THESE ARE THE 5 best roach killers in 2022

Best roach-killing spray

Target

When you’re coming face to face with roaches, Raid Ant & Roach Killer is an on-the-spot spray that will make short work of your adversaries — at least the ones you can see.

Pros: Instantly effective, effective against most insects

Cons: Only effective upon sight, not a long-term solution, relatively toxic

Kill-on-contact spray is important to have for visible infestations. Keep in mind that it contains a cocktail of Cypermethrin and Imiprothrin, among others, all of which are somewhat toxic to humans.

Raid’s Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray is also handy when you have a clear idea of where the roaches are traveling. It remains temporarily lethal enough that if you spray their trail before shutting out the lights and heading off to bed, it will still harm them.

Complete eradication requires a combination of approaches, and sprays like this won’t kill the roaches you can’t see and trace. A perimeter spray and bait stations will pick up most of your slack, though. Raid Ant & Roach Killer Insecticide Spray is great to have on hand for pretty much any bug infestation.

Best roach-killing gel

Amazon

Advion Cockroach Gel Bait applies invisibly wherever you need it and then makes its way back to the nest to wreak havoc.

Pros: Long-lasting, placement is highly customizable, also attracts and takes care of crickets (field and house), silverfish, and ants

Cons: Labor-intensive to apply, not pet-safe

When you have a serious infestation and can’t pinpoint the source or the nest, a spreadable gel is a great option. You can smear it into any suspect cracks, corners, and crevices. As hermetically sealed as your domicile may be, there are almost always cracks, and that is indeed how the roaches get in.

Advion’s Cockroach Gel Bait, with Indoxacarb as its active ingredient, mercilessly attacks the pests’ nervous systems and spreads throughout the nest. Before long, the whole colony is wiped out.

While application is more involved than opening a box and dispersing a few traps throughout the house, Advion’s Cockroach Gel Bait comes with applicator tips so that it’s not a horribly messy chore.

Squeeze it into cracks and create a bead or dots around baseboards, near trash cans, and anywhere else the vermin may be finding their way into your living space. However, it’s not good for pets.

This formula is also approved for boats, planes, and other vehicles, including your car.

Best roach trap

Amazon

The Black Flag Roach Motel Insect Trap kills cockroaches and keeps the dead ones contained and out of sight.

Pros: You won’t wake up to dead bugs on your floor, odor-free, pesticide-free

Cons: Traps become tattered over time, might also trap smaller rodents (e.g., mice) that could render the trap useless

A self-contained trap like Black Flag’s Roach Motel is often the most practical and comfortable approach. Cleanup is much less involved: Just pick it up and toss it once it’s full or too tattered to perform its job any longer. It also entices and contains spiders, scorpions, crickets, and other insects.

This is a great option for households with pets and small children. The active ingredient in these traps isn’t a pesticide but merely sticky tape. Even if their fingers or paws do find their way in, it’s nontoxic.

Roach Motels come two to a pack. The way they work is simple: Black Flag’s sweet proprietary concoction lures in the roaches (and other pests). Once inside the trap, they find themselves attached to a sticky tape.

While this is arguably cruel, keep in mind that roaches probably aren’t capable of experiencing pain like we are. However, smaller rodents might also find their way in, at which point they will be trapped and left to suffer (as they do in traps like these).

Best roach bait

Amazon

Common, small roaches don’t require anything too pernicious, and Combat Max 12-Month Bait Stations are plenty effective and discreet.

Pros: Long-term efficacy, discreet

Cons: Doesn’t work on larger species (stations for larger species are prohibited in some places)

The heavy sprays and gels aren’t necessary for the common, small roach. An insecticide with Fipronil, like Combat’s Max 12-Month Roach Killing Bait Stations, is more than adequate.

The beauty of these contraptions is threefold: They’re affordable; they last for a whole year as the packaging suggests; and the domino effect they have on the nest, and potentially the entire local population, is underway the second one individual roach takes the bait.

We also particularly like how nondescript these bait stations are. Toss them under the fridge or in the back of the kitchen cabinet, and guests will never see them. Far and away, this is the easiest and cheapest solution to start with, but generally, you’ll also have to take other measures.

Our methodology

We spoke with waste management professionals at Organic Pest Control NYC and Cindy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for the NPMA, to learn the most effective chemicals and approaches to cockroach management. We also found out the necessary concentrations of active ingredients to get the job done.

One rule to ridding a space of roaches supersedes all measures: Proper food storage and waste disposal are your first (and most effective) line of defense. Cindy Mannes, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), told Insider that the best way to control a cockroach problem is, essentially, not to let them in in the first place. That means removing anything that the insects find attractive — food, water, and clutter, which offers warmth and a place to hide.

“Cockroaches are some of the most resilient pests in the world, making getting rid of them a difficult task for consumers to do themselves,” Mannes said. “People can take steps, however, to mitigate cockroach problems through barrier exclusion and cleanliness.”

