Big cockroach from the bathroom drain, or lots of small ones behind the kettle? Tell us which, because in Groot Brak River they're two different problems with two different fixes. Large cockroaches are usually visitors from drains and damp spots outside. Small ones in the kitchen are a breeding colony living inside your house. Both can be sorted, but not with the same treatment.
Two very different cockroach problems
The big ones: American cockroaches
These are the reddish-brown cockroaches, several centimetres long, that appear on the bathroom floor at night or run out of the garage when you switch on the light. They live in drains, manholes, damp garden beds and under paving, and they come indoors through floor drains, gaps under doors and around pipes. They don't usually breed in large numbers inside a house, but they're unpleasant, and they bring dirt from the drains in with them.
The small ones: German cockroaches
These are light brown, about the size of a fingernail, and live in warm, tight spots in the kitchen: hinges, the back of the fridge, inside the stove's side panels, under the dishwasher. They breed fast and indoors, which is why one sighting can turn into dozens within a couple of months. These need a thorough baiting programme.
Not sure which you've got? Our identification guide has pictures, or describe them when you call.
Why older Groot Brak homes see more of them
Groot Brak River has a lot of older, established family homes, and older homes tend to come with older plumbing and outside drains. Older drain covers that don't seat properly, cracked gulleys and unused floor drains where the water trap has dried out are all open doors for drain cockroaches. Add the river, the estuary and gardens that stay damp, and the big cockroaches have plenty of places to live close to the house.
Older kitchens matter too. Gaps behind built-in cupboards, worn sealant around the sink and spaces under old stove units give German cockroaches more places to hide than a new kitchen would.
What we do when we arrive
- Find out where they're living. We check the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, geyser cupboard and garage, and outside we look at the drains, gulleys, manhole covers and the base of the walls. The droppings, egg cases and shed skins tell us where the colony is.
- Bait the kitchen colony. For German cockroaches, gel bait goes into the cracks and voids where they hide. It's precise, it works where sprays can't reach, and it doesn't need you to empty the cupboards.
- Treat the routes in. For drain cockroaches, we apply an odourless, non-staining residual treatment around drain points, door thresholds, pipe entries and the outside of the house, so the ones coming in from outside meet a barrier.
- Talk you through the gaps. We'll show you which drain cover doesn't fit, which floor drain has dried out and where a bit of sealant would help.
You can stay home while we work. Keep children and pets away from the treated areas until they're dry, and that's it.
Your part, and one local habit worth starting
A treatment works much better when the cockroaches have less to live on. Keep the kitchen counters clear at night, store food in sealed containers, take the rubbish out daily in summer and fix leaking taps and pipes.
The Groot Brak tip is about water. If you've got a spare bathroom, an outside shower or a laundry drain that isn't used much, pour a jug of water into it every week or two. Drain traps work by holding water that blocks the pipe. When that water evaporates, which happens quickly in a guest bathroom nobody uses, the trap becomes an open tunnel from the drain system into your house. It's the cheapest cockroach control there is.
What most people get wrong
Setting off a bug bomb. Foggers seem like the thorough option, but they mostly settle on open surfaces where cockroaches don't spend the day. German cockroaches hidden in hinges and appliance voids are largely missed, and some move deeper into the walls or into the next room. You end up with chemical on your counters and a colony that's spread out. Targeted bait in the right places does far more with far less.
How much will it cost?
It depends on which cockroach we're dealing with, the size of the house and how far the problem has spread. Treating drain points and an outside barrier for American cockroaches is usually straightforward. A German cockroach colony established in a kitchen, laundry and bathrooms needs more bait points and generally a follow-up visit. Rentals, guesthouses and food businesses can be put on a scheduled service. We quote free once we've seen the property.
And honestly: if you see the odd big cockroach in summer, fixing the drain covers and keeping the traps full may be all you need. Small cockroaches in the kitchen are a different story. They rarely go away on their own.
Other pests on the go? See pest control in Groot Brak River or rodent control in Groot Brak River. For more on how we handle cockroaches across the Garden Route, read our George cockroach control page.
When it suits you, give us a ring on 044 012 5011. We're SAPCA registered, we offer 24-hour call-outs, and our treatments come with a 3-month guarantee.
Questions we get asked
Do big cockroaches mean my house is infested?
Not necessarily. Large American cockroaches usually live in drains and outdoors and wander in. A few in summer often means a gap or a dry drain trap rather than a colony indoors.
Can cockroaches come up through the toilet?
It's rare, because the toilet's water seal blocks them. Floor drains, shower drains and bath overflows with dried-out traps are much more common routes.
Are cockroaches a health risk?
Yes. They move between drains, rubbish and food surfaces, so they can contaminate food, and their droppings and shed skins can aggravate allergies and asthma.
Will you need to treat inside my kitchen cupboards?
We place gel bait in hinges, cracks and voids rather than spraying the shelves, so you don't need to empty everything out.
How long does the treatment take?
For an average Groot Brak River home it's usually an hour or two, depending on the size of the house and how many areas are affected.