3 Common Apartment Insects and How to Get Rid of Them

As the winter thaws, the weather doesn’t just get more pleasant for us — it gets friendlier for our six-legged roommates, too. If you start to see a bug infestation in your apartment come springtime, you’re not alone. 

Even if seeing creepy crawlies in your apartment doesn’t bother you, it’s still important to prevent and get rid of them — even enlisting the help of your landlord if necessary. The National Center for Healthy Housing and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development both recommend keeping your home bug-free to optimize your health and the cleanliness of your living space. The last thing you want is bugs crawling in your food or on your belongings. 

Although some insect-related incidents can require the help of professional pest control services, there are measures you can take even before you spot one and before they become a real problem. In this guide, we go through three common pest problems, how to keep bugs out of your apartment, and how to get rid of them if they’re already there. 

The biggest problem with ants is their size. It can be hard to keep them out of your apartment because they’re so small. If they can get through a crack just big enough for their tiny bodies to fit through, they’re in. Plus, it’s easy to accidentally introduce them to your space on plants, bouquets of flowers, and even on your shoes. 

The number one rule for keeping ants out of the house is keeping your space as clean as you can. It starts before you enter your house: If you live in a ground-level or basement space, keep an eye out for mounds of fine dirt near your door, a sign that ants are nearby. When you step inside, especially if you notice anthills in the vicinity, brush off your feet and remove your shoes. Be sure to thoroughly clean up after food use, especially in the case of spills, to keep these little black bugs out. Regularly clean out your trash cans as well to remove any spilled food waste.

Start with a deep clean, looking for points of entry or spills that could have attracted ants in the first place. You can also spray lemon juice in door openings, windowsills, along the baseboards, and in any cracks or suspicious holes, and place traps around your apartment for extra peace of mind.  

For a more temporary DIY fix, if you know where the ants have been entering, you can draw a line in chalk across the floor in front of the entry point. The chalk will leave a dusty residue around the line that confuses the ants, and they likely won’t cross the line. 

Favorite things: Sweets. Stay on top of cleaning near storage and spills of sugar, honey, syrup, and candy. 

Least favorite things: Salt, baby powder, lemon juice, chalk, vinegar, bay leaves, and cinnamon. Use these as ant repellants in a pinch. Boric acid should also do the trick as an insecticide.

Cockroaches are every apartment renter’s nightmare. They’re sneaky and fast, and they can be large and difficult to kill. Plus, they often carry disease and leave droppings behind that can contaminate surfaces and make us sick. If you see roaches in your apartment, it’s probably a good idea to reach out to your landlord immediately about hiring a professional exterminator.

Food is the number one attractor of cockroaches. It’s important to clean up after meals immediately after cooking and eating, seal trash receptacles thoroughly, avoid leaving bowls of snacks and fruit out for grazing, and try to keep track of pet food you put out, hiding it overnight if your pet doesn’t finish it.  

Cockroaches also seek moisture and shelter, which is why they often enter apartments through cracks in the walls and moldings and through sinks and leaky pipes. As a preventative measure, keep an eye and ear out for dripping faucets, don’t leave dirty dishes soaking overnight, and be especially on-watch in the bathroom, the kitchen, and the laundry room. If you see cracks in your walls and moldings, contact your landlord to have them filled because they may be hiding places for household pests.

It’s important to note that you might notice signs of cockroaches before you actually see one. If cockroaches have been leaving droppings, you’ll likely notice a musty smell in your apartment. You might also see the droppings, which look like flecks of black pepper. You’re most likely to see cockroaches either when they’re already dead, or as they run into hiding when you turn lights on. In any of these cases, reach out to your landlord immediately. In addition, you can try home remedies like bowls of lemon juice and essential oils in the meantime. 

Favorite things: Starches, sweets, greasy foods, meats, any organic matter. Avoid leaving food sources out unattended for long periods of time. 

Least favorite things: Lavender, citronella, eucalyptus, citrus, garlic, mint, and peppermint oil. Reach for these home remedies while you wait for your landlord to help solve the issue. 

House centipedes are, simply put, controversial. These common house bugs are especially fast, with 15 legs that help them travel at 1.3 feet per second, making them an unattractive and startling apartment guest when you do spot them. But they’re also predators to other bugs, including cockroaches. Centipedes are always on the hunt — so it’s up to you whether they stay or go, but they’re harmless and even potentially helpful. Here’s what to do if you can’t stand the thought of the critters. 

Centipedes, as discussed, are on the hunt for other bugs. They like to eat cockroaches, moths, flies, silverfish, and termites. So, you can do your due diligence to ward off centipedes just by warding off their prey. According to the Family Handyman, dehumidifying all your spaces is key for this.  

Centipedes are hard to catch, and they’re likely stalking other unwanted insects — so don’t panic if one gets away. But if their appearance corresponds with elevated moisture or humidity levels in a certain part of the house, like the bathroom, it can help to keep those areas extra dry. If you have a spill or leak, be diligent about sopping up the water and running a fan even after the surface is dry because there might be water soaking into the floor underneath. You can also use an insect killer in cracks and crevices if you can’t manage to catch the centipedes. 

Favorite things: Other bugs, and moisture. This is where a dehumidifier comes in handy. 

Least favorite things: Drought and dry climates. As long as there aren’t any other pests in your apartment and you keep moisture levels low, you shouldn’t expect to see any centipedes.  

Don’t miss out on more insect-related resources — we also published a comprehensive guide to managing bed bugs and moths in your apartment.