Prevention and Sanitation American roaches can move from one building to the next during the summer, entering through cracks in foundations, around loose-fitting doors or windows, and along water and gas pipes. Seal openings with putty or plastic wood. Inspect sacks, cartons and boxes, etc., brought into the home and destroy any roaches. Sanitation is critical in roach control. Clean up spilled foods and liquids, avoid leaving scraps of food on unwashed dishes and counter tops, keep food in tightly sealed containers, rinse cans and bottles before putting in trash and transfer garbage outdoors into roach-proof receptacles.
Insecticides Apply chemicals at roach hiding places.
Enter a dark room quietly, turn on the light and watch where the roaches run. Spot treat these hiding places and known pathways, especially under and behind loose baseboards or molding strips and around pipes or conduits along the walls and through it. Do not treat entire floors, walls, or ceilings. Surfaces where food is prepared should not be treated. Buildings with multiple dwellings usually require the treatment of each unit.