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Cockroach Control Melbourne | Cockroach Exterminator
Cockroaches in the kitchen or bathroom? Our cockroach control Melbourne team treats the nest with gel baits, not just a spray. Call 0401 573 777 for a free quote.
How do you get rid of cockroaches for good in Melbourne?
Reviewed by the Metro Pest Services team, updated September 2026
You get rid of cockroaches by treating where they breed, not where you happen to see them. Seeing a cockroach in Melbourne homes at night usually means there are many more hiding in warm, dark gaps behind appliances, under kickboards and inside cupboard hinges.
Professional cockroach pest control uses gel baits placed into those gaps. Cockroaches eat the bait and carry it back to the harbourage, where it spreads through the group, and an insect growth regulator stops young cockroaches reaching breeding age.
German cockroaches are the hard case. Their egg cases protect the young inside from treatment, so a second visit is usually needed once those eggs hatch. We price that second visit into the quote from the start.
| Cockroach treatment | from $179 |
|---|---|
| German cockroach program, two visits | from $289 |
| General pest treatment including cockroaches | from $189 |
| Most common indoor species | German cockroach |
| Time for gel baits to work | Usually 1 to 2 weeks |
| Time to clear a German infestation | Usually 2 to 4 weeks |
| Warranty | 6 months, free re-treatment inside it |
| Why roaches come back | Untreated egg cases, and gaps from neighbouring units |
The four cockroaches Melbourne homes get
The species tells us whether the problem is breeding inside your home or wandering in from outside. That decides the treatment and the price.
German cockroach
Blattella germanica- Looks like
- Small, about 12 to 15 mm, light brown with two dark stripes behind the head.
- Where
- Kitchens and bathrooms: behind fridges, dishwashers, microwaves, inside hinges and under kickboards.
- Treatment
- A female carries a single egg case holding dozens of eggs, and it survives the first treatment. German cockroach control needs gel baits, a growth regulator and a follow up visit.
Australian cockroach
Periplaneta australasiae- Looks like
- Large, reddish brown, with pale yellow edges on the back of the head and yellow stripes on the wings.
- Where
- Gardens, mulch, woodpiles and roof spaces, coming inside through gaps and open doors.
- Treatment
- An outside barrier treatment around doors, windows and weep holes, plus baits in roof and subfloor spaces.
American cockroach
Periplaneta americana- Looks like
- The biggest, up to about 40 mm, reddish brown with a pale band behind the head. Can fly in hot weather.
- Where
- Drains, sewers, subfloors, service ducts and basements, often coming up through floor wastes.
- Treatment
- Drains, pits and subfloors treated, with floor wastes and gaps around pipes sealed where possible.
Oriental cockroach
Blatta orientalis- Looks like
- Very dark brown to black and slow moving, with short wings.
- Where
- Cool, damp places: drains, cellars, subfloors and under concrete paths.
- Treatment
- Moisture problems fixed and damp areas treated. Less common, and usually a sign of a drainage issue.
Signs of cockroaches in kitchen cupboards and bathrooms
Cockroaches hide during the day, so by the time you see one running across the floor, there is usually a group nearby. These are the other signs we look for.
Cockroaches when the light goes on
Running for cover when you switch on the kitchen or bathroom light at night.
Droppings like ground pepper
Small dark specks in cupboard corners, drawers and around the fridge or dishwasher.
Egg cases in cupboards
Small brown capsules stuck in corners, behind drawers or near hinges.
A musty, oily smell
A stale smell in cupboards or pantries that gets stronger as numbers grow.
Small light brown cockroaches
Young German cockroaches in daylight usually mean a large, established population.
Smears near water
Dark smear marks along skirting, behind appliances and under sinks where they travel.
German cockroach control, and the outdoor species
A spray around the skirting boards is what most people expect. It is also why so many cockroach problems come straight back. This is what actually works for each situation.
Cockroach treatment
from$179
Best whenYou see larger cockroaches coming in from outside, or a small number indoors.
How it worksGel baits in the kitchen and bathroom, a growth regulator where they breed, and a barrier treatment at entry points outside.
Keep in mindKeep sprays and cleaning products off the bait for a few weeks so cockroaches keep eating it.
German cockroach program
from$289
Best whenSmall light brown cockroaches are breeding in your kitchen or bathroom.
How it worksA full gel and growth regulator treatment on the first visit, then a second visit two to three weeks later once the protected eggs have hatched.
Keep in mindBoth visits are included in the price. Units with shared walls may need neighbours treated at the same time.
