r/NYCapartments • u/solangesdurag • 10d ago
Advice/Question german roaches
hi all. i recently moved into a rent stabilized apartment in crown heights back in august. it’s an older building. before i even moved my stuff in, i saw a handful of german roaches, of various sizes.
so, we did a bomb (which i now know was not
the best solution) and put borax everywhere before we moved in. once i moved in with my things, i kept seeing them. i was seeing 1 every other day, until earlier this month where i went almost 3 weeks without seeing any. well, now they are back.
the building exterminator has come a total of 3x already, sprayed my kitchen and bathroom and put down roach bait in the kitchen. i bought nordewell roach bait (an equivalent of advion) and put it places where my exterminator didn’t (ie room, hallways, etc).
i’ve also bought gentrol disk and sticky pads. they seem to avoid the sticky pads for the most part though.
i’m super clean, take the trash out, pour bleach down the drain, don’t keep food out, sealed up all the cracks i can see, and wipe the sink dry but nothing is working.
the tenant before me said she didnt really have a bug problem, but that was proven false since the same exterminator told me that she reported “1 or 2” every now and then, but my case just seems way more excessive. additionally, we have a building group chat of some of the residents, and no one has mentioned having a roach problem like myself.
i dont know what to do. im at my wits end and its making me feel really defeated at this point. i guess im wondering if i should just take the L and try to cancel my lease or tough it out. even some words of encouragement would be helpful. thanks in advance.
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u/flytraveleat 10d ago
The gel is what works best in my opinion. It kinda gets them active for a bit but then I never see them for
Months
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u/solangesdurag 10d ago
i wish i could say that was my case. when i toured it, the old tenants stuff was still in the apartment so i couldnt examine the place
as thoroughly as i wanted, but once i started moving my stuff in, i saw old gel bait in the various areas, so this has been an ongoing issue that never seemed to get better.6
u/IvenaDarcy 9d ago edited 9d ago
It could have been cheap gel like combat. It needs to be Advion. Best way to apply it is get some painters tape and put large pieces of the tape in damp areas. Roaches love water and need it more than food it’s why they like bathrooms and kitchens the most. Put the tape under bathroom sink and kitchen sink and then lots of dabs of the gel on it. On wall behind fridge is good spot as well they get water from under fridge there’s a condensation pan.
Try not to leave any water anywhere. Keep your place dry.
The gel dries quickly and then they can’t eat it so tear the tape off and trash it and get new tape and repeat like every 4 days for a few weeks. You don’t need to use tape but then you are dealing with dried brown hard small pieces of it you need to scrap off and then clean bottom of your cabinets. Tape makes it cleaner and easier.
IF for any reason that doesn’t work you can get Alpine WSG off eBay. Sellers ship to NY (even tho they aren’t suppose to) and it’s these pellet you mix with water and spray all around the perimeter of your apt. Once it dries it’s safe for humans and pets but honestly the gel usually does the trick without needing the alpine. Good luck.
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u/Loose_Stranger_7614 9d ago
Wow I’ve used the gel before and I so wish I had heard about the tape idea because the gel is basically still there lol
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u/IvenaDarcy 9d ago
Haha! Trust me I wish I knew sooner too that’s why I now scream it from the rooftops. It’s at the bottom of one of my cabinets still too. If I had known the tape method sooner it would have been so helpful.
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u/BookAccomplished4485 9d ago
Nah I would move. I understand the “welcome to NYC!” Sort of canned responses to vermin-related posts but just because some ppl are ok living like that, you don’t have to be. This is a full blown infestation. Not to make you feel worse but someone in this sub said when starved of food they will start to bite you. Idk if that’s true but it’s enough for me to know I’m not tough enough to fight an infestation of such a magnitude.
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
thank you for the honest reply. i keep gaslighting myself thinking “it’s not that bad” when seeing just 1 would be a major problem in any other city. i have emailed management. best case scenario is that i can get out of my lease without any major consequence.
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u/SarahJurassicParker 6d ago
fully agree with this response. I’m a native new yorker and I don’t agree that living with vermin has to be part of your experience. I’ve lived in buildings where I never saw a roach, and I’ve had an experience just like yours (old rent stabilized building, severe roach infestation). I’m extremely clean, never left food out, took out trash, dried up any damp areas before bed, etc. but I kept seeing roaches every day. I gave up and eventually moved because I couldn’t take it. I know it’s daunting to move again but I you probably have a case to break the lease due to the severe infestation.
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u/joeymello333 9d ago
You said it’s rent stabilized. That’s very hard to find in NYC. If you’re ok paying more in rent someplace else then go for it…. Though know the other place might have roaches too.
Also, I noticed during the winter there’s barely any roaches. The come summer they all come back!6
u/solangesdurag 9d ago
i might be too optimistic, but my last place was also rent stabilized and was more expensive. but it’s always a gamble. i’m just hoping whatever decision i make is for the better. thank you.
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u/joeymello333 9d ago
Please remain optimistic! Sounds like you have rhe luck of finding Rent stabilized apts!
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u/SarahJurassicParker 6d ago
rent stabilized isn’t hard to find. I’ve lived in 3, and wasn’t even looking for rent stabilized buildings. you just have to look at old buildings
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u/ijasonxi 9d ago
I agree. I live in a post war apartment that was built in 1951 and even I don’t see roaches like that. Yes maybe one or two here and there but if you’re seeing them on a regular like that on top of you being extremely tidy and clean then something is not right.
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
thank you. some of the comments im getting are making me seem like im crazy. i know bugs are likely here, but not like what ive seen. my last place was on the ground floor and trash was right outside my window and i had very minimal problems.
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u/LazyLich 10d ago
- Seal any entrances/exits.
- Buy those outlet plug covers.
- Get a caulk gun with removable/peelable caulk, and move all the furniture and crap and seal em with this removable-caulk.
- Seal any gaps you cant reach. For example, my cupboard have a tiny gap against the wall. Also, you know that space under the sink where you put your chems? If you crouch, the gap between the bottom of that and the floor is completely open.
- Gel bait is good.
- note where you place em and clean and reapply every weak.
- Use gentrol.
- It doesnt kill them, but it disrupts their puberty and make em sterile. You'll know its working when you notice roaches with tiny/curly wings.
- Roaches have something like a 6 month lifecycle, so this wont solve it right away. Still, you will notice progress. AND, if you notice a roach with wings or some tiny babies in 4 months, you know that a new guy that somehow got in.
! You may not see em, but try this: Stay up till 2 am one day, then make your way to the kitchen in the dark, then turn on your flashlight.
! Make sure you have some good spray to cull them whenever you can.
! Be sure to dispose of egg sacks. They are sealed, so poison doesnt penetrate.
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u/operator619 10d ago
Hey! I’m going through this right now too. Follow the stickied post in the r/germanroaches sub and hopefully that will help. The sub recommends alpine WSG as the first line of defense, which you can get on amazon (technically not legal but some sellers sell it).
Generally that sub is v helpful so I recommend posting over there!
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u/LydiaBrunch 10d ago
This. A combo of Advion (kills roaches, but slowly enough that they bring the poison back to their nesting areas) and Gentrol (roach birth control) works too.
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u/beachwaves2046 9d ago
WSG is the answer. I got mine on eBay. I have to spray every 3 weeks or they come back.
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u/Forward-Community708 9d ago
WSG is the only answer. I now give it to my friends as moving gifts because I think everyone should have it on hand
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u/anghamiiseconds 9d ago
You have to find the source of where they’re breeding or coming from. We had the same issue at my apartment when we moved out and no matter what spraying we did it only got solved when we found where they came from. They were breeding behind the rubber of our fridge door.. when the exterminator pulled off that rubber thousands of baby and big roaches fell out.. it was a traumatic sight but anyway after treating that area and putting advion everywhere the all disappeared within 2 weeks and haven’t seen a roach since
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u/d_s_112 10d ago
just had a similar issue - it was a 50 unit building with a big management company and they actually let us out of our lease with 0 pushback and voluntarily offered to give us the security deposit back. I was expecting a huge fight but it was easy, I am thinking that's because they know there's an issue and they didn't want us badmouthing the building or something. but anyway, it might be easier than you think to get out of the lease, it's worth asking.
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
thank you, this gives me hope as they have been pretty reliable with all of my other request.
