How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell? | Natural and Chemical Solutions

Among all the pests in homes, cockroaches are some of the most common. These insects are flattened from the top all the way to their bottom. Some of them fly, while others crawl. You can’t always detect which of them flies because they all have wings. Cockroaches are found in the trash can, on the kitchen sink, on tiles, and even on walls.

Now, what about their smell? The cockroach smell is very unpleasant especially after they die. You’ll know when a cockroach smell fills the room, and it’s not a comfortable feeling. Apart from the smell, cockroaches are carriers of some serious diseases such as typhoid, dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, and fever.

When you detect a cockroach smell, to ensure that you aren’t at risk from any of these diseases, you have to get rid of it.

How to get rid of cockroach smell? The first thing to do when getting rid of the cockroach smell is to locate and remove their feces and dead bodies. Next, it’s time to clear the area and start cleaning up surfaces and items with a disinfectant. Lastly, use an insecticide that will prevent other cockroaches from getting close to your home.

Now, you may wonder, why do cockroaches smell so bad? The cause of the horrendous smell emanating from cockroaches is the mixture of cuticular hydrocarbons that they secrete to prevent the loss of water. But, they also excrete it to send messages to other cockroaches for mating purposes and to interact with each other.

We will explore everything related to their smell in the following sections below, so if you are interested stay with us till the end. Let’s begin!

Do Cockroaches Smell? | Information

What Do Cockroaches Smell Like?

People often use words like moldy, oily, or sooty to describe the smell of a roach. The oriental cockroach is said to produce one of the worst odors, but German and American cockroaches can also give off an unpleasant stench

Do Cockroaches Smell When You Kill Them?

Dead roaches leave a specific smell to caution other cockroaches about potential risks. This smell is classified as a “death stench” and some specific fatty acids are responsible for it.

Do Cockroaches Leave a Smell?

These insects can leave a smell behind them even when they are alive. They crawl on dirty surfaces which also causes them to stink.

Related: Do Cockroaches Fart? | Unsettling Insights!

What Does Cockroach Poop Smell Like?

Cockroach poop smells damp and musty. The unpleasant smell fills the entire room just a few weeks after they invade your house. This oily odor is only half the story. Since the smell that these droppings emit plays an important role in their life.

The smell acts as a signal to different cockroaches that are near, giving them a path to follow, and even in some cases, causing them to locate one another.

Why Do Cockroaches Smell So Bad?

Cockroaches smell bad for a number of reasons. The first reason is that they secrete pheromones. With pheromones, cockroaches are able to communicate with one another.

Another reason they smell so bad is that they release feces. Usually, most living things have feces that smell bad, even humans. The difference is that cockroaches move around and poop everywhere. So, if a cockroach is moving from your cupboards to your bathroom, it’s releasing its feces on the way there.

The third reason cockroaches smell so bad is their decaying bodies. When they die, their skin begins to shed and releases oleic acid, which also has a bad smell.

Do Cockroach Nests Smell?

These nests will undoubtedly be the largest source of the horrendous smell cockroaches emit. They will require the most thorough amount of cleaning, possibly, in some serious cases you will have to contact an exterminator.

Getting Rid of Cockroach Smell | Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Find Cockroach Nests

The following step is arguably the most important and it is to take your time to recognize the most prominent zones where the cockroaches are located. As mentioned above, their nests will undoubtedly be the most prominent source of the horrible smell.

Step 2: Get Rid of the Cockroaches.

To dispose of the foul odor, it is primordial to first dispose of the cockroaches. Once the cockroaches themselves have been dealt with, you can happily proceed with getting rid of the smell. Make sure that they are completely gone since failing to do so can simply result in another infestation.

Step 3: Utilize the Correct Equipment

Cockroaches are an incredible source of allergens, and they can carry harmful bacteria, So, in order to be completely safe, it is very important to go through safeguards when cleaning either the nest or droppings. It’s suggested that you get disposable plastic pro vinyl gloves to prevent irritation.

Step 4: Vacuuming

Start vacuuming the most noteworthy zones of your home and working your way down, vacuum up any cockroach droppings or shed skins. Run your vacuum hose across the highest parts of the cabinets, inside drawers, behind any furniture, essentially, anywhere you have seen cockroaches.

When you have made sure that every single location has been properly vacuumed, seal the sack and discard it.

Step 5: Disinfect and Clean

Once you have identified and vacuumed the droppings, spray the nest and other little zones where you have found droppings with a powerful disinfectant or cockroach spray and let it sit for 10 minutes. At that point, you can wipe the region dry.

Then, use a cleanser and water or a light degreaser to scour the zone down. Now, for one last time, spray it with the powerful disinfectant to kill any extra bacteria.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Specific Places?

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How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Cabinets?

To get rid of the cockroach smell in cabinets, remove every item in the cabinet. Apply a non-porous disinfectant to the cabinet, spraying every corner. This disinfectant is registered by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and which means it is safe for your surfaces and the environment.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Cupboard?

