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Cockroaches at home are not just unpleasant: they can contaminate food, leave traces, produce bad smells and cause problems in homes, kitchens, bathrooms, premises and damp areas. To control them properly, it is not enough to kill the cockroaches you see. The key is to remove food, water and shelter, identify where they enter and interrupt their breeding cycle.
On this page we explain how to reduce and control cockroaches by prioritising domestic methods without sprayed insecticides, such as glue traps, prevention and natural repellents, and when the problem needs stronger measures. If you only want capture models, go directly to Cockroach Traps. For other pests, return to Pest Control - Insects.
| Situation | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You see one isolated cockroach | It may have entered from the street, a drain, pipe or shared area. | Clean the area, check access points and place traps to detect more activity. |
| You see small cockroaches | This may indicate active reproduction and a hidden source. | Act more intensively: prevention, traps, damp-area checks and possible professional help. |
| You see cockroaches during the day | It may indicate a more advanced infestation or crowded shelters. | Do not just kill the visible ones. Find the source and consider a fuller treatment. |
| They appear in the kitchen | They are looking for food, water, heat and shelter near appliances or cupboards. | Clean at night, keep bins closed, protect food and place traps under sinks and appliances. |
| They appear in the bathroom or drains | Humidity, pipes and gaps can help them enter and survive. | Dry the area, fix leaks, check seals and place traps near transit points. |
| There are children or pets at home | Accessible products and unnecessary sprays should be avoided. | Use traps in protected areas, out of reach, and reinforce prevention. |
| The problem does not stop | There may be a hidden source, entry from shared areas or an established infestation. | Reinforce with professional measures or contact a pest control company. |
Cockroaches mainly look for water, food and heat. That is why they often appear in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, drains, areas near pipes, appliances and dark corners.
They can enter from the street, garages, patios, downpipes, drains, cracks, pipes, shared areas or even in boxes and bags. During the day they hide in dark, warm and damp places, and they usually come out at night to find food and water.
If you see cockroaches during the day or see small cockroaches, there may be many more hidden and breeding. In that case, removing only the visible ones is not enough.
Effective cockroach control combines prevention, monitoring and capture. Prevention is decisive because if they still have water, food and shelter, they will return.
Cockroach traps are useful for capturing cockroaches without spraying insecticide into the environment. They use an adhesive surface: the cockroach enters, attracted by the bait, becomes stuck and dies inside the trap.
At BirdGard Iberia you can find the Cockroach Trap and the Cockroach Trapper. Since they do not disperse insecticide into the air, they are a more controlled option for homes when placed out of reach of children and pets.
Traps can be enough for mild problems when combined with prevention. In larger infestations, they help reduce activity and locate sources, but professional measures may still be needed.
For capture-only models, see Cockroach Traps.
Trap placement is key. They should be placed where cockroaches actually move: dark, warm, damp areas close to food or water.
Do not move traps every day. Leave them for several days in strategic points to detect activity.
The Natural Crawling Insect Repellent can be used as support in transit areas, entrances, corners, cracks or points where you want an odour barrier. It is not intended to eliminate an infestation by itself, but to complement prevention and traps.
Like any odour-based repellent, it should be reapplied periodically, especially after cleaning or when the smell fades.
Vinegar can help clean surfaces and reduce some traces, but it does not eliminate a cockroach infestation by itself. It is a hygiene support, not the main treatment.
Spray insecticides may kill visible cockroaches, but often do not reach the hidden source. If used badly, they can create unnecessary risks in homes with children, pets or exposed food.
For serious infestations, authorised gel baits or a professional pest control company may be necessary. If there is active reproduction, small cockroaches or daily activity, traps and prevention may not be enough by themselves.
Contact a professional company if you see cockroaches daily, if they appear during the day, if there are many small ones, if activity appears in several rooms or if cleaning, sealing and traps do not solve the problem.
Professional help is also advisable if the source seems to come from shared areas, downpipes, nearby premises, neighbours or spaces where you cannot intervene directly.
Remove water, food and shelter, seal access points, place traps in transit areas and check humidity sources. If there are many cockroaches, small cockroaches or daily activity, professional help may be needed.
They can enter from the street, drains, pipes, garages, patios or neighbouring homes. Cleaning helps, but humidity control, sealing and hidden-area checks are also needed.
They are mainly attracted by water, food, heat and dark shelters.
It may indicate active reproduction and a hidden source, so a more complete approach is needed.
Cockroaches are usually more active at night. Seeing them during the day may indicate a larger or more advanced infestation.
Yes. They capture cockroaches, reduce activity and help detect where they concentrate. In large infestations, they are support and may need reinforcement.
Place them under the sink, behind appliances, near pipes, in low cupboards, along skirting boards, corners and damp areas.
No. Vinegar can help clean surfaces and reduce traces, but it does not eliminate an infestation.
Adhesive traps do not disperse insecticide, but they must always be placed out of reach of children and pets.
Call a professional if you see cockroaches daily, during the day, many small ones, activity in several areas or no improvement with prevention and traps.
At BirdGard Iberia you will find cockroach traps without sprayed insecticides and natural repellent to reinforce prevention in transit areas. You can also browse our insect pest control solutions. If you have questions about your case, contact us and we will advise you free of charge.
