Finally, roaches can produce a pungent, musty odor that gets worse the longer the infestation goