Ants, Roaches and Crawling Bugs: What Works

Ants, roaches and other crawling bugs are the pests most homes meet first: ant trails across the counter, roaches under the sink, spiders in the corners, and less often bed bugs or termites. This section is for homeowners and renters who want to identify the bug, choose a treatment that actually works and keep it from coming back.

How to Deal With Crawling Bugs

Crawling insects share a few habits that shape every treatment. They follow trails and edges, hide in cracks close to food and water, and live in colonies or hidden groups that a spray on the visible few never reaches. That is why baits, which workers carry back to the nest, often beat sprays for ants and roaches.

Prevention does most of the long-term work: wipe up crumbs and spills, fix leaks, store food in sealed containers and caulk the gaps around pipes, baseboards and windows. Then treat with the right product in the right place, and give it time. Some pests, such as termites and heavy bed bug infestations, are often worth a professional.

Indoor Ant Killers

Inside the house, the goal is to wipe out the colony, not just the ants on the counter. These guides cover ant baits, sprays and powders made for indoor use, how safe they are around kitchens, children and pets, and which work best on common household ants.

You will learn why slow-acting baits beat fast sprays for colonies, where to place bait stations along trails and why you should not spray near them. Our indoor ant killer guides compare options for kitchens and bathrooms.

They also explain how long baits take to work, often a few days, and why the number of ants can briefly rise as workers swarm the bait before the colony collapses.

Outdoor and Fire Ant Killers

Outdoor ants and fire ants call for different tactics than the trail in your kitchen. These guides cover granular baits, mound treatments, perimeter sprays and products labeled for both indoors and out.

Topics include the two-step method for fire ants, which pairs a broadcast bait with mound treatments, the best weather and soil conditions for baiting, and how to stop outdoor ants before they reach the house. See our outdoor ant killer guides for lawns, gardens and foundations.

Safety gets its own attention, since fire ant stings can be serious and some yard products need pets and children kept off treated areas until they dry.

Homemade Ant Killers

Homemade ant killers can work well when they follow the same logic as store-bought baits: a sweet bait with a small amount of boric acid that workers carry home. These guides give recipes based on university research, along with natural sprays and pet- and kid-safe options.

You will find why too much boric acid kills ants before they reach the nest, how to build a simple bait station, and what vinegar and soap sprays can and cannot do. Read our homemade ant killer guides before mixing your own.

Every recipe comes with storage and placement advice, since sweet baits attract children and pets as much as ants.

Getting Rid of Ants

These step-by-step guides take you from the first trail to an ant-free kitchen. They follow the order that works: identify the ant, find the trail and entry point, bait, clean and seal.

Topics include getting rid of ants fast or overnight, natural methods that are worth trying, and how to keep ants out of the kitchen for good. Start with our guides to getting rid of ants in the house and yard.

The guides also cover when ants are a sign of something bigger, such as carpenter ants nesting in damp wood, and when a professional inspection makes sense.

Seasonal patterns are covered as well, so you know why ants march in after heavy rain or during dry spells.

Roach Killers

Roach killers range from gel baits and bait stations to sprays, insect growth regulators, dusts and total-release foggers. These guides compare each type and explain which ones professionals rely on.

You will learn why gel bait placed in cracks near food and water outperforms spraying, how growth regulators stop roaches from breeding, and why foggers rarely reach roaches hiding in walls. Our roach killer guides help you match the product to the roach.

They also explain how to rotate baits if roaches stop eating one, a common problem with German cockroaches in apartments.

Product labels get a close read too, so you know which products may be used in kitchens and which belong only in cracks, voids and outdoor areas.

Getting Rid of Roaches

These guides lay out a full plan for a house, apartment or car with roaches. They start with identifying the species, since German roaches indoors and larger roaches coming from outside need different approaches.

Topics include cleaning and sealing hiding spots, placing baits, monitoring with sticky traps, and working with neighbors and landlords in multi-unit buildings. Read our guides to getting rid of roaches for a step-by-step plan.

Sticky monitoring traps get special attention, because they show where roaches are most active and whether the treatment is working week by week.

For cars and RVs, the guides add how to clear out food wrappers, vacuum seams and use baits safely in a closed vehicle.

Natural Roach Control

Natural roach control relies on low-toxicity options such as boric acid, diatomaceous earth and careful sanitation. These guides cover homemade roach baits and pet-safe remedies, with honest notes on which ones work.

You will find bait recipes, where to dust powders thinly so roaches walk through them, and why essential oil sprays rarely do more than repel for a short while. See our natural roach control guides for the details.

Each guide also covers keeping powders and baits away from pets and children, and why a thin dusting works better than a visible pile.

Sanitation remains the backbone: no amount of powder outlasts a steady supply of crumbs and dripping pipes.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are among the hardest pests to clear without help, but early action makes a big difference. These guides cover bed bug sprays, dusts, mattress encasements and heat treatment for clothing and bedding, plus how to avoid bringing them home from travel.

Topics include how to confirm bed bugs, why ultrasonic devices and most natural sprays fail, and when a professional is the right call. Our bed bug guides explain what you can do at home.

You will also find how to inspect a hotel room, how to handle luggage after a trip and why hot dryer cycles are one of the most useful tools you already own.

Termites

Termites cause damage slowly and out of sight, so knowing the type matters. These guides cover do-it-yourself treatments for drywood termites in furniture and accessible wood, borate wood treatments, and the signs that call for a professional inspection.

You will learn how to tell termites from flying ants, why subterranean termites usually need professional soil treatment or baiting, and how to make wood less inviting. Read our termite guides to know what you can treat yourself.

The guides also explain how to reduce moisture and wood-to-soil contact around the house, which prevents more termite trouble than any spray.

You will also see what a termite inspection involves and which questions to ask before signing a treatment contract.

Indoor Spider Repellents

Most house spiders are harmless and even helpful, but few people want them in the bedroom. These guides cover spider repellents and sprays for inside the house, garage and car, including pet-safe and homemade options.

Topics include why vacuuming webs and egg sacs works better than most sprays, which scents research has tested, and how to reduce the insects spiders feed on. Our indoor spider repellent guides compare what helps.

You will also find how to recognize the few spiders worth caution, such as black widows and recluses, and how to handle them safely.

For garages and cars, the guides add sealing door gaps and keeping clutter off the floor, where spiders like to hide.

Outdoor Spider Sprays

Outside, spiders gather where insects are plentiful: around porch lights, eaves, decks and shrubs. These guides cover sprays and repellents for the outside of the house and yard, with realistic expectations about how long they last.

You will read why perimeter sprays give only short-term relief, how changing outdoor lighting cuts the insects that attract spiders, and where to treat under deck rails and eaves. See our outdoor spider spray guides for practical picks.

The guides also cover clearing webs with a long-handled broom and trimming plants away from the walls, which keeps spiders farther from doors and windows.

Yellow or warm-toned bulbs near doors draw fewer insects, which means fewer spiders waiting for them.

Common Questions About Ants, Roaches and Crawling Bugs