Most people don’t know cockroaches have a smell until they notice it: an oily, musty, slightly sweet odor, usually strongest in kitchen cabinets, behind the fridge or stove, under sinks and in pantries. One roach won’t make a house smell. A noticeable roach smell usually means a larger hidden population, droppings and dead roaches built up in hard-to-reach places. In Florida, where roaches (including the big “palmetto bugs”) are a fact of life, it’s a more common smell than people think.
Where the Smell Comes From
- Droppings, which look like black pepper or coffee grounds, in corners, hinges, drawers and behind appliances.
- Oily secretions roaches leave where they gather, which build up into that musty smell.
- Dead roaches and egg cases in wall voids, under appliances and inside cabinets, especially after a pest treatment.
Step 1: Get the Roaches Under Control
The smell will keep coming back as long as roaches are living in the home. Call a licensed pest control company, and ask them which cleaning steps to hold off on, since some treatments need to stay in place for a while. Then cut off what roaches need most: water and food. Fix dripping faucets and leaks under sinks, don’t leave dishes or pet food out overnight, store food in sealed containers, and take the trash out every night.
Step 2: Clean Out the Smell
- Empty the cabinets and pantry and toss any opened food that roaches could have reached.
- Vacuum droppings, dead roaches and egg cases from shelves, corners, hinges and drawer tracks, then empty the vacuum outside.
- Wash every surface with hot, soapy water or a kitchen degreaser: inside cabinets and drawers, shelves, door hinges, the backsplash and baseboards.
- Pull out the fridge and stove (carefully) and clean behind and under them. This is often where most of the smell is.
- Replace old shelf liner and cardboard boxes, which hold droppings and smell.
- Clean the drains and garbage disposal.
- Set out baking soda or activated charcoal in cabinets for a few days to absorb what’s left, and seal cracks and gaps once the pest company says it’s fine.
Roaches and Moisture Go Together
Roaches are drawn to damp areas. If they keep showing up under one sink or in one bathroom, there may be a slow leak behind the cabinet or wall. A musty smell along with the roach smell is another clue. We offer a free visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared (thermal) camera to find hidden moisture. Lab testing is separate if it’s needed. Florida licenses: Mold Assessor MRSA4035, Mold Remediator MRSR4158. See also what a musty smell means in a Florida home.
When the Smell Has Spread Through the Home
After a heavy infestation, especially in a home you just bought or a rental between tenants, the smell can linger in cabinets, walls and the AC system even after the roaches are gone and everything is cleaned. Our whole-home odor removal treatment treats the air throughout the entire home, including one AC system and an attached garage. You’ll be out for about 8 hours. It’s an odor treatment only. It doesn’t get rid of roaches, so pest control and cleanup come first. See also the house smells after moving in and odors between tenants. Smell something different? See our smell-by-smell guide.
Whole-Home Odor Removal in South Florida: $997
Our Whole-Home Odor Removal Treatment is $997 and includes one AC system ($550 for each additional AC unit). You can buy and schedule it online, or call 877-224-2532 to request a free visual inspection. We answer 24/7; when you call, we’ll tell you honestly when a technician can be there based on that day’s schedule. Hablamos español.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews.
