You switched on the kitchen light in the middle of the night and saw two or three brown insects dart under the fridge. The first reflex is often to empty everything, scrub every surface with bleach and spray whatever is to hand. That is understandable, but it is not the right sequence.
The German cockroach, the species most often found in kitchens in the Île-de-France region, lives hidden in warm cracks and only comes out to feed. Cleaning does not eliminate it: it takes away its food and makes the treatment more effective, provided it is done in the right place at the right time.
This article gives you a clear plan, first for the kitchen in your home, then for a professional kitchen in a restaurant or food shop.
Why cleaning matters so much
A cockroach will eat almost anything: crumbs, grease, sugar residue, cardboard glue, pet food. It also finds water in a damp sink seal or a saucer under a plant. The less food there is around, the more attractive the bait laid by the technician becomes.
Two traits of the German cockroach explain why targeted cleaning matters:
- it hides near heat: behind fridge and dishwasher motors, in hinges, under the oven, in electrical boxes;
- the female carries her ootheca, the capsule holding her eggs, until they hatch or nearly so: a single hidden female is enough to restart a population.
Cleaning therefore does not replace treatment. It prepares and supports it.
The cleaning plan, zone by zone
This table suits a home kitchen. The frequencies are guidelines, to be tightened during the treatment period.
| Zone | Action | Frequency | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worktops and table | Clear, degrease, dry | Every evening | Nothing left out overnight |
| Sink and trap | Empty, wipe, no standing water | Every evening | Fix leaks, even slow ones |
| Floor, under and behind appliances | Vacuum then wash, moving appliances if possible | Every week | Do not wash the gel points you were shown |
| Bin | Bag tied, taken out at night, bin washed | Every day | Lid that closes properly |
| Cupboards and drawers | Empty, vacuum crumbs, store food in sealed boxes | Every month | Throw away packaging cardboard |
| Cooker hood and filters | Degrease the filters | Every month | Grease attracts and feeds them |
| Pet bowls | No food left out overnight | Every evening | Keep kibble in a sealed box |
Make the vacuum cleaner your main tool: it removes crumbs, droppings and sometimes insects without spreading any product. Then empty the bag or canister into a tied bag, straight into the outside bin.
What not to do during a treatment
Gel bait works slowly: the cockroach feeds, goes back to its hiding place and contaminates the others. Anything that makes it flee or removes the gel works against you.
- Do not spray household insecticide near gel points: the smell repels cockroaches and can contaminate the bait.
- Do not degrease treated cracks and hinges for the period the technician gives you. Clean around them, not over them.
- Do not seal cracks too early: sealing joints comes once activity has died down, otherwise the cockroaches simply move elsewhere.
- Do not pile up products: bleach, vinegar and strong-smelling degreasers on treated areas get in the way of the bait.
Clean around the gel points, never over them: that is the rule to remember during the first weeks.
In a flat or a house
A home kitchen is often small and open onto the living room. Cockroaches can move from room to room along skirting boards, ducts and water pipes. In an apartment building they also travel through service risers: if a neighbour reports them, tell the syndic (the building's managing agent), because an isolated treatment is less likely to last.
A few simple habits make a real difference:
- check grocery and delivery boxes before putting things away, then take the cardboard out quickly;
- do not leave dirty dishes or a full pet bowl overnight;
- note where and when you see cockroaches, for the technician.
In a restaurant or food shop kitchen
For a business, cleaning is more than good practice. The European regulation on the hygiene of foodstuffs requires adequate procedures to control pests, and the establishment's food safety management plan must include a cleaning and disinfection plan as well as a pest control plan.
In practice, this means:
- a written cleaning plan, zone by zone, with frequency, product and person responsible, signed off each time;
- end-of-service cleaning of ranges, washing-up areas, floor drains and the underside of equipment, where grease builds up;
- checking deliveries: boxes and pallets can carry cockroaches and egg cases; unpack and remove them quickly;
- traceability of every visit: reports, monitoring trap map, products used, ready to show during a health inspection.
The Sentinel Protocol in the kitchen
In a kitchen, we follow the four steps of the Sentinel Protocol.
- Inspect: torch, monitoring traps and mapping of harbourage areas, often at night or outside service hours for a restaurant.
- Treat: gel bait in small dots in cracks, suitable baits and, where relevant, dry steam on some surfaces.
- Sanitise: zone-by-zone cleaning advice, sealing of joints and gaps once activity has died down, disinfection if needed.
- Follow up: a follow-up visit as set out in the protocol, a photo report emailed the same day and monitoring traps that keep up active vigilance.
Contact us
Our technicians work in your home as well as in your premises, in Paris and across the Île-de-France region. Cockroach treatment is part of our insect treatment service; the cockroach guide helps you identify the species. For a professional kitchen, our annual contracts set up regular visits, and premises disinfection completes the treatment if needed. See our rates or pick a slot online.
FAQ
Should I clean everything before the technician comes?
Do your usual cleaning, empty the lower cupboards if asked and clear access to the appliances, but do not spray any insecticide. Overly aggressive cleaning just before the visit can scatter the cockroaches and hide the signs the technician needs in order to place the gel in the right spots.
When can I go back to full cleaning after a gel treatment?
The technician tells you which areas were treated and how long to wait. Meanwhile, clean around the gel points without wiping them. Once activity has clearly dropped, you can return to full cleaning, and the technician renews the gel points if the follow-up visit shows it is needed.
Does bleach kill cockroaches?
It can kill an insect sprayed directly, but it does not reach cockroaches hidden in cracks or eggs protected inside their ootheca. Its smell can also keep the insects away from the baits. Bleach has its place for disinfecting certain surfaces, not for treating an infestation.