Commercial kitchens
Quoted on inspection
Best whenCafes, restaurants, takeaways, childcare and aged care kitchens.
How it worksAfter hours treatment, monitoring stations, service reports and a site map for your food safety file.
Keep in mindQuoted after a site inspection, with visits scheduled around trading hours.
Not sure which cockroach you have? Tell us the size and where you see them and we will tell you the price on the phone.
Four cockroach mistakes that make it harder to fix
Supermarket products are tempting when you see cockroaches every night. Used the wrong way, they make a professional treatment work less well.
- 1Setting off bug bombs or foggers. They scatter German cockroaches deeper into walls and neighbouring units instead of killing the nest.
- 2Spraying over gel bait. Surface sprays repel cockroaches, so they stop eating the bait that would have reached the rest of the group.
- 3Wiping bait spots with cleaning products. Clean around them, not over them, for the few weeks the bait is working.
- 4Bringing in cardboard boxes from shops and storage. German cockroaches and their egg cases often arrive this way.
Cockroach control for rentals, apartments and cafes
Cockroaches travel through shared walls, service ducts and plumbing, so the building matters as much as the kitchen.
Apartments and units
German cockroaches move between neighbouring units through shared walls and pipe penetrations. Treating one unit alone can work, but treating the units on either side at the same time works far better.
Rentals and end of lease
Tenants moving in often inherit a cockroach problem. We treat before or after a move, with a receipt and treatment report for the rental provider or agent.
Cafes and restaurants
Commercial cockroach control is done after hours with gel baits and monitoring, and every visit is recorded so your food safety auditor can see the history.
How our cockroach treatment works
Four steps, from the first call to a kitchen you can walk into at night.
Identify the species
Size, colour and where you see them tell us if they are breeding indoors or coming in from outside.
Fixed price in writing
You get the treatment plan and a fixed price, including any follow up visit, before we start.
Treat where they breed
Gel baits and a growth regulator go into the gaps where they hide, not just along the skirting.
Follow up and warranty
German cockroach jobs get a second visit, and every treatment carries a 6 month warranty.
Cockroach pest control cost in Melbourne
These are our starting prices for a standard Melbourne home or unit. The final price depends on the species, how established the cockroaches are and the size of the property, and it is fixed in writing before we start.
Cockroach treatment
from$179
- Kitchen and bathrooms treated
- Gel bait and growth regulator
- Outside entry points treated
German cockroach program
from$289
- Two visits, two to three weeks apart
- Treats the eggs that hatch later
- 6 month warranty
General pest treatment
from$189
- Cockroaches, spiders, ants, silverfish
- Inside and outside the home
- 6 month warranty
Also quoted on inspection
- Commercial kitchens priced by site, with after hours visits
- Neighbouring units discounted when treated on the same day
- Heavy infestations extra visits quoted upfront, never added later
For comparison, published Melbourne cockroach treatment prices mostly run from about $180 to $450, and German cockroach gel programs are often quoted from about $200 to $400.
- Covers
- The treated areas of your home
- Length
- 6 months from treatment
- If cockroaches return
- Free re-treatment
- Please
- Follow the prep and bait care notes
Metro Pest Services · Melbourne
A cockroach warranty with the conditions written down
Every residential cockroach treatment carries a 6 month warranty. If cockroaches come back to the treated areas in that time, we come back and re-treat at no charge.
The warranty depends on the bait being left to work, so we give you a short care note: no sprays over bait spots, clean around them, and let us know about any leaks or renovations.
- 6 months, written on your job record
- Free re-treatment inside the warranty period
- Simple care notes, not hidden conditions
Three things most cockroach exterminator companies will not tell you
You may see more cockroaches for a week or two
Gel baits bring cockroaches out of hiding before they die, so a short rise in sightings is normal. It is a sign the bait is being eaten, not that the treatment failed.
One visit rarely finishes German cockroaches
Their egg cases protect the young until they hatch. A company that quotes one visit for a German cockroach problem is quoting the first half of the job.
Your neighbour can undo your treatment
In units and townhouses, cockroaches move through shared walls and plumbing. Treating neighbouring units together is often cheaper than repeat visits to yours.
How to stop cockroaches coming back
Cockroaches need food, water and somewhere warm to hide. Take those away and a treatment lasts far longer.
Clean grease and crumbs from behind the stove, fridge and toaster regularly.
Fix dripping taps and leaks under sinks and around the dishwasher.
Keep food, including pet food, in sealed containers overnight.
Seal gaps around pipes under sinks and behind appliances.
Put fly screens on drains and floor wastes where American cockroaches come up.
Recycle cardboard boxes quickly instead of storing them inside.
Cockroach control across every Melbourne suburb
Cockroaches are active across Melbourne all year, and worst from late spring to autumn. We treat homes, units and businesses anywhere in the metropolitan area, with no call-out fee.
Inner Melbourne
- Melbourne CBD
- Carlton
- Fitzroy
- Richmond
- South Yarra
- St Kilda
- Collingwood
- Docklands
Northern suburbs
- Brunswick
- Coburg
- Preston
- Reservoir
- Epping
- Craigieburn
- Bundoora
- Heidelberg
Eastern suburbs
- Box Hill
- Doncaster
- Ringwood
- Glen Waverley
- Blackburn
- Croydon
- Boronia
- Lilydale
South east
- Dandenong
- Clayton
- Cranbourne
- Narre Warren
- Berwick
- Pakenham
- Springvale
- Keysborough
Bayside and south
- Brighton
- Sandringham
- Cheltenham
- Mentone
- Mordialloc
- Frankston
- Seaford
- Carrum Downs
Western suburbs
- Footscray
- Sunshine
- Altona
- Point Cook
- Werribee
- Hoppers Crossing
- Tarneit
- Melton
Inner city apartments. German cockroaches move through shared service ducts and walls, so building wide treatment is often the answer.
Cafe and restaurant strips. Busy food streets see constant German cockroach pressure from deliveries, drains and neighbouring kitchens.
Older weatherboard homes. Gaps under floors and around pipes let Australian and American cockroaches in from gardens and drains.
New estates. Cardboard boxes from moving and storage are a common way German cockroaches arrive in a brand new home.
Cockroach Control Melbourne FAQs
Not sure which cockroach you have? Tell us the size and where you see them, and we will tell you on the phone what it needs.
Call 0401 573 777How much does cockroach control cost in Melbourne?
With us a cockroach treatment starts from $179, a two visit German cockroach program from $289, and a general pest treatment covering cockroaches from $189. The price is fixed in writing before we start.
What is the cockroach pest control price for a unit?
Most units fall into our cockroach treatment from $179, or the German cockroach program from $289 if they are breeding in the kitchen. Treating neighbouring units at the same time is quoted at a lower rate.
Do I need a cockroach exterminator Melbourne technician, or will bug bombs work?
Bug bombs rarely reach the nest and often spread German cockroaches into walls and neighbouring units. A professional gel bait treatment reaches where they breed, which is what clears them.
How long does cockroach treatment take to work?
Gel baits usually start working within days, and most activity drops within one to two weeks. A German cockroach infestation usually takes two to four weeks to clear, including the follow up visit.
Why am I seeing more cockroaches after treatment?
Gel baits bring cockroaches out of hiding as they are affected, so a short increase in sightings is normal for a week or two. Leave the bait spots alone and let it work.
Is German cockroach control different from other cockroaches?
Yes. German cockroaches breed indoors and carry protected egg cases, so they need gel baits, a growth regulator and a second visit. Larger outdoor cockroaches mostly need entry points and outdoor areas treated.
Can children and pets be around cockroach treatment?
Gel baits are placed into cracks and gaps out of reach of children and pets, rather than sprayed across surfaces. Any outside spray areas should be kept clear until dry, and we tell you exactly where they are.
Do I need to leave the house during treatment?
No. Most cockroach treatments are done while you are home. We ask you to clear kitchen cupboards the night before so we can reach the gaps where cockroaches hide.
Why do cockroaches keep coming back?
Usually because egg cases survived a single treatment, because sprays repelled cockroaches away from bait, or because they are coming from a neighbouring unit. Our quote covers all three.
Are cockroaches a health risk?
Cockroaches can spread bacteria onto food and surfaces, and their droppings and shed skins can trigger allergies and asthma, especially in children. That is why food areas are treated first.
Do you treat cockroaches in cafes and restaurants?
Yes. We treat commercial kitchens after hours and provide the monitoring records and service reports your food safety auditor will ask for.
Why did I get cockroaches in a clean house?
German cockroaches often arrive in cardboard boxes, second hand appliances or from a neighbouring unit. A clean kitchen makes a treatment work faster, but it does not stop cockroaches arriving.
What is a normal cockroach pest control cost for a whole house?
For a standard Melbourne house, most cockroach jobs start from $179 for our cockroach treatment, or from $289 for the German cockroach program. A general pest treatment from $189 is often better value if you also have spiders or ants.
Cockroaches every time the light goes on?
Cockroach treatment from $179, German cockroach programs with the follow up visit included, and a 6 month warranty.