German Cockroaches in Your Kitchen: Why They Keep Coming Back and How to Stop Them

If you see small, light-brown cockroaches running across your kitchen counter at night, you are almost certainly dealing with German cockroaches. They are the most common indoor cockroach in UAE apartments, and also the most frustrating, because they seem to come back no matter what you do. Here's why, and how to stop them.

How to identify German cockroaches

• Size: small, about 1.2 to 1.5 cm long
• Colour: light brown or tan
• Markings: two dark stripes running down the back, just behind the head
• Where: kitchens and bathrooms, close to warmth, food and water

Larger, reddish-brown cockroaches that come up from drains are usually American cockroaches. See cockroaches coming from drains. Not sure which you have? Read small brown cockroaches in the kitchen.

Why German cockroaches keep coming back

1. They breed extremely fast

A female German cockroach carries an egg case with dozens of eggs, and the young grow to adults in a matter of weeks in warm conditions. A few survivors can rebuild a population quickly.

2. Most of them are hidden

German cockroaches spend most of their time packed into tiny cracks: cabinet hinges, the motor area of the fridge, behind the oven and inside wall gaps. The ones you see are only a small part of the population.

3. Sprays don't reach them

Sprays kill the visible cockroaches and can scatter the rest deeper into walls. The hidden colony keeps breeding. Read cockroach gel vs spray.

4. They come in from neighbours

In apartment buildings, German cockroaches travel along pipes and shared walls, and arrive in grocery bags and cardboard boxes.

How to stop German cockroaches

Use gel bait in their hiding places

Gel bait is the most effective tool against German cockroaches because they eat it and share it with the colony. Place small dots of Advion Cockroach Gel Bait in:

• Cabinet hinges and corners
• Gaps around the sink and pipes
• Behind and under the fridge, oven and microwave
• Cracks in tiles and along countertops

Follow our step-by-step Advion guide.

Starve them of food and water

• Clean grease from the stovetop and behind appliances
• Keep food and pet food in sealed containers
• Dry the sink and fix leaks
• Empty bins daily

Remove cardboard

German cockroaches love cardboard. Unpack deliveries outside the kitchen and throw boxes away quickly.

Seal gaps

Silicone the gaps around pipes, under the sink and along countertops to remove hiding spots.

Stay consistent

Check bait every few days and reapply when it is eaten. Keep going for a few weeks so you catch the young cockroaches that hatch from egg cases. See how long gel takes to work.

Frequently asked questions

Why do German cockroaches keep coming back?

They breed very quickly, most of the population is hidden, and sprays don't reach the colony. Gel bait plus hygiene breaks the cycle.

What is the best way to kill German cockroaches?

Gel bait placed in their hiding spots is widely considered the most effective method, combined with removing food, water and cardboard.

Where do German cockroaches hide in the kitchen?

Cabinet hinges, under the sink, behind the fridge and oven, inside microwaves and dishwashers, and in cracks along countertops.

Do German cockroaches come from drains?

Not usually. Drain cockroaches are typically the larger American cockroach. German cockroaches live inside the kitchen itself.