How To Know If Roaches Are In Walls

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Do you hear strange scratching sounds coming from your walls at night? Or maybe you’ve noticed a foul, musty odor lingering in the air?

If you’re experiencing any of these unsettling signs, it’s possible that you have a not-so-welcome guest in your home: cockroaches.

To determine if there are roaches in walls, look for common signs such as musty odor, droppings, and shed skins near cracks or crevices. Listen for rustling sounds or clicking noises during the night. Inspect dark, warm areas with a flashlight.

These tiny, resilient pests can quickly take up residence in the walls of your house, causing damage and spreading germs.

But don’t worry, in this blog post, we’ll show you how to know if roaches are in your walls, and give you the tools to take action before they become a major problem.

So, read on to learn how to identify the signs of a roach infestation in walls and how to get rid of roaches in walls for good.

How To Know If Roaches Are In Walls

These signs indicate that you have cockroaches living inside your walls.

1. Foul Odor

When cockroaches infest your home, your otherwise nice-smelling home will emit a foul smell. This is because roaches produce pheromones that can create a musty or oily odor, often described as a “roachy” smell.

This pungent, unpleasant odor comes from the accumulation of their droppings, shed skins, and dead bodies.

This odor is especially noticeable in enclosed spaces like walls or cabinets. Therefore, a musty, oily, or pungent odor from your walls can indicate the presence of roaches. In that case, inspect the cracks or damps in your walls.

Related: How to get rid of roaches 

2. Cockroach Droppings

You will find roach droppings in areas these insects visit, rest, or feed, like the walls, cabinets, sinks, and baseboards.

Roach droppings are small, dark, and cylindrical. If cockroaches infest your walls, they leave droppings in your wall gaps and void spaces.

Also Read: What Does a Baby Cockroach Look Like

Cockroaches are likely hiding in your walls if you find droppings near crevices or cracks. You are dealing with an extensive infestation if the droppings are plenty and widespread.

3. Stains or Smear Marks

Another sign of cockroach infestation on your walls is stains or smear marks. Roaches leave brownish smear marks on the surfaces they touch.

Oil and dirt accumulate on the cockroaches’ bodies, which then rub off them, causing these marks.

Wall discoloration could signify roach activity. To confirm their presence, look for these smear marks and other signs like droppings and foul odor.

4. Clicking or Rustling Sounds

You may not always hear the sound produced by cockroaches inside your home, but sometimes, they can make clicking or rustling sounds while moving around your walls. These sounds are easier to notice at night when your house is quiet.

After all, roaches are active at night, often moving around looking for food and water, creating a rustling or tapping sound as they move through the walls’ void spaces. So, investigate any strange noises from the walls.

However, while it could be roaches, take note that other pests, such as birds and rodents, are also noisy.

Also read: Can dead cockroaches attract other cockroaches?

5. Egg Capsules

Cockroaches lay their eggs in capsules and leave them in hidden areas like cracks, crevices, and voids inside walls. The capsules are typically small, dark, and oval-shaped and can be difficult to see without a thorough inspection.

Egg capsules strongly indicate cockroach infestation. You can also tell the type of roaches in your home from the capsules’ size and shape. For example, German cockroach egg capsules are smaller and darker than those of American roaches.

6. Physical Damage

Besides contaminating and eating your food, roaches consume organic substances like leather and books. Therefore, you likely have cockroaches if you see tiny damage in your walls.

 6. Visual Sightings

The clearest sign of roach infestation inside your walls is seeing them crawling out of the wall cracks or crevices in your walls. Additionally, dead cockroaches are a sign of a roach infestation.

Can Cockroaches Lay Eggs On A Wall?

Yeas, cockroaches can lay eggs on a wall; it is actually among the most common places roaches deposit their egg capsules. Walls give roaches a dark, secure place to hide their eggs, cementing them on your wall surfaces with a sticky substance, making them hard to remove.

The capsules stay there until the eggs hatch. After that, the young cockroaches emerge from the capsules and begin searching for food and shelter.

How To Get Rid Of Roaches In Walls

A) Using Bait Stations

Baits effectively eliminate roaches in your walls because they target the whole colony, including the hidden ones. Baits come in different forms, such as bait stations for roaches, gels, and granules. Some baits are better suited for certain cockroach types, so you must choose wisely.

For instance, gel baits work better against German roaches, while bait stations handle larger species like American roaches better. Baits attract cockroaches to eat the poison, then carry it into your walls and share it with others, spreading it further and killing many more roaches.

B) Insecticides

Baits may not be enough to eliminate the entire roach population living in your walls, especially if the infestation is too severe or the cockroaches live inside the walls. In such cases, insecticides may be a better weapon against them.

Insecticides are fast-acting and kill roaches through ingestion or by contact. However, despite being highly effective, they can be toxic to pets and humans, so use them cautiously. The manufacturer’s instructions will guide and don’t forget to put on protective gear like gloves during application.

C) Clean Thoroughly

Roaches love a place with moisture and food debris since it provides them with enough food, so chase them from your walls and home by keeping a clean, tidy home. Cockroaches have no reason to live inside your walls and home if you do these.

D) Clean Up Spills And Crumbs Promptly

 Roaches can survive in small food amounts, so cleaning up any spills or crumbs as soon as possible is important. Sweep debris with a vacuum or broom and wipe surfaces.

E) Keep Food Properly

Store your food inside covered containers, and don’t leave food out overnight or dirty dishes sitting in kitchen sinks for long.

F) Empty The Trash Regularly

Roaches will visit your trash cans looking for food, so empty and clean them regularly and cover them tightly.

H) Keep Your Home Dry

Cockroaches rely on moisture for survival which they get in plenty if you have any leaks or standing water sources, so fix them. Additionally, wipe wet surfaces, such as sinks and showers, and reduce humidity using a dehumidifier.

I) Declutter Your Home

Removing unnecessary items and neatly arranging your home deprives roaches of hiding spots.

How Do I Keep Roaches Off My Walls?

After removing roaches from your walls, you must ensure they don’t return. Here’s how to achieve that.

i) Seal Entry Points

Once the roaches are out of your walls, seal any tiny cracks or openings using foam or caulk to keep them from returning. In addition, don’t forget to repair cracks in other places like windows and doors since roaches enter houses through them.

ii) Keep Your Home Clean

Regular cleaning is essential to keep cockroaches off your walls, so vacuum floors and carpets regularly, wipe down surfaces, and take out the trash regularly. Moreover, clean your walls often, including behind mirrors and picture frames, and replace or repair damaged wallpaper.

iii) Apply Repellents

Essential oils like peppermint, citronella, tea tree, eucalyptus, clove, and cypress repel cockroaches naturally. Therefore, consider spraying your walls with them to keep roaches away.

Also Read: Peppermint Oil For Roaches

You can make an essential oil-based repellent by mixing your preferred essential oil with water in a spray bottle.

Final Remarks

Don’t let your walls be home to roaches because removing them will be immensely challenging once they establish residence there. Be vigilant by paying attention to the abovementioned signs and inspecting your walls regularly to see if cockroaches and other pests are inside. Depending on the roach infestation size, you can eliminate them using baits, insecticides, or even an exterminator.

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