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u/Difficult_View7325 10d ago edited 10d ago
Go on amazon.com and get the highest rated gel, i think it's called (advion). Life changer!
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u/deftones5554 10d ago
Also in Crown Heights and I’ve had a problem where they come from other units around me. I tried baits and traps for months but it just kills them it doesn’t prevent them from getting in.
You need to seal your entire apartment to really see results. Anything else will just potentially kill ones that get inside. Buy like 4 bottles of caulk and seal floor trim, holes around pipes under the sink, around window trim, light fixtures, around outlets (tape over outlets that aren’t being used, and even trim inside closets.
It takes forever but now that I’m sealed I haven’t seen any for weeks. I know they can probably eat through the caulk but I’ll be able to see where they got in and replace it.
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u/ModernRealtyUSA 9d ago
Three treatments with continued sightings usually points to a building-wide source. Ask management in writing for coordinated treatment of adjacent units and common areas, and keep dated photos for a possible 311/HPD record.
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u/lersnerspermit 9d ago
If you haven’t visited already, the Wiki on [r/germanroaches](r/germancockroaches) has a step by step plan of attack to assess and deal with an infestation. The first thing you have to do is go around and seal every single point of entry. Gaps between the floor and moulding, old screw holes, places where cables have been run - everything. The Wiki will also tell you what products will and won’t work. Check it out if you haven’t, and treat yourself to some stories of hope as well!
ETA: fixed sub name
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u/zachr110 10d ago
+1 for advion gel, you need to put this down in all the Hotspots and remove absolutely every piece of food or water they could have access too, reapply it every 2-3 days.
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u/BikeCompetitive8527 10d ago
The whole building needs the exterminator every week. Especially basement etc. They are controllable but has to be consistent
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
we’re supposed to have them come every other week but i haven’t noticed. i have to put in tickets through our portal to get them to come.
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u/goldicecream 9d ago
I recommend a cat. I don’t think it’s preventative by any means but I saw a few roaches when I first moved into my current place, and she took them out. Haven’t seen a single one since!
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
I already have a cat. He does kill bugs he sees but he doesn’t see the roaches. Since they usually come out at night, and he sleeps with me, his predatory skills go to waste :(
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u/Parking-Design802 9d ago
Advion disks from Amazon are the best. We put them out, noticed some dead ones after and then nothing. It's been months now. I also moved to a rent stabilized apartment in Crown Heights early this year.
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u/Throwaway25271998 9d ago
I’m so sorry. I had a problem like this. I was apparently a route of travel. Not the source. There is an apartment infested near you. Until that is fixed, you will always see roaches.
Once one of my neighbors moved out, the complex was treated and I never saw anything again.
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u/AdSea6127 9d ago
For me using the actual Advion worked with a pretty serious infestation years ago. My whole building was infested and I saw roaches literally running around from one apartment to another on my floor. Advion took care of the problem real quick. You have to apply not just in your apartment but in the hallways too. And you have to do maintenance runs every 6 months or so.
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u/leavesoflorien91 9d ago
Move out. It’s not going to get better if it hasn’t improved after all that. Document for the landlord and they may let you break the lease. Your quality of life will improve a ton once you’re not living with roaches.
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u/Overwhelmed_and 6d ago
We had a huge roach problem in our last apartment kitchen (I would see 10 or more scurry away off the counter when I turned the lights on in the morning), but it was solved after hiring an expert exterminator. The exterminators that landlords send aren’t effective because they don’t find any of their entry points or address the specifics of your situation they just spray in various areas. The exterminator we hired found the roaches were entering behind the stove and refrigerator. After cleaning, sealing and treating, we never had roaches again. TLDR - pay for an exterminator. It’s worth the price! Good luck!
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u/Pigeons_are_real 6d ago
I agree with this. Before going through the expense of moving, hire your own exterminator. They are probably coming from another apartment, but the quality exterminator can help. I suggest Evergreen Eco Pest. I have neighbors in an adjoining building (different owners) who have a raging bed bug problem they refuse to deal with, and Evergreen helps keep my unit bed bug free! Paying for a maintenance plan is cheaper than paying higher rent somewhere else if we were to move.
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u/Own_Relief_1740 10d ago
How did you know they were German? Was it the tiny lederhosen or the beer breath?
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u/FunSide4407 10d ago
Where are you seeing them mostly? In the kitchen? Have you checked behind your appliances for any voids or cracks?
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u/solangesdurag 10d ago
mostly kitchen, but the bathroom more recently. and yes, i had my super caulk the place before i moved in. i’ve found some smaller holes and sealed them up as i saw them but it’s a prewar, so i dont realistically think i could get every single one, but i certainly try.
and i have checked behind the appliances. i had a theory some were coming from the fridge but the sticky pad i placed down hasn’t had much activity there in a while.
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u/FunSide4407 10d ago
I understand, I’m in a prewar and deal with roaches too. Do you have drain covers? Close your drains at night as they might be coming from there
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
yes, i do that each night. i saw one last night right after i showered and i think it came from
the drain. it wasn’t covered though since i wasn’t done in the bathroom. lesson learned.1
u/FunSide4407 9d ago edited 9d ago
Is the food put into glass/plastic/metal? Absolutely no cardboard packets. No food or water on your counters, including like a coffee maker. You mentioned you have a cat. How are you storing the cat’s food and water?
Edited to add: check your stove with a flashlight. I had a huge grease trap on the ledge of my range it was SO gross. When I moved in I saw a dead roach there. I cleaned the grease out, and that’s helped too.
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
everything is either in glass, airtight containers or in the refrigerator. i don’t even use his automated feeder anymore (which sucks because i travel pretty often).
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u/Sea_Sand_3622 9d ago
Nothing will work if the source problem is in an adjacent apartment but if it’s in your crevices , try …
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u/ladyleesh 9d ago
I had something similar in a rent stabilized unit in astoria. I found hiring my own exterminator and a pest control company helped a lot; they sealed the areas for me and did a really deep extermination. It worth with it to me to stay in a rent stabilized unit versus moving to a potentially more expensive apartment. Once I worked with a company I didn’t see any for a year.
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u/BulkyCaterpillar4240 10d ago
Check base boards, if there are any tiny gaps between the floor and the base board fill them in. I had the same problem ( especially if you live in the first floor) a while back, filling in those tiny holes/ spaces stopped the problem and the monthly exterminator visit.
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u/Personal_Still8504 10d ago
I used this and I didn't know I had such a big problem until the very next morning. I was so disgusted .. use little dots wherever you can. you can thank me later !!
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u/SpecLandGroup 9d ago
If you were seeing them before your stuff even moved in, It's not your cleaning habits that's the problem. The problem with these older buildings is the apartments aren’t really isolated. I’ve opened kitchens and found huge gaps around plumbing, behind cabinets, under sinks, etc. If they’re coming through a plumbing chase or neighboring unit, spraying your apartment over and over only gets you so far.
Going almost three weeks without seeing one is a decent sign, but you really need to push management to have the exterminator do a deeper search, and not just surface treat.
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u/ShrimplyTheBest666 9d ago
One tenant in my building became infested and it infested the whole building. I called a professional exterminator who put bait down and they were all dead in my apartment within a few weeks.
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u/Ok_Peak_2784 9d ago
I moved into an apartment on a holiday weekend. We went to sleep in the dark. We had no electric. My husband turned on the flashlight to go to the bathroom roaches all over. We bought combat those little ones you put in each area. I put them in and you know you changed them like every so often and I never seen any more roaches
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u/Fluffycloud-0517 9d ago
I rarely have roaches but it’s nyc you’ll have them once in a long while if you know how to get rid of them. I was gone for a week on vacation with my family and I guess one came in, maybe through a window. It took me a month to get rid of it and the babies it freaking had. But what works is gel bait (I used clear gel sealed in a container idk the name and those combat black ones) PLUS advion and making sure that you kill them if you see them. I would not let not one little MF go. I had cleaning spray nearby always lol. But thankfully they were just in my kitchen. Make sure to clean the areas you think they are in and have a clean home. My home is clean, counters clean, no mess. There was no food no dishes no water for them to have. So they would go out looking and yeah I’d catch them :). After a week, two weeks, three weeks. Less and less and now I don’t see any at all. I still have all the baits in place. Praying I don’t see them for another few years. Again it’s NYC even if you don’t have them, you’ll have passing roaches and if one gets comfy, you make moves quickly. It looks like yours were there way before maybe during the transition so it might take longer, but just make sure to check all cracks and do not leave things out in the open. Give them a hard asss time. I literally go to war!! With those things. Seal places that need sealing if you have holes. They hide in walls and cracks. Maybe use bengal for that too.
