12-Step Pest Prevention Checklist

Kitchen & Drains

Install Drain Covers on Every Drain

Kitchen sink, bathroom floor drains, shower drains, bidet drain. Use stainless steel mesh covers (available on Amazon.es for under 5 euros). This single step blocks 80% of cockroach entries from the municipal sewer system.

Seal All Pipe Penetrations

Check under every sink, behind the washing machine, around boiler connections, and where AC drain pipes exit the wall. Use silicone sealant or expanding foam to close gaps. Even 3mm gaps are enough for German cockroaches to enter.

Eliminate Standing Water

Fix dripping taps, check under-sink traps for leaks, empty plant saucers. Run taps in unused bathrooms weekly to keep traps full. Cockroaches can survive weeks without food but only days without water.

Doors, Windows & Perimeter

Install Door Sweeps on Exterior Doors

Especially terrace doors and any door opening to a garden, patio, or garage. Brush-style sweeps work best on uneven Spanish tile. Check the gap — if you can see daylight, pests can enter.

Check & Replace Window Screens

Inspect all mosquiteras (window screens) for tears or gaps. Replace any screen with holes larger than 1mm. Pay special attention to kitchen and bathroom windows. If your home doesn't have screens, install magnetic or adhesive frames.

Seal Utility Entry Points

Where electrical cables, internet cables, gas lines, and AC lines enter the building. Check around the exterior AC unit, the electricity meter box, and any wall-mounted vents. Use steel wool + silicone for persistent gaps.

Food Storage & Hygiene

Transfer Open Food to Sealed Containers

Cereal, pasta, rice, flour, sugar, pet food — anything in cardboard or paper bags should go into glass or hard plastic containers with tight lids. This eliminates food scent trails that attract pantry pests, ants, and cockroaches.

Deep-Clean Behind Appliances

Pull out the fridge, oven, and microwave. Clean grease and food residue underneath and behind them. This is the #1 harbourage zone for German cockroaches in Spanish apartments. Repeat every 3 months.

Manage Rubbish Properly

Use bins with tight-fitting lids. Take rubbish out daily (especially in summer). Never leave bags by the door overnight. Rinse recycling containers before storing them. Clean the bin itself with bleach monthly.

Treatment & Monitoring

Apply Gel Bait in Key Locations

Small dots of cockroach gel (Advion or similar) behind the fridge, under the sink, behind the toilet cistern, and inside kitchen cupboard hinges. Reapply every 3 months. This is the #1 method professional pest controllers use.

Place Sticky Traps for Monitoring

Put glue traps near drains, under sinks, and behind the fridge. Check weekly. These don't solve infestations — they tell you if your prevention is working. If you catch more than 2-3 per week, escalate to professional treatment.

Schedule Seasonal Maintenance

Set calendar reminders: April (pre-season prep), June (check & refresh), August (mid-season audit), October (winter close-down for holiday homes). One weekend of prevention saves weeks of infestation stress.

Seasonal Pest Calendar for Spain

Jan

Low risk. Indoor rodents. Check traps.

Feb

Pine processionary. Walk dogs on lead.

Mar

Prep season. Seal, clean, install.

Apr

Apply gel bait. Fix screens. Stock up.

May

Cockroach season starts. Ants active.

Jun

Peak mosquitoes. Refresh drain covers.

Jul

Peak activity. Check gel. Monitor traps.

Aug

Mid-season audit. Reapply treatments.

Sep

Wasps peak. Cockroach activity high.

Oct

Close-down for holiday homes. Final seal.

Nov

Activity drops. Rodents seek warmth.

Dec

Low risk. Clean stored food areas.

Shopping List

Drain covers (stainless steel mesh, x4-6)

Silicone sealant (transparent, 1 tube)

Expanding foam (for larger gaps)

Door sweep (brush type, for terrace door)

Cockroach gel bait (Advion or equivalent)

Sticky glue traps (pack of 10-20)

Food storage containers (glass or hard plastic, set)

Steel wool (for pipe gaps)

Window screen repair tape (or new screen roll)

Bleach (for bin and drain cleaning)

Emergency Response: You Found a Cockroach

Stay calm. One cockroach does not mean infestation. It may have entered through a drain or open door.
Capture or kill it. Use a glass + paper to trap it. Note the size and colour for identification.
Check your drains. Run water in all sinks, showers, and floor drains. Cover all drains immediately.
Inspect the area. Check behind the fridge, under sinks, and around the toilet with a torch. Look for droppings (small dark specks) or egg cases.
Apply gel bait. Place dots of cockroach gel in the area where you found it and nearby harbourage points.
Set monitoring traps. Place 2-3 glue traps nearby. Check daily for 1 week.
If you catch 3+ in a week, call a professional pest controller. You may have a nesting population.