They’re a kitchen’s worst nightmare. Dirty, underfoot, crawling around the garbage, and lurking inside the pantry… Cockroaches are no joke. No house wants cockroaches under their roof; if you want your house to be roach-free, then you need to get the best roach killers.
There are a few types of cockroach killers. Most come as inorganic poisons, but there are also a few organic and natural insecticides. Many cockroach killers come in aerosolized sprays, but some come in gel, paste, or liquid form. You can even find powders, tablets, and roach traps. With so many options on the market, it can be overwhelming to find the right cockroach killer for you. Our list lines up the 15 best roach killers you can use to get those unwelcome houseguests out for good.
The Best Roach Killer
Raid Ant & Roach Killer
Raid is an established brand in the business of killing insects and other unwanted house pests. Their entry on this list is the Raid Ant & Roach Killer. They call it “Ant & Roach Killer,” but this poison is also rated to kill other bugs that may be bothering you as well.
This is a long-lasting spray. Spray it once around the house where you generally see the pests, and it will kill the insects with the residual action of the active ingredients for as long as four weeks. This insecticide is powerful, yet Raid has formulated it to not leave any unpleasant chemical odor behind. This set of two even comes in a pleasant lemony scent.
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Harris Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder
If you’re not into spraying multi-chemical insecticides inside your home, then this Harris Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder might just be for you. Harris is an American classic when it comes to controlling roaches at home. They have stuck to their traditional products and ingredients, and this powder form is the most traditional.
This formula contains 99% boric acid with 1% listed as “other ingredient,” which could simply be an anti-caking agent. It’s as pure as a commercial preparation is going to get, and its formula has proved effective for decades. If you want long-lasting killing action, grab a bottle of Harris Boric Acid Roach and Silverfish Killer Powder and keep your house insect-free.
MDXconcepts Organic Home Pest Control Spray
If you want an earth-friendly, organic option, then pick up a spray bottle of the MDXconcepts Organic Home Pest Control Spray. This spray is made out of natural plant-based ingredients and proved just as effective as the chemical-based roach killers.
Just like most synthetic chemical insecticides, this organic brew kills cockroaches and other insects on contact. There is no escape for these six- or eight-legged pests. You can also spray this natural mixture under beds, under sinks, and in just about any nook and cranny you think creepy crawlies are hiding for long-lasting killing and repelling action.
It comes in a fresh peppermint scent, so your home smells terrific. The Organic Home Pest Control Spray from MDXconcepts is child and pet-safe, so spray away.
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Rockwell Labs InVict Cockroach Gel Bait
Killing a single roach is great, but to eliminate the infestation completely, it is important to rid yourself of the entire brood. Rockwell Labs understands this and provided the InVict Cockroach Gel Bait to do just that.
This roach poison comes in a pre-filled syringe applicator. Just dab a bead of this gel where roaches tend to congregate, such as the garbage can, under the sink, or even in the bathroom. This works as a poison-laced bait, so the cockroach needs to ingest it. Once they do, the poison works in just 20 minutes.
The great thing about this gel bait roach killer is that it has a secondary action for killing cockroaches. When other roaches are exposed to the droppings or dead bodies of their fallen comrades, these other roaches die too. Now, that’s efficient.
Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait
The Hot Shot Ultra Liquid Roach Bait is an insidious deathtrap for roaches. Hot Shot bases its effective formula off a few facts: roaches can live for up to one month without eating any solid food but can only go for about a week without water. With this in mind, Hot Shot designed the Ultra Liquid Roach Bait.
Effectively, their bait is a poisoned water trough for cockroaches. This is effective in eliminating cockroaches in your house as it catches both the big and small roaches. Hot Shot boasts an advanced formula that quickly kills cockroaches without the hassle of spraying or squirting insecticides.
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Syngenta Advion Cockroach Gel Bait
This European pest control product has proven itself effective in killing house pests and eliminating home bug infestations overall. This time, it could be your home that’s bug-free. Grab the Advion Cockroach Gel Bait pre-filled syringe and apply a few dabs onto surfaces that cockroaches are sure to frequent.
Place this gel around your garbage cans, sinks, bathrooms, kitchen counters, inside cupboards, and behind your kitchen appliances. You’ll be amazed at the effectiveness of this poison gel bait. This is the ideal solution for you if you want a simpler, more discrete solution.
Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait
If you want to rid your home of pesky cockroaches for an entire year, then the Combat Max 12 Month Roach Killing Bait is for you. Nobody wants roaches in their homes, but sometimes you forget to spray solutions every single month. With this Combat Max bait, you can set it and forget it for the next full year.
This pack includes 18 bait stations, so you can spread them throughout your house for efficient protection. Make sure to include under the sink, in storage areas, near garbage cans, in your room, and in your bathroom. These bait stations are designed to be child-resistant, so curious small children won’t be able to get through the tough shell to come in contact with the active ingredient inside.
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Combat Max Roach Killing Gel
Combat Max also gives us the Roach Killing Gel. This is roach genocide in gel form with a convenient pre-filled syringe applicator. The gel is engineered to be appetizing to roaches, so they are sure to seek it out once you’ve dabbed a few spots around your home.
It doesn’t take much: just a few beads of gel here or there is enough to eliminate your roach infestation. However, this is toxic, so be sure to only apply it on surfaces and areas that you know your children and pets can’t get to.
Black Flag Roach Motel
The Black Flag Roach Motel is a nightmare for bugs. It’s essentially flypaper, but it’s contained inside a box, so you never have to see the aftermath. This is a great option for families who don’t want a bug-filled paper or scattered insect shells around their home.
Because the Roach Motel by Black Flag comes with a box, you don’t have to touch or even see the bugs. This is ideal for those who don’t want to spray chemical insecticides all over their home, as this effective box is chemically-free. It is simply a sticky glue trap in box form. The smell of the glue attracts the roaches but won’t let them go.
ALAZCO Glue Trap
The ALAZCO Glue Trap works on the same principles as the Roach Motel. You can lay it out flat on the floor, or you can turn it into a box and put it in areas where you know bugs pass through. Put it under sinks, behind appliances, under beds, furniture, in the attic, in the basement, and in any other corner of your home. The glue is sticky and deadly. You may even catch more than just roaches; this sticky paper is effective on other bugs and small pests, too.
Safer Brand Diatomaceous Earth Ant & Crawling Insect Killer
Wouldn’t it be nice to find something that is safe for humans but deadly to the insect pests we don’t want in our homes? This is where Safer Brand’s Diatomaceous Earth Ant & Crawling Insect Killer comes in.
The Diatomaceous Earth is made primarily of silicon dioxide and other naturally occurring ingredients, which is essentially a ground-up form of sedimentary rock. It’s quite safe, so you can sprinkle it all around your house to kill insects. The formula fatally dehydrates the insects without harming your health. Expect your insect infestation to clear up in as little as two days after application.
Harris Famous Roach Tablets
Harris, the trusted American brand known for its insecticides, once again graces this list with a time-tested favorite – the Famous Roach Tablets. These tablets are superstars in the world of cockroach killing.
The tablets are made out of boric acid mixed in with their very own proprietary lure that makes it irresistible to cockroaches. Roaches won’t be able to resist taking a bite out of these tablets. They are inherently less messy than powders or gels, and less invasive than sprays. Just make sure to keep them out of reach of children and pets.
Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer
When a product is named “Home Defense,” you know that they mean business. This great product from Ortho is true to its name; it completely defends your home from bugs. It can even kill other non-insect bugs, like unwanted spiders and centipedes.
After you apply this throughout your home, your home will be protected by a barrier. This “barrier” will be able to repel insect re-infestation for up to a year. Not only that, but the Ortho Home Defense Insect Killer also kills insect eggs, which means the horde won’t be a problem anymore.
Raid Max Bug Barrier
The Raid Max Bug Barrier is a weapon of mass bug destruction. It is a chemical weapon in all manner of speaking. It comes in a very hefty reusable bottle with an auto-trigger, so you can aim it directly at bugs that are scurrying away or spray them in hard-to-reach corners. With this in hand, you’re going to feel like you have been chosen as the insect and pest terminator.
The Bug Barrier got its name because it is able to keep killing cockroaches effectively for up a year. Other insects are also prevented from re-establishing a foothold in your home.
Hot Shot No-Mess! Fogger with Odor Neutralizer
When pests have taken over your house, you may have no other option but to “bug bomb” it with the Hot Shot No-Mess! Fogger with Odor Neutralizer. But never fear – this bug bomb is both convenient and effective. You only need to set it, activate it, and leave the house for 2-4 hours.
Once you return home and air out your house, you can live free of insects and other household pests for up to six weeks. The great thing about this Hot Shot fogger is that it absolutely leaves no stains, oily residue, or lingering chemical smells.