Other specific considerations were:

Ease of use: Is it something as simple as opening a cartridge and slipping it under the sink, or do you have to crawl around on your hands and knees with protective gear on? We offer recommendations across the spectrum, so choose what is most practical (and realistic) for you and your household.

Toxicity: We considered whether active ingredients were toxic to humans and pets. Essentially, everything is at the very least mildly toxic, but some options, like the Fipronil found in Raid’s Bait Stations, were considerably less problematic for pets.

Effectiveness: Effectiveness is without a doubt the most important feature of a roach killer or trap. We considered the active chemicals, our experts’ recommendations, and user reviews.

FAQs

What are the most effective chemicals to look for in a roach killer?

Chemicals that affect the central nervous system of insects work best, especially because they’re so effective with roaches but don’t tend to affect mammals (specifically pets and humans) to the same degree. Cypermethrin, Imiprothrin, Fipronil, and Indoxacarb are the more common EPA-approved ones and the active ingredients found in the products we recommend above.

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Does bleach kill roaches?

Yes, but it’s not as safe or as effective as specifically designed insecticides.

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Does boric acid kill roaches?

Yes, boric acid can work very well, entering either through digestion or basic contact, but being a powder, it’s messy. It also tends to lose potency quickly.

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Does dichotomous earth kill roaches?

Yes. Diatomaceous earth is a potent but pet- and human-safe implement for killing cockroaches. It breaks down their exoskeletons, and roaches also bring it back to the nest, so the domino effect can work extremely well within a few weeks.

You’ll just need to continuously spread a dusting of it in the problematic area, which, as with boric acid, can become messy.

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What type of roach killer or trap is right for me?

Depending on the degree of your infestation and the amount of effort you are willing to do on your own (before you call an expert extermination service), any of our recommendations are applicable. But here’s the basic run-down of application and effectiveness of each type of trap and poison:

Bait stations: Bait stations lure roaches in for poisonous bait, which they’ll then take back to the nest. Dead roaches will be scattered about, but application is as easy as dropping the little plastic discs here and there and replacing them every 12 months. This is about as easy as it gets, but there will be cleanup.

Gel baits: Gel baits are second only to preventative sprays because while they’re thoroughly effective, they leave behind a trail of dead bugs. Still, this is a great way to stop roaches from developing regular trails through kitchen cabinets, cracks in the wall, and other tight crevices.

Preventative sprays: Preventative sprays are somewhat labor-intensive. You have to thoroughly and carefully spray them around your house’s inner and outer perimeters and let it dry (for about four hours) before going near the sprayed areas. In our experience and based on our experts’ recommendations, this is the most effective option.

Spot-killing sprays: If you’re coming face to face with roaches in your home, a spray will get the job done on the spot. You’ll have to clean up afterward, though. Plus, depending on how much you spray, you can really foul the air in your house for a while.

Sticky traps: Sticky traps can be effective. While they’re pesticide-free, they’re a little cruel because whatever gets stuck in there will die of exhaustion or starvation. These traps also tend to be on the larger side, so they’re harder to hide.

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How do I prevent roaches from returning?

No matter what type of poison you use, effectiveness is going to be relative to cleanliness. If your house is a sty, you’ll just keep inviting in roaches (and other pests). Keep counters and floors clean; keep your sink free of dishes; store food in airtight containers; vacuum weekly; ventilate crawl spaces; and prevent moisture from building up, especially due to leaky pipes and faucets.

Toxicity in roach killers

Roach killers are toxic by nature, but plenty of chemicals will exterminate without being toxic to pets and humans. Here’s more about the toxicity in the active ingredients found within the products we recommend:

Cypermethrin: A fast-acting neurotoxin in insects, Cypermethrin is generally only a mild irritant to humans and mammals, as it’s 1,000 times more potent to insects. Still, it’s best to avoid skin contact when handling it. (Note, Ortho’s Home Defense Insect Killer includes Cypermethrin but also features a small concentration of Bifenthrin, which is harmful to aquatic insects and finfish, and it’s best to avoid letting it leak into bodies of water.)

Fipronil: Also used for killing fleas and ticks on dogs, Fipronil affects the central nervous system of insects. While studies show that it’s heavily toxic to rodents, it will only cause mild skin irritation in humans. If consumed, health effects become much more serious, though not necessarily life-threatening.

Imiprothrin: Categorized by the EPA as having a “low order of toxicity” in humans (and mammals), Imiprothrin exposure manifests as a mild skin and eye irritant and is considered suitable for indoor applications.

Indoxacarb: Classified by the United States EPA as a “not likely” human carcinogen, Indoxacarb is a pyrethroid also used to prevent the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms from insects to humans and other animals. Still, it has caused neurotoxicity in several studies of both mice and rats, and you’ll want to seek medical attention if ingested.

Read more about pesticide toxicity assessment at the EPA.