Hey everyone!
I’m honestly at my breaking point with a German roach infestation and could really use some guidance from people who’ve been through this before.
I live in an older apartment building, and despite cleaning daily and keeping food sealed, I’m still seeing roaches almost every night—mostly in the kitchen cabinets, under the sink, and occasionally in the bathroom. What worries me most is that I’m now seeing very small ones too, which makes me think they’re breeding.
So far, I’ve tried store-bought sprays, sticky traps, and deep cleaning, but the problem never fully goes away. Sprays seem to kill a few, but then more show up days later. I’m not sure if I’m missing something important or just using the wrong approach.
At this point, I’m wondering: should I keep trying DIY methods like bait or powders, or is this already something that needs professional pest control—especially since I’m in an apartment? Any real experiences or advice would mean a lot.
Seeing small roaches usually means an active infestation, unfortunately. Sprays tend to scatter German roaches instead of solving the root problem. Baiting is usually the better first step.
I was in the same situation. Once I stopped spraying and focused on gel bait, I started noticing fewer roaches after about two weeks. It’s slow, but it works.
Don’t overlook moisture. A tiny leak under my sink kept my infestation going even when everything else looked clean.
@HandyAndy That explains a lot. I had a dripping pipe for months and couldn’t figure out why the roaches never fully disappeared.
If you want a lower-toxicity option, diatomaceous earth can help, but only if applied lightly in cracks and hidden areas. Too much and they just avoid it.
One mistake I made early on was over-applying everything. German roaches are sneaky—less product in the right spots works better than more everywhere.
Apartment living complicates things. Even if you do everything right, roaches can come from neighboring units. Building-wide treatment made the biggest difference for me.
@FrustratedFrank I’d strongly suggest documenting what you’re seeing—dates, photos, locations. That helped me get my landlord to finally take action.
@SafetyFirstSteve That’s a good idea. I haven’t been tracking it closely, but I’ll start doing that and follow up with management again.
If you’re seeing nymphs regularly, this isn’t unusual—but it does mean you need a consistent plan. Baiting, sealing cracks, reducing moisture, and landlord involvement usually work best together.