How to Get Rid of Ants and Roaches for Good

16 snips

Jul 23, 2025

Doug Mahoney, Wirecutter's senior staff writer specializing in pest management, shares his expertise on battling ant and roach infestations. He reveals his 4-Step Pest Control Plan, emphasizing the importance of observing pests, cleaning up food sources, sealing entry points, and utilizing effective baits. Doug debunks myths about pest resilience and advises against quick-fix solutions like bug bombs. His engaging anecdotes and practical tips make pest control seem less daunting and even a bit entertaining!

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INSIGHT

Ants' Unique Sleep Pattern

Ants take around 250 micro naps per day, each lasting about a minute.
This adds up to about four to five hours of sleep daily, showing their unique rest pattern.

INSIGHT

Cockroaches Survive Without Heads

Cockroaches can live for a couple of weeks without their heads.
Crushing them completely is necessary to kill them effectively.

INSIGHT

Radiation Resistance Myth

Cockroaches are not the most radiation-resistant insects contrary to popular belief.
Flower beetles survive higher radiation doses better than cockroaches.

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Tired of creepy crawlies? Wirecutter's pest expert Doug Mahoney reveals the right way to tackle ant and roach infestations. He offers practical advice and debunks common myths (for example, cockroaches aren’t actually the most radiation-resistant insects!).

Doug's 4-Step Pest Control Plan:

Observe & Identify: Know your enemy! Find their entry points & hotspots. Sawdust + carpenter ants? Call a pro ASAP!
Clean Up: Starve 'em out! Secure all food (pet food is a big one!), wipe surfaces constantly. Roaches love protein, ants crave sugar.
Seal Entry Points: Block their access! Heavy-duty caulk is your best friend around foundations & pipes.
Use Bait (Most Effective!): The ultimate weapon! Baits combine food + slow-acting poison. Ants take it to the colony; roaches share the toxic love (🤢). Place bait where you see 'em most!

Avoid:

Kill-on-contact sprays: These can make ant problems worse by splitting colonies.
Bug bombs/foggers: They don't reach hiding spots and are explosion risks.
"Natural" remedies (e.g., Diatomaceous earth): Often messy and less powerful than bait.

When to Call a Pro: If DIY baits aren't working after a couple of weeks, it's time for an exterminator.

More Pest Help: If you need more pest-control help, check out our episodes on combatting mice and rats, and repellents that work against mosquitos and ticks.

Access the full show notes for this episode.

Products we recommend:

Best ant bait traps: Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits
Best roach bait traps: Terro T500 Multi-Surface Roach Baits
Easy-to-use roach gel: Terro T502 Roach Bait Gel
Siliconized acrylic latex sealant: Alex Plus 10.1 oz. White Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone

Additional reading:

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The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.

Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast