5 Signs Your Kitchen Needs a Professional Cockroach Treatment

Most households only call for help after spotting a cockroach in broad daylight — but by then, the colony has usually been active for weeks. Cockroaches are naturally nocturnal, so seeing one during the day often means the hiding spots are overcrowded.

Look out for small, coffee-ground-like droppings near the stove, a faint musty smell around the drain, and shed skin casings behind the fridge or microwave. Egg casings tucked into cardboard boxes or the underside of shelves are another giveaway.

A surface spray only kills what it touches directly, which is why do-it-yourself attempts often bring roaches back within a couple of weeks. Gel baiting works differently: worker roaches carry the bait back to the nest, gradually clearing the colony instead of just the insects out in the open.

If you're seeing any of these signs, it's worth getting a proper inspection rather than waiting for the problem to visibly worsen.