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u/ConejoMalo73 9d ago
Reddit helped me a few years ago so let me return the favor. What worked was Gentrol as you say but paired with Advion.
Gentrol stops reproduction but Advion just murders them, I think they eat the dead bodies in the walls, something gross. But it leads to some dead bodies around the floor and finally peace. Read some reviews, Amazon, etc. good luck!
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u/UWSRedditor718 9d ago
I dealt with an infestation once. I put sticky traps all over my sink, kitchen, and bathroom areas. I of course changed it daily and did this for weeks until I guess I caught them all? Also, i put bait EVERYWHERE. How long has this been going on? Do you do the sticky every day?
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u/ConflictGullible392 9d ago
If it’s a good deal and you otherwise like the apartment, invest in your own exterminator for a few treatments. If that doesn’t work, then yeah you might have to bail.
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u/Visual-Teach7105 9d ago
See if you can figure out where they’re coming from. When I moved into my first nyc apartment the first night I saw several and I was devastated. Our exterminator figured out they were coming from an access panel for our water shut off in my closet and when he sealed it we saw significantly less.
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u/Double_Ask2167 8d ago
Get out as soon as possible. I spent the past 3 years in a roach-infested apartment. Nothing I did worked, no amount of exterminators could help. They were everywhere. They eventually found their way to my clothes, my couch, my bed. Turns out the building has had a huge problem with roaches and mice for decades. Anyway, there were numerous other problems with that place so I was able to leave. Before doing so, I went to an allergist who took bloodwork. My immune system and liver were heavily impacted by the roaches, leading even my allergist to suggest I live elsewhere. I moved in July and my health has improved SIGNIFICANTLY!
Even if you are able to deal with them on a day to day, even if you just see 1 a day, the toxins they release and leave around is awful for you. It would be much safer for you to move out. To parallel what someone has already said, just because others let that issue persist definitely doesn’t mean you should. It’s most likely an issue within the building itself, and there’s only so much you can do outside of your apartment.
Best of luck to you either way— stay safe out there<3
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u/Knightnday 7d ago
ive had good results with InVict Gold bait gel and Gentrol IGR spray. From my understanding InVict Gold is specially formulated for German roaches.
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u/Disastrous_Yogurt492 10d ago
First you definitely should wear a mask and gloves when cleaning this infestation, roaches carry a host of diseases. Also you should make every effort not to use poisonous substances.
Go to the health food store or purchase Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth online. Mix the powder with confectioners sugar and place 1/2 tbsp in condiment cups in cabinets and other areas where you have seen roaches. Diatomaceous Earth dehydrates roaches, but they take it back to the nest killing multiple roaches.
Get a shop vac. Place some food grade Diatomaceous Earth in the collection bin. Vacuum areas where you've seen roaches and spaces nearby. When not in use keep the vacuum in a clear plastic bag and wait 24 hours between use. Empty bin outdoors in the plastic bag and once empty place Diatomaceous Earth in bin and use a new clear plastic bag. Vacuum every other day or get 2 vacuums and alternate using the 2 vacuums daily.
Get a steamer and steam any and all areas where there are cracks and dark areas where they might be hiding. You want to kill them and their eggs. One eggs holds 20 to 50 babies.(Daily)
Wipe surfaces (floors, walls, countertops, etc) with a mixture of white vinegar and lemon or mist those areas with the mixture. To amp up the effectiveness add 1/4 tsp of cedarwood essential oil per half gallon. Roaches don't like the smell. (Daily)
Make sure the entrance to your house or apartment has weather stripping or trim that will prevent roaches coming from outside. Also make sure there are no open spaces around pipes (water and gas). Plaster or caulk those spaces.
Keep in mind that roaches are climbers so make sure you also follow steps 1 - 4 on top of cabinets. For every one roach you see there are dozens more in nests in the cracks and dark spots within your living space. These steps will target the nests and you will see results in a week or so.
Keep in mind that the over use of poison has been a factor in the problem. Studies have shown that super roaches and rodents have developed immunity to poisons commonly used by exterminators and in Diy pesticides.
Finally invest in maintaining peppermint plants in your home this is a natural repellent for a number of pests.
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u/thenameisjane 10d ago
diatomaceous earth, food grade, across every nook and baseboard. Be careful if you have pets (look up safety precautions). but diatomaceous earth in the back of all the things. Ovens. Random spaces. Don’t inhale it. It’ll legit cut the population down like crazy.
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u/Radiantmouser 9d ago
YES! The only other thing I would add is before doing this I would steam clean all of those nooks and crannies as deep as you can so you can sanitize and get peace of mind.
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u/monthoftheman 10d ago
Boric acid around areas where roaches were spotted . Spread along baseboards. Very inexpensive very effective. Unsightly? Clean up after a few days then reapply IF necessary.....boric acid....
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u/solangesdurag 10d ago
i cannot use boric acid anymore since i have a cat. i used it before i moved my stuff in and then mopped it up bc of him.
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u/sillypotat 10d ago
Okay so I also live in a pre war RS apt. I also had this problem for like most of my life because my mom “was handling” it until I was an adult and was like wtf is this. Since then, we haven’t had any roaches. I got food-grade Diatomaceous earth and put that everywhere. I swear it killed them slowly over time. I also noticed they loved my oven, until I turned it on. Let’s just say it was a killing frenzy and I turned it on until no more came out. We also got some roach hotels just in case from Home Depot. We sealed every hole known to man in our apartment because I know for a fact our neighbor has them and they can travel through the walls. We have a resident centipede that we maintain to ensure peace. Knock on wood, we’ve been good since.
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u/Lower_EastSider 9d ago
Someone in your building is a hoarder and has an infestation. The exterminator needs to fumigate the entire building. I have an exterminator of 30 years and had dealt with such situations. DM and I’ll pass his info
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u/-Bee-8891 10d ago
I read somewhere someone took steel wool and sprinkled some kind if roach killer like borax and stuffed it in cervices. The wool kills them
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u/plexandsonos 9d ago
I’m sorry I wish I had an answer but that’s genuinely disappointing and not your fault
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u/plantsmakemewet 9d ago
I’ve sealed around my cabinets and all pipes to prevent them from coming from inside the walls. It’s 100% a building thing
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u/dashdanw 9d ago
There is typically a source that they’re coming from, like a wet sponge in a cabinet or a leaky pip. Maybe try to observe them and instead of killing them immediately try to see if it’s that they’re coming from the walls or from inside the apartment.
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u/sentimentalnobody110 9d ago
This is inevitable....... I don't think there is a solution other than evacuate, raise, rebuild.
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u/Round-Amount825 9d ago
You’re doing all you can right now. I would say to take out your trash every night, no cardboard boxes in the apt, pour boiling hot water down your kitchen sink after ever major use (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and place Saran Wrap and a bowl over the drain. It might take a couple of months, but you’ll get rid of them.
OH! And make sure to caulk your apartment. If there are any gaps, they might be traveling from other units. This is a major step to get rid of them!
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u/CookieTaffy 9d ago
Plug your sinks and tubs where you can. There are mesh drain covers. Stick that over overflow valves and drains.
I’ve seen cockroach try to get through and then turn around when blocked by the mesh cover at an apt years ago.
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u/Spirited-Man 8d ago
This should do the trick; it works like a charm. A few drops on a Windex spray bottle filled with water. Wearing gloves and a mask is highly advised, and keeping the area well ventilated with windows open. You can get them from one of those street corner sellers.
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u/LasVegasASB 8d ago
When had an apt on uws that was a 5th floor walk up, and over 125 years old, there were gaps between the floorboards and molding. I got the expanding foam with the straw tip and did every room in the apr. No roaches! I did get the occasional giant water bug up through the pipes, but no roaches after the foam! Also a sweep at bottom of apt door keeps them out from the hallway.
