Where to Apply Cockroach Gel: 12 Hiding Spots in Your Kitchen and Bathroom

The most important factor in how well cockroach gel works is where you put it. Cockroaches won't travel far to find bait. You need to place it right where they hide and travel. Here are the 12 best places to apply cockroach gel in a typical UAE kitchen and bathroom.

The rule: think dark, tight, warm and close to water

Cockroaches like to squeeze into narrow cracks where their back and belly touch surfaces. Look for gaps you could slide a card into, close to food, water or heat. Place small, pea-sized dots there, following the product label.

Kitchen: 8 places to apply cockroach gel

1. Cabinet hinges. The top and bottom hinges on cabinet doors are a favourite hiding place. Put a small dot in the gap at each hinge.
2. Inside cabinet corners. The back corners of lower cabinets, especially near the sink and stove.
3. Under the sink. Where pipes enter the wall and along the back edge of the cabinet floor.
4. Behind the fridge. Cockroaches love the warmth of the motor area. Apply in cracks near, not on, the motor or electrical parts.
5. Around the oven and hob. Gaps at the sides of the oven and the edges of the countertop beside the stove.
6. Under the dishwasher and washing machine. The warm, damp space underneath and the kick-plate gap.
7. Countertop and backsplash gaps. Where the counter meets the wall and around loose tiles.
8. Near the bin area. In cracks close to where you keep the rubbish bin.

Bathroom: 4 places to apply cockroach gel

9. Behind the toilet base. Where the toilet meets the floor and wall.
10. Around pipes. Where water pipes enter the wall under the basin.
11. Near floor drains. In cracks next to the drain, not inside it. See cockroaches from drains.
12. Under the vanity cabinet. Back corners and hinges.

Other places worth checking

• Door frames and skirting board gaps in rooms near the kitchen
• Laundry and utility rooms
• Behind the microwave and coffee machine
• Electrical outlet edges (apply next to, never inside, sockets)

Where NOT to apply cockroach gel

• On food preparation surfaces, cutting boards or dishes
• Inside drains or places water will wash it away
• On surfaces that are cleaned or sprayed often
• Inside electrical sockets or appliances
• Anywhere children or pets can reach, touch or lick it
• In areas recently treated with insecticide spray

How many spots?

Use many small dots rather than a few large ones. Place more spots in areas with heavy activity and fewer where activity is light, as the label directs. A 30g syringe of Advion Cockroach Gel Bait covers many spot placements. Full method in our step-by-step Advion guide.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the best place to put cockroach gel?

In cracks and corners where cockroaches hide: cabinet hinges, under the sink, behind the fridge and oven, and around pipes and drains.

Can I put cockroach gel on the kitchen counter?

No. Avoid food preparation surfaces. Apply it inside cracks along the edges of counters instead.

Should I apply gel in every room?

Focus on rooms with activity, usually the kitchen and bathrooms. Add spots in other rooms only if you see cockroaches there.

How far apart should gel spots be?

Follow the label. In general, spread several small dots across each hiding area rather than one large blob.