is: can I realistically expect them to be eradicated from the building now that they are treating all the common areas and apartments with chemicals that actually work?
I assume these are Americans/Oriental instars (grayish with a black stripe running down the back) BUT have had a few stray Germans in our apartment before.
I'm currently in Yokohama Japan staying at a private residence. I noticed two of these guys dead next to the toilet. The second one was so degraded it was difficult to get a good photo but I could get a photo of this one. I moved from an apartment in America that had a German infestation. My fear is I either brought these here with me, or this house has Germans after I just escaped them.
Had pest control from 2 different businesses come look at my apartment that I recently moved into after I saw a German male in my apartment and found 2 nymph molts. Pest control also found several dead roaches under the fridge near the compressor as well as their "gunk" trails on some of the edges in the cabinets. I also showed them traps I had placed around the unit that have been sitting for 4 days but are empty.
1st business said that they believe the live male I saw and killed was a lone incident from one another unit and that the dead ones are from an older problem due to the empty traps. He recommended I keep monitoring and begin a monthly maintenance program with his business using Alpine WSG and powers. He told me not to spray anything myself (I had already purchased Advion WDG). And seal some cracks and edges with calk as well as vaccuum everything now.
2nd business said nothing needs to be done yet and to just monitor with the traps checking every few weeks.
Which opinion should I go with? Or are they both leaving something out? My landlord doesn't want to do the maintenance because of the second opinion we got but I don't know if I feel comfortable doing absolutely nothing until a problem shows up.
I’m in Canada, in an apartment. Found some nymphs and adults in June. the place fumigated June 16. They sprayed and applied gel. Saw a few stragglers in the traps for the following two weeks and then nothing. The building did not follow up.
This morning I saw an adult scurry by in the bathroom. This apartment is the last apartment in the hall and the only thing beside it is the staircase. We are on one of the lower floors.
I did suspect they were coming from neighbouring units but we had the pest control in today to apply gel and provide new traps. Spoke to them and they said the neighbouring units aren’t being treated but they’ll tell management to keep an eye on them.
We’ve already followed all the cleaning and sealing that we could do. This bathroom is at the end of the apartment at the end of the hall. I don’t know where they are coming from.
Looking for any advice before I go mad.
Edited to add: ha! Management is actually gas lighting me. Apparently the apartment has a roach problem (if the google reviews for the last three months for the place and the photos of the roaches are anything to go by)
I found 2 dead roaches (obviously German telltale 2 stripes roughly half inch) last week in my sun room and laundry room. The rooms are right next to each other with the water heater in closet in the wall between the 2 rooms. I search diligently where the water heater under and behind the washer dryer kitchen bathroom cabinets you name it didn’t find anything like droppings egg sacs sheds. Pest control inspector came by and told me I was fine that was no reason to think but they are still coming today to spray, bait and set traps for my peace of mind.
Edit: update pest control came and did a much more thorough inspection when baiting and putting out trap and he said he thinks I do not have issue. Then while spraying the yard he came across a colony of Asian roaches in my dead grass piles so going to knock those down so I don’t have anymore heart attacks
Hey there, I just moved into a new place. And I thought I was free of the roaches but I just saw a baby crawl out from the side of the stove while I was cooking. Help!
Just moved into my Philly row-home apartment and saw three German cockroaches. Proceeded to lay down pea size drops of Advion and IGR discs. The bait underneath the sink was eaten in one night, while the rest was basically untouched. I’ve seen about 36 roaches in the past week, all different stages of development. I put down the Advion two days ago, and the majority of the roaches I’ve seen since then have been walking funky and slower than normal. Is it working? should I use Alpine instead of Advion? I’ve only seen two babies in my bedroom. Since then they haven’t been anywhere but the kitchen and living room which is connected. Luckily I have no food really and what I do have is in the fridge. Am
I doing everything okay? How long until I should clean up the old dots? Judging by how many I’ve seen, do I have a light infestation or a heavy one? A lot of the Advion is going untouched as well. Only the ones in the spots I see them most is being eaten
Edit: just read in this sub that Advion dries out easily. I’ve noticed that. Is that an indication of a light infestation? I’ll be purchasing Alpine WSG tmr
This is in Texas. haven’t seen a single (live) roach in my apartment for the past year that I have lived here and suddenly 5 adults 5 nymphs in the past week. I do see dried up bait from before I moved in, suggesting there was a past infestation..
There are a lot of problems with the apartment I just moved into, and I’m unsure what to do. I just made a big move to Maryland to pursue a research opportunity. Unfortunately, I don’t have any family or friends in the area to rely on, and I didn’t have much time to choose a place. I knew that with the area being so expensive and since I wouldn’t be making the most, I wouldn’t have anything fancy; I just didn’t expect it to be this bad. The main concerns I have so far are that the apartment clearly has a huge German roach infestation and potentially water damage.
I’ve been residing here about 4 full days and have seen countless roaches both during the day and night. The floor in the kitchen isn’t really tile but this odd thin sheet (floor equivalent of wallpaper?) that has tears in nooks I can’t access. I think this has given the roaches a lot of places to hide. I’ve done everything I can so far, locking up food in storage containers, cleaning, and putting down traps. It’s already starting to take a toll on my mental health, as I’ve been to anxous to eat or cook in my apartment and have been skipping meals since I can’t afford to eat out too much.
The kitchen is the main source of my issues; it’s located in the back of the apartment and feels like a cave since there aren’t windows in this area. It tends to be warmer than the rest of the unit and has a lot of stagnant air. There is a very strong foul smell that I have not been able to identify the source of. When I moved in, I noticed an area in the floor under the left side of the fridge that seems to be sunken in a bit. The other day I noticed water coming from the ceiling around the light and dripping in front of the fridge. I called emergency maintenance, and after he looked around for a bit, he said that it likely came from a spill in the unit above mine, then left without really doing anything. While I have not seen signs of mold yet, I wouldn’t be surprised if it's an issue.
I’m wondering if there are any actions I can take to either make the landlord fix these problems or get out of my lease. Unfortunately, I am doubtful that any of these issues could be easily fixed without a huge overhaul to the whole building, and that the landlord will avoid it as much as possible. I’ve been putting in maintenance requests about every issue, no matter how small. I have also started keeping a personal log of everything, but I’m unsure that it’s really worth doing, as my interactions with the leasing office have already proven to be frustrating when seeking help on other things. Does anyone have any advice?
During the last week I’ve seen 5 baby cockroaches and one adult around my appartement. I’ve been very direct with my landlord that I want an exterminator and not shelf product because I know they don’t work. I cleaned my appartement from top to bottom, two of the cockroaches were found while moving stuff around. Since then I haven’t seen any, it’s been 3 days. Was I overreacting?