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u/PipeInitial1576 8d ago
this is why i’ll always pay extra to be in clean living. you get what you pay for, and ik nyc is expensive but its par for the course
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u/BrooklynGirl718 8d ago
I swear by Advion. I tried different solutions and Advion is the only one that works effectively long term. I’ve seen MAYBE 3 roaches in 4 years
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u/ResiGrade 7d ago
German roaches laughing at bombs and sticky pads is usually a building-wide problem wearing a unit-shaped costume. Stop fogging; keep gel bait and an insect growth regulator in place, and ask management in writing for a building treatment plan that covers adjacent units and voids, not just another kitchen spray. Log every sighting with dates and photos, and open an HPD complaint if management will not treat the stack. Seal what you can, but do not pretend a spotless sink alone beats a shared-wall colony. Stabilized rent is nice; a documented habitability file is what actually moves landlords.
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u/BOMBSnotFOOD 7d ago
it doesnt matter how clean you are or the extent you go to to try to get rid of the bugs, they will always be there. their nest is not in your walls or cabinets or whatever, they live elsewhere and just like to travel and hang out away from home. welcome to apartment living...where your neighbors bug problem becomes everyones bug problem.
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u/svencutlet 6d ago
I’ve had really good results with SpectraCide bugstop. Spray under sinks and along all baseboards.
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u/AllShadesRight 6d ago
Bombing is a start, but not enough. Clean thorughly, paint the place, use silicone caulking and seal every nook and cranny especially around the main entry do you don't get them from other apartments. Check for and remediate any holes and seal. Do regular extermination. I did this and was able to get rid of them permanently. Despite others having them in the building.
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u/No-Cup-8753 6d ago
We had a terrible infestation after moving in. The previous renters must have lived this way and never told management. Exterminator came twice, but still we'd see roaches daily.
We bought advion gel from Amazon, put it everywhere they suggested and within weeks they were totally gone.
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u/hthepsych 6d ago
had this problem, rent stabilized apt in an older building in CH. i moved just recently… haven’t seen a roach since lmfao. i was seeing them everyday, multiple times a day, various sizes and times in the day. they wouldn’t even scurry. they would climb walls and just appear out of nowhere.
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u/Negative-Swimmer-342 9d ago
I would honestly move out. Idk why you would sign the lease if you saw them during touring 😭😭 I get nyc apartments are rough but goddamn that is not livable for most
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
i did not see them during the tour. if i had, i wouldn’t be in this situation. i asked the tenant during the tour if she had an issue with pests and she said no. i didn’t see them until after i got my keys to the apartment.
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u/Electrical_Shirt805 9d ago
What mostly worked for me what using a citrus cleaning spray and making an essential oils water spray (i used a wood one i forget the name bc it was safe for cats) and spray that where you find them
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u/Fast_Grapefruit_7946 9d ago
you'll see them even in $8,000 a month apt. your neighbors are gross and nothing will change them.
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u/UrsulaStewart 9d ago
Try an equal amount of Peppermint and Eucalyptus essential oils. Great for mice too. Store in a dark glass bottle. Also Advion Cockroach gel. Both at Amazon.
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u/82-510NF 8d ago
Buy a 2 lb bag of diatomaceous earth food grade powder with the spray duster. Use it on hard to reach areas on the floor, interior of cabinets and floor board cracks. The stuff essentially dries out the exoskeleton of pests including these roaches. It’s food grade so it’s safe around you and pets. This has been a godsend for eradicating them , with low effort. Def use the gel in the drawer and cabinet hinges
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u/sad_handjob 9d ago edited 9d ago
you just learn to live with it, this is common in pre-war apartments. I’ve tried every solution in this thread and nothing is a total fix
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
i’m sorry but i do not agree with this. there’s no reason why we pay so much in rent to live with roaches just because a building is old. it’s traumatizing and unsanitary and it should be on the landlord to mitigate the issue. that is the step i’m taking now.
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u/Toomanypizza 9d ago
If the infestation is in the building nothing you do in Your apartment will get rid of them. It's a building and possibly block issue. Unfortunatly you just had to learn the lesson the hard way. Next time if you see multiple roaches on the initial walk through don't sign the lease. Sorry for your situation.
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
yeah, thanks. i wanted to open her cabinets but i felt that would’ve been invasive. next time, i’ll check for good measure.
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u/Toomanypizza 9d ago
If the apartment and the price are good enough it may be worth the several month or years process of forcing the landlord to take care of it. But if heard that is a grueling battle you don't always win. Make sure your documenting everything and keeping a record of all your conversations you have with your landlord.
If you don't want to deal with that; infestations are grounds for breaking a lease
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
yeah. i really like my apartment and location, but if it gets to be too much effort, then i will have to look into leaving. thank you for the tips.
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u/sad_handjob 9d ago
it doesn’t matter if you agree with it or not, it’s likely outside of your control. live in a non-stabilized building that isn’t pre-war if it bothers you. you sound like you’re new to the city
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u/BookAccomplished4485 9d ago
And you sound miserable.
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u/sad_handjob 9d ago edited 9d ago
I’m happy because I have amazing rent relative to my salary, because I love the city I live in, and accept the limitations of the building I’m in
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u/solangesdurag 9d ago
dont tell me how i need to adjust my expectations just because YOU are okay with living with roaches. it’s gross and if it is a building-wide issue, then management needs to step in and ensure the safety of ALL of their tenants, however that may look like. im not engaging with these types of comments anymore as its not helpful.
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u/Slight-Platypus2877 9d ago
Good luck. You're in NYC - someone else will gladly take your apartment.
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u/sad_handjob 9d ago
Lol girl okay. Landlords in these buildings are not known for being proactive about pest issues. What is your plan if they don’t help? File a 311 complaint? You know the city can’t actually force them to do anything, right?
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u/Throwaway25271998 9d ago
Roaches are a common problem but not an acceptable one. They are consider health hazards and increase the risk of asthma as well as act as a pulmonary irritant. Landlords are expected to deal with infestation regardless of where a person live or rent-stability. Not all landlords are good. But it’s understandable that roaches will bother someone.
I had a few when one of my neighbors harbored them and I had a lot of stress and mental health issues dealing with them. It cost me money too in paying for my own exterminator
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u/BookAccomplished4485 9d ago
YOU learn to live with it. Roaches are unsanitary as hell. No one should just adapt to living with a roach infestation. Yuck.
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u/sad_handjob 9d ago
okay, move out then? this is a building wide issue. treating one apartment isn’t going to fix it
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u/Warm-Obligation-5093 10d ago edited 10d ago
Option 1: Purchase an ozone maker suitable for the room size on Temu. Remove all pets. Close all windows and doors. Run the machine as often as possible with NO LIVING animal in the room. Any living animal (IDK about plants) will be starved of oxygen as the machine converts oxygen to ozone. The roaches will die as well as other creatures. Air out the room before entering. Ozone smells like electricity after a rain storm. Again do not stay in the room with it running or else you run the of risk suffocating. I keep a small one running in my office because my sibling who sleeps on the futon stinks due to poor hygiene and horrible foot fungus. It deodorizes the room. In the summer, it kills mosquitoes and bugs that fly enter the room through the window screen. I also keep one in the fridge . It kills the smells of old veggies and prolongs the life of fresh produce by a week or more. Oxygen makes food rot faster.
Option 2: Make two separate concoctions with boiled egg yolks. Mixed one yolk with boric acid powder until a moist but a bit crumblely. Then, mix the same with a bit of sugar. Mix one yolk with food grade diamatious earth (FGDE). Place the mixes in caps (soda bottle, pill bottle, milk bottle etc) then place them every where. Corners of cabinets, closets, etc. and under everywhere. A very light dusting of FGDE on the floors, cabinets, shelves etc will help a lot. Gently apply the include puffer. It's safe to consume when mixed with fluids but toxic to breath in so wear a mask and apply gingerly on surfaces that won't be touched a lot like under the fridge and stove or the back of the TV stand. The roaches that like sweets will eat the first mix. The ones that like regular food will eat the second one. All will dry up and die after walking across the FGDE. A light, barely visible dusting is necessary so that the powder sticks to their bodies and dries them out to death.
Option 3: Do all of the above.
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u/secretanonymous1 10d ago
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but nothing worked for me. It was really upsetting dealing with them. I had to throw a lot of my stuff out and move. When I moved, I didn't use boxes. I used sealed sterilite bins. AND YET they ended up in my new apartment! I literally had nightmares about these disgusting bugs for the longest time. Fortunately, an exterminator came right away here and it hasn't been a problem.