Roaches in an apartment are uniquely frustrating, because even a spotless unit can get them from a neighbor. In Tallahassee's dense rental areas — think Midtown and near the universities — German cockroaches travel between units through shared walls, plumbing and outlets. Here's what actually helps as a tenant.
Why apartments are different
German cockroaches breed indoors and spread through a building via shared plumbing chases, wall voids, and gaps around pipes and outlets. That means the source may be two units over, and treating only your apartment while a neighbor's problem continues rarely holds. This is why building-wide coordination matters.
What you can control
- Deny food and water. Clean up crumbs and grease, store food sealed, fix or report leaks, dry the sink at night, and take out trash regularly.
- Seal your gaps. Caulk around pipes under the sink and behind the toilet, add a door sweep, and cover gaps around outlets on shared walls.
- Reduce harborage. Break down cardboard boxes (roaches love and eat them), declutter under sinks and behind appliances.
- Inspect what comes in. Check grocery bags, secondhand furniture and appliances — a common way German roaches arrive.
- Don't fog. Bug bombs scatter roaches into wall voids and toward neighbors, making it worse.
Report it in writing. Pest control in shared housing is usually the landlord's responsibility, and building-wide treatment is far more effective than unit-by-unit. Report early and in writing, and ask whether neighboring units are being treated too.
Why professional baiting wins
German roaches multiply faster than store sprays can keep up, and spray residue can even make them avoid bait. Professional gel baiting reaches the harborage and passes through the population, with follow-up timed to catch newly hatched roaches. See cockroach control and how to get rid of German roaches.
Quick answers
Can I get rid of apartment roaches myself?
You can reduce them with sanitation and sealing, but if they're coming from elsewhere in the building, lasting control needs coordinated, professional treatment — usually the landlord's job.
Whose responsibility is it?
In most rentals, structural pest control is the landlord's responsibility. Report activity in writing and keep records.
Fighting apartment roaches? Book a free inspection — we work with tenants and property managers on whole-building plans.
Dealing with this pest right now?
A free inspection identifies the pest, the entry points and an exact quote — in writing, with no obligation.
