Silver Bullet Pest ControlHow to Prevent Roaches: Kitchen and Home Tips That Work
Straight answers from Silver Bullet Pest Control, a licensed exterminator based in Garfield, NJ, serving Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties. Call or text 973-510-2585. Hablamos español.
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Quick answer: no food, no water, no way in
How do I keep roaches out of my house? Take away what they need: seal food in containers, take trash out every night, fix leaks under sinks, close gaps around pipes and baseboards, and check grocery bags, boxes and used appliances before bringing them in. In apartments, roaches move between units, so tell your landlord early. If you already see roaches in daylight, prevention isn't enough; call a professional.
The kitchen: where roaches start
- Store cereal, flour, rice, sugar and pet food in sealed plastic or glass containers.
- Wipe crumbs and grease from counters, stovetops and the floor under the stove every night.
- Don't leave dishes in the sink overnight.
- Clean behind and under the fridge and stove a few times a year; spilled food there feeds roaches for weeks.
- Empty the toaster crumb tray and check inside the microwave and coffee maker.
Water: the thing roaches need most
Roaches can go longer without food than without water. Fix dripping faucets and leaks under the kitchen and bathroom sinks, dry the sink at night, don't leave wet sponges and mops out, and run a dehumidifier in a damp basement.
What we see on these jobs
The three situations behind most of these calls in North Jersey:
German Cockroaches Indoors
- Small tan roaches in kitchens and bathrooms
- Pepper-like droppings in cabinet corners
- Egg cases behind appliances
The roach of NJ apartments and restaurants. It breeds fast and needs a baiting program plus a follow-up visit. Our roach treatment carries a 90-day warranty.
Oriental & American Roaches
- Big dark roaches in basements
- Roaches coming up floor drains
- More sightings after heavy rain
These come in from drains, sewers and damp crawl spaces. Fixing moisture and sealing entry points matters as much as treatment.
What Treatment Looks Like
- Inspection of kitchens, baths and utility lines
- Gel bait and growth regulator in hiding spots
- Follow-up to catch newly hatched roaches
Bait placed where roaches live works better than spraying the open floor. Most homes see a big drop within days, and the follow-up finishes the job.
Close the ways in
| Gap | Fix |
|---|---|
| Around pipes under sinks | Caulk or foam the gap where pipes go into the wall |
| Baseboards and cabinet edges | Caulk cracks |
| Shared walls in apartments | Seal outlet and switch plates on shared walls |
| Doors to basement or outside | Door sweeps and weatherstripping |
Watch what you bring home
German roaches often arrive in cardboard boxes, grocery bags, used appliances and furniture. Unpack groceries and shipping boxes right away and recycle the cardboard; check used microwaves, toasters and furniture before bringing them inside.
When prevention isn't enough
Seeing roaches during the day, finding droppings that look like pepper, egg cases or a musty smell all mean an established population. Call or text 973-510-2585; roach treatment from Silver Bullet carries a 90-day warranty. See roach exterminator.
Simple ways to prevent it
Dry it out
Fix dripping faucets and pipes and wipe sinks dry at night. Roaches need water more than food.
Clean grease spots
Clean behind the stove and fridge, where grease and crumbs build up.
Skip cardboard
Cardboard boxes carry roaches in and give them a place to hide. Use plastic bins.
Seal pipe gaps
Close gaps where pipes come through walls under sinks; that's how roaches move between apartments.
How Silver Bullet handles it
Call or text a photo
Tell us what you're seeing and where. A photo often lets us identify the pest right away. We answer 24/7 for emergencies.
Inspection
A licensed tech finds the source: where the pest lives, how it gets in and what draws it.
Treatment or removal
We use the right method for the pest, placed where it works and kept away from kids and pets.
Seal and prevent
We close entry points and tell you what to change so the problem doesn't come back.
Get Help From a Licensed Exterminator
Call or text 973-510-2585 for the fastest answer, or tell us what's going on and we'll get back to you quickly.
Calls we get every week
- Roaches in the kitchen at night
- Roaches coming from a neighbor's apartment
- Waterbugs in the basement or bathroom
- Roaches in a car or work van
- A restaurant or deli before an inspection
Request Service
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Frequently Asked Questions
What attracts roaches to a clean house?
Water, warmth and tiny crumbs. Leaks under sinks and food behind appliances keep roaches going even in a clean home.
Do roaches come from the apartment next door?
Often, yes. They travel through shared walls, pipes and hallways, so tell your landlord early.
Can cardboard bring roaches in?
Yes. German roaches hide in boxes and grocery bags; unpack and recycle cardboard right away.
Is there a warranty on roach treatment?
Yes. Roach treatment from Silver Bullet Pest Control carries a 90-day warranty.
Can roaches spread between apartments?
Yes. They travel through pipe chases, wall gaps and shared walls, which is why building-wide treatment works best.
Are roaches dangerous?
They spread bacteria onto food and surfaces, and their droppings and shed skins can trigger allergies and asthma.
What is the difference between a German roach and a waterbug?
German roaches are small and tan and live in kitchens and bathrooms. Waterbugs are large dark Oriental or American roaches from basements and drains.
Do I need to empty my cabinets for treatment?
Usually just under the sink and the cabinets where you've seen roaches. We'll tell you exactly how to prepare.
Do you treat restaurants?
Yes. We provide scheduled commercial pest control for restaurants, delis and other food businesses.
Is roach treatment safe for kids and pets?
We place bait and growth regulator in cracks and hiding spots, not on open surfaces, and we'll tell you about any precautions before we start.
Do I have to leave the house during roach treatment?
Usually not for a gel bait treatment. If any other product is used, we'll tell you how long to stay out of the treated area.
Why do I see more roaches right after treatment?
Bait and treatment can flush roaches out of hiding for a few days. That's normal and usually means it's working.
Do natural roach repellents work?
Not reliably. Removing food, water and hiding spots does far more than scents or sprays.
Serving North Jersey
Based in Garfield, we serve these towns and the rest of Bergen, Passaic, Essex and Hudson counties.
Our service area
Bergen County
973-510-2585- Allendale
- Bergenfield
- Bogota
- Carlstadt
- Cliffside Park
- Closter
- Cresskill
- Demarest
- Dumont
- East Rutherford
- Edgewater
- Elmwood Park
- Emerson
- Englewood
- Englewood Cliffs
- Fair Lawn
- Fairview
- Fort Lee
- Franklin Lakes
- Garfield
- Glen Rock
- Hackensack
- Harrington Park
- Hasbrouck Heights
- Haworth
- Hillsdale
- Ho-Ho-Kus
- Leonia
- Little Ferry
- Lodi
- Lyndhurst
- Mahwah
- Maywood
- Midland Park
- Montvale
- Moonachie
- New Milford
- North Arlington
- Northvale
- Norwood
- Oakland
- Old Tappan
- Oradell
- Palisades Park
- Paramus
- Park Ridge
- Ramsey
- Ridgefield
- Ridgefield Park
- Ridgewood
- River Edge
- River Vale
- Rochelle Park
- Rutherford
- Saddle Brook
- Saddle River
- South Hackensack
- Teaneck
- Tenafly
- Teterboro
- Upper Saddle River
- Waldwick
- Wallington
- Washington Township
- Westwood
- Woodcliff Lake
- Wood-Ridge
- Wyckoff
Passaic County
973-510-2585- Bloomingdale
- Clifton
- Haledon
- Hawthorne
- Little Falls
- North Haledon
- Passaic
- Paterson
- Pompton Lakes
- Prospect Park
- Ringwood
- Totowa
- Wanaque
- Wayne
- West Milford
- Woodland Park
Essex County
973-510-2585- Belleville
- Bloomfield
- Caldwell
- Cedar Grove
- East Orange
- Essex Fells
- Fairfield
- Glen Ridge
- Irvington
- Livingston
- Maplewood
- Millburn
- Montclair
- Newark
- North Caldwell
- Nutley
- Orange
- Roseland
- Short Hills
- South Orange
- Verona
- West Caldwell
- West Orange
Hudson County
973-510-2585Union County
973-510-2585- Berkeley Heights
- Clark
- Cranford
- Elizabeth
- Fanwood
- Garwood
- Hillside
- Kenilworth
- Linden
- Mountainside
- New Providence
- Plainfield
- Rahway
- Roselle
- Roselle Park
- Scotch Plains
- Springfield
- Summit
- Union
- Westfield
Morris County
973-510-2585- Boonton
- Butler
- Cedar Knolls
- Chatham
- Denville
- Dover
- East Hanover
- Florham Park
- Hanover
- Kinnelon
- Lincoln Park
- Madison
- Mendham
- Montville
- Morris Plains
- Morristown
- Mountain Lakes
- Parsippany
- Pequannock
- Randolph
- Riverdale
- Rockaway
- Roxbury
- Whippany
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B