Shortly after moving into my Atlanta condo, I noticed big roaches in the kitchen, bathroom and even crawling up the living room walls.
Since my home was spotless, I wasn’t sure why I was seeing so many bugs, which I later identified as American cockroaches and Smokybrown cockroaches —not German cockroaches that I wrongly used to associate with dirty living conditions.
American and Smokybrown roaches are more common in the South, so I wasn’t familiar with them while growing up in the D.C. area.
I immediately called Orkin and someone came out to spray the exterior and interior of my condo with a chemical called Talstar P. The technician also used Delta Dust and Maxforce FC bait in some areas of my home.
Unfortunately, Orkin never really got a handle on the roach problem and I was released from my $400 a year contract with them.
DIY Pest Control: The Best Way to Get Rid of Roaches in Your Home
My next step was to research DIY pest control solutions for American and Smokybrown roaches. The website DoMyOwn.com sells the same insecticides that the professionals use for a fraction of the price that it costs to hire someone.
Applying the products is also easy, so this is a job that I decided was worth it to save hundreds of dollars a year and actually solve my problem.
I read an article from DoMyOwn.com and loaded up my shopping cart with more than $150 in supplies and chemicals, but I believe that you can start with a shorter list. That’s why I’m writing this post!
Take a look at everything I bought, then I’ll explain what’s been most effective:
- Bellow Hand Duster: $11.90
- Delta Dust Insecticide: $19.25
- STUF-FIT Copper Mesh: $15.50
- Maxforce FC Roach Bait Gel – 30 g. tube: $24.07
- Gentrol IGR Concentrate: $7.86
- Gentrol Aerosol IGR – 16 oz. can: $19.56
- Chapin 1 Gallon Pump Sprayer (#20000): $21.42
- Suspend SC: $39.50
What I Use and What I Don’t Use
That’s quite a list, right? I’ve found that spraying for roaches (Suspend SC) every month has been the most effective part of the treatment plan. I also use the Gentrol IGR Concentrate, which is marketed as a product that stops roaches from reproducing.
When I use Suspend SC with the Chapin 1 Gallon Pump Sprayer, I concentrate on the exterior of the condo as well as interior baseboards.
I applied Maxforce FC Roach Bait Gel in my kitchen cabinets initially, but I haven’t used it since. I do use Delta Dust with my hand duster to get inside cracks and crevices about every three months.
With my system of primarily using Suspend SC monthly, the American and Smokybrown roaches mostly stayed away.
Why I Switched From Suspend SC to Demon WP
Despite Suspend SC doing a better job of keeping roaches out of my house than Talstar P, I decided to try a different insecticide called Demon WP when I spotted a live roach in my kitchen less than a month from the last treatment.
Like Suspend SC and Talstar P, Demon WP is a low-odor chemical that’s mixed with water and applied using a sprayer inside and outside.
Here’s the difference: For the first time since I started doing my own pest control more than a year ago, I’ve seen ZERO roaches. Demon WP really works. It has also continued to work for nearly three months without reapplication.
Demon WP does have a white residue, but it’s not visible when I apply it to my white baseboards.
Money-Saving Tip
Doing your own pest control is going to save you a lot of money because you’re not paying for the labor of someone coming to your home monthly.
After purchasing the long list of supplies and products from DoMyOwn.com, I actually went to Amazon to buy Demon WP. This saved me money because I paid for it using gift cards that I earned through Ibotta and Fetch Rewards.
That way, I was able to get the chemical that I needed with no money leaving my pocket.
Final Thought
Everyone’s experience is different, but Demon WP has been the best product to keep roaches away from my home, particularly the American and Smokybrown species that are common in wooded areas like where I live.
If you’re worried about applying insecticides yourself, don’t be. DoMyOwn.com and others have lots of videos on YouTube to help.
I really recommend that you read the article from DoMyOwn.com if you’re dealing with American and/or Smokybrown roaches. You don’t have to buy everything on their suggested list, but at least start with a good residual spray.
Do you have a tip to help eliminate roaches or other insects from the home? Leave it in the comments below.
I recently moved into an apartment complex, and knowing that its pretty much the ghetto complex being low income, the apartment itself is really nice inside however my first nigh I saw a roach. I immediately went to the feed store and got demon. I used this before at a house I stayed in that was infested with roaches, and it got rid of everyone of them in a couple weeks time. This however is an apartment an ive been battling this fight with roaches for 3 weeks now, and although i have seen a decrease, I still see too many. I despise these things, Im, a clean person, and I feel like since this is an apartment and knowing its history here, its a uphill battle. I spray every day, 2 or 3 times a day, There are so many holes everywhere I hope im getting somewhere with this. Any input is welcomed
Yes, the problem with apartments/condos is that you cannot control how your neighbors live. So my first recommendation would be to talk to management or your neighbors. If that’s not possible or ineffective, I think you may want to change chemicals. Have you gone to DoYourOwnPestControl.com? They have a free helpline. My guess is that Demon WP might be the wrong chemical for the type of roaches you have. You may want to consider Alpine WSG. You can try a little packet for about $10. In addition, you’ll want baits and dusts. Spraying daily is likely not helping. I think for you the solution will be using multiple types of products: spray, bait and dust. And since it’s an apartment with shared walls, it may never be 100% roach free. But you just have to do your best (don’t leave food out, take trash out daily) and tell yourself it’s not your fault because you’re clean.
Thanks for this post. Super helpful. I had been comparing a bunch of different insecticides and wondering how best to do this. Your post gave me the boost of confidence I needed to do it myself.
Listening to our local gardening radio show on a Saturday morning they advised using diotamatious earth (not pool filter type) on exoskeletal insects as it gets into their joints and grinds them apart and by placing it around the foundation give continued year round protection.
I recently bought some on Amazon. Hoping it also works! Very affordable stuff.
Can you give us an update? Have you seen anymore roaches?
Tasha, this method worked! In fact, I relocated to Florida where there are even more roaches and continue to use these products. I’ve started to alternate between Demon WP and Suspend SC on a monthly basis so that I can use both up.
Great review. I have used both Talstar and Demon. I have found them both pretty effective. I was looking for other people’s input. So thank you. One thing you might want to add is rotating products. The Suspend you were using is fine, but with any product used too long exclusively, pests develop resistance.
Yes, I will add that. I definitely rotate every few months.