An SS15 café was getting repeat German cockroach activity behind their espresso machine despite weekly DIY spraying. Customer-facing visibility was becoming a risk. We ran a 30-day eradication programme followed by scheduled monthly maintenance.
- Location
- SS15, Subang Jaya
- Property
- Café (≈90 m² kitchen + service area)
- Pest
- German cockroach (recurring)
- Scope
- Eradication programme + scheduled monthly contract
- Duration
- 30-day initial programme, ongoing monthly
- Outcome
- Activity cleared at day 21, no rebound at 60-day audit
The situation
The owner-operator of an SS15 café had been battling German cockroaches behind the espresso bar for over six months. They were spraying retail aerosol weekly — sometimes seeing improvement for a few days, then activity returning. With outdoor seating and customer footfall directly past the bar, one sighting was a real risk to their reputation.
What we found on inspection
During the inspection we identified harbourage in three locations: behind the espresso-machine motor housing (warm, dark, near-constant moisture from the steam wand), inside the under-counter cabinetry where they stored coffee beans, and along the floor drain near the dish-pit. Population was well-established but not catastrophic — perfect for a baiting programme rather than a heavy spray.
The programme
We ran the standard 30-day cockroach extermination protocol:
- Day 0: Targeted gel baiting in all three harbourage zones + residual perimeter spray on entry points. Floor-drain biofilm treatment with a foaming disinfectant.
- Day 14: Follow-up visit timed to catch the next egg hatch. Rebaited active zones, inspected for fresh activity.
- Day 30: Final audit. No fresh droppings, no live activity. Owner signed off on transition to monthly maintenance.
What we asked the owner to do
Surface aerosol stopped — repellent spray actively undoes gel-bait work. They moved the coffee-bean storage to a sealed plastic container instead of the carton, and started wiping down the under-bar at end-of-day. These are sanitation changes, not chemistry — and they matter.
The outcome
By day 21 the visible activity was gone. The 60-day audit found no rebound. The café is now on a monthly maintenance schedule — short visits, baits inspected and topped up, written service log for MOH inspection compliance.
Why ongoing contract matters in F&B
Restaurants and cafés get fresh egg cases delivered to them on cardboard cartons constantly — every produce, dry-goods and supplier delivery is a re-introduction risk. A scheduled monthly visit isn't extravagance — it's how you stay ahead of constant re-introduction. We do the same for several other F&B operators across SS15 and Bandar Sunway.
The team's work — photos from site