Remove the entire cupboard and check the corners, sides, back, interior, and bottom. Use a disinfectant to spray the cupboard and leave it on for ten minutes. After that, apply a light degreaser on various parts of the cupboard. Allow it to stay for five minutes (this makes it easier for the cockroach poop to get soft enough for removal).

To scrub your painted or wooden areas, use a non-scratch scrub to clean all surfaces affected by the cockroach feces. Dry the cupboard once it’s clean and free from the smell.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Microwave?

Ensure that your microwave is unplugged. Remove the content of the microwave, including the dish. Purchase Clorox Clean-Up All-Purpose disinfectant.

It contains bleach, and that’s exactly what you need to get rid of the germs that the cockroach has laid in the microwave.

Here are the steps for getting rid of the cockroach smell in your microwave:

• Spray the desired disinfectant inside the microwave.

• Allow it to dissolve for 5 to 10 minutes.

• With a clean cloth, wipe the disinfectant.

• Take your microwave outside and spray it with an anti-roach solution. Leave the solution to take effect for an hour. After you have to dry it up to prevent rust.

• There could be cockroaches hiding in some corners of the microwave. They could either die in there or struggle to get out. Wipe all the dead cockroaches and spray the moving ones.

• Spray your microwave once again with the disinfectant. Allow it to stay for an hour. Use a clean cloth to dry your microwave.

• If your microwave still smells of the anti-roach solution, repeat the previous process.

• When you’re ready to take your microwave back into the house, ensure that there are no more cockroaches in your kitchen. There are instructions below on how to get rid of the cockroach smell in the kitchen.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell on Clothes?

An unpleasant cockroach smell on your clothes would make you feel irritated. People around you can also detect the smell, and it’s not healthy for cockroach germs to stay on your body. There are three options for getting rid of the smell on your clothes:

• Adding the affected clothing to the laundry and washing it.
• Spraying only the affected areas
• Spraying the entire clothing

Washing your clothes is the best option, especially when you don’t need the clothes immediately. Distilled white vinegar is helpful for removing the cockroach smell on your clothes. It kills 98% of bacteria.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Apartment?

When your apartment is filled with cockroach smell, you have to take drastic actions. You’ll start by getting rid of the smell in the most infested sections of your apartment, just as you have read in the previous sections.

For general cleaning, spray your home with insecticide and wait for all the cockroaches to leave their hideouts. Watch out for wall cracks and holes. Spray into them and leave your apartment for about 6 hours or more.

Clear all the dead cockroaches and begin to clean the floors and surfaces with disinfectant. That way, all the germs will disappear. Do a thorough cleaning by sweeping and mopping with the same bleach-based disinfectant.

How to Get a Cockroach Smell Out of Fridge?

When your fridge begins to smell of cockroaches, you can do the following:

• Remove every food item and liquid from the fridge.

• Clean the containers with a napkin or warm towel soaked with disinfectant.

• Turn off the fridge so that it can be easier to clean it.

• Scrub the fridge interior thoroughly.

• Spray with disinfectant and leave it to take effect for a few minutes.

• Wipe the fridge interior with a dry napkin or towel.

• Turn on the fridge. If you detect a cockroach smell, start the process from the top.

• Ensure that all the smell is gone before putting the items back into the fridge.

How to Get Rid of Cockroach Smell in Kitchen?

The most interesting place for a cockroach in your home is the kitchen. They tend to go there because of the trash can or the food. If your garbage bin is usually full, there’s a high likelihood for cockroaches to infest that area. Click on the following link for a detailed guide on how to get rid of the cockroaches in the kitchen.

How to Get Rid of Dead Cockroach Smell?

Once a cockroach’s life is over, the body begins to decay. It secretes some substances that irritate your sense of smell. Also, a cockroach that was smashed to death releases a lot of sticky liquid.

For cleaning the surfaces where they have died, you can either use a soap scum remover or disinfectant spray. Products like soap scum remover and disinfectant spray are not harmful to your surfaces. A scum remover keeps grime from sticking to your household structures.

How to Get Rid of German Cockroach Smell?

German cockroaches are the most common type in buildings. They are mostly seen indoors, and you’ll hardly ever see them outdoors. Their rate of reproduction is very high, and that’s why many homeowners can notice their nymphs everywhere around the house.

The first step in getting rid of the smell is to first eradicate German cockroaches from your house. After that, clean all the surfaces and start the process of using a disinfectant. Always crosscheck to make sure that there are no nymphs hiding in corners.

Related: What Does a Cockroach Look Like? (With Pictures)

List of Sources

Michael F. Potter., Cockroach Elimination in Homes and Apartments, University of Kentucky

How to Get Rid of Cockroaches, Delaware Health and Social Services

Get Rid of Cockroaches, New York State Department of Health

Cockroach Management, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection