Finding cockroach droppings in your home is never pleasant. But cleaning them up properly is an important part of dealing with a roach problem and keeping affected areas clean.
Roach droppings can show up in cabinets, behind appliances, beneath sinks, and in other dark or hidden areas where cockroaches spend time. Simply wiping away what you can see may not be enough. You’ll want to clean the surrounding area carefully and then look for other signs that cockroaches may still be active.
Here’s how to clean up roach droppings, what to use, and what you should do after the mess is gone.
Before cleaning, it helps to make sure what you found could actually be cockroach droppings.
Their appearance can vary depending on the type and size of cockroach. Droppings from smaller cockroaches may look like:
- Tiny black or dark brown specks
- Ground pepper
- Coffee grounds
- Small dark stains or smears
Larger cockroach species can leave bigger, more noticeable droppings. These may look like small dark brown or black pellets.
If you find numerous droppings concentrated in one location, pay attention. Cockroaches tend to leave waste along the routes they travel and near places where they hide, feed, or find water.
Cockroaches prefer areas that provide easy access to food, moisture, and hiding spaces. Because they often stay out of sight during the day, their droppings may be one of the first signs you notice.
Check areas such as:
- Under kitchen and bathroom sinks
- Inside cabinets and drawers
- Behind refrigerators
- Behind or underneath stoves
- Around dishwashers
- Near trash cans
- Along baseboards
- Inside pantries
- Around plumbing
- Near cracks and crevices
- In basements and utility areas
- Around other dark, undisturbed spaces
When you find droppings in one location, inspect the surrounding area instead of assuming the problem is limited to that single spot.
Cleaning cockroach droppings isn't only about appearance. Cockroaches can move through garbage, drains, decaying material, and other unsanitary environments before traveling across household surfaces. Their droppings and shed body parts can also contribute to indoor allergens.
Removing droppings helps you thoroughly clean contaminated areas. There is another practical reason to clean them up. For instance, once old evidence is removed, it becomes easier to spot new cockroach activity. If you thoroughly clean a cabinet and notice fresh droppings several days later, that can be a sign that roaches are still visiting the area. You can then place Combat® brand roach killing products in those areas to help deal with them.
Gather your cleaning supplies before getting started so you don't have to move back and forth through your home during the cleanup.
Depending on the surface and extent of the problem, you may need the following:
- Disposable gloves
- Paper towels or disposable cleaning cloths
- Household cleaner appropriate for the surface
- Disinfectant appropriate for the surface, when needed
- Trash bags
- A vacuum with a hose or crevice attachment
- Warm water and soap
Always follow the directions on cleaning and disinfecting products. Never mix household cleaning chemicals unless the product directions specifically say it is safe to do so.
The best cleanup method depends somewhat on where the droppings are located. A kitchen counter requires a different approach than a crack behind an appliance.
Avoid picking up cockroach droppings with your bare hands. Put on disposable gloves before cleaning and try to keep your hands away from your face while working. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water when you're finished, even if you wore gloves.
Before you start wiping, look around the affected area. Check nearby cracks, cabinet hinges, corners, appliance gaps, plumbing penetrations, and other hiding places. You may discover additional droppings or other signs of cockroach activity.
This inspection can also help you determine where roaches may be traveling.
For accessible hard surfaces, collect loose debris with disposable materials or use an appropriate vacuum attachment where practical.
A crevice attachment can be useful for reaching behind appliances, along edges, and inside cracks where debris has accumulated.
Once the loose material has been removed, clean the affected surface. For many washable household surfaces, soap and water or a suitable household cleaner can help remove remaining residue. Pay particular attention to corners and crevices where debris can collect.
If the surface can safely be disinfected, use a household disinfectant according to its label directions. Pay attention to instructions such as how much product to use and how long the surface needs to remain wet. More product isn't necessarily better; following the label is the safest approach.
Food-contact surfaces may have additional cleaning or rinsing requirements, so check the product directions carefully.
Place used paper towels, disposable cloths, gloves, and collected debris into a trash bag.
Seal the bag and dispose of it appropriately. Then wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Cleaning up roach droppings is an important step, but you’ll also want to address the roaches causing the problem. Combat® offers pest-control solutions that can be used as part of your approach to managing cockroach activity in and around your home. You can use Roach baits and Roach Gels to help deal with roaches in your home.