Why cockroaches keep coming back, what actually kills a colony, and the kitchen habits that stop a re-infestation.
The German cockroach — the small tan species found in most Mumbai kitchens — breeds inside the premises rather than wandering in. One female carries an egg case holding roughly 30 to 40 eggs, and those eggs are shielded from surface sprays. That is why a can of aerosol clears the visible roaches for a week and the population returns: you killed the adults on the wall, not the nymphs behind the slab.
Cockroaches harbour in warm, tight, humid gaps: motor housings of fridges and microwaves, the void behind kitchen platforms, hinge recesses of cabinets, and the space around water and drain pipes. Anything you spray on an open surface is largely wasted because the insect spends most of its life out of sight.
Professional cockroach treatment in a home kitchen is normally gel baiting, not spraying. Small dots of insecticidal gel are placed inside the harbourage points. Roaches feed on the gel, return to the harbourage, and secondary transfer through droppings and cannibalism reaches the nymphs the technician can never see. Because the gel stays in place, control continues for weeks.
Treatment fails fastest in kitchens that keep offering food and water. Do not wash away the gel dots while cleaning — wipe around them. Avoid spraying household aerosol over baited areas for at least three weeks; a repellent spray drives roaches away from the bait and prolongs the problem.
Visible activity usually drops sharply within three to seven days of gel baiting. Full control, including the nymphs hatching after treatment, typically takes three to four weeks and one follow-up visit.
No. Gel baiting is targeted, so you only need to clear the immediate area under the sink and inside cabinets so the technician can reach the hinges and corners.
The gel is placed in concealed voids and cracks that children and pets cannot reach, and is used in very small quantities. Tell the technician about pets so placements can be adjusted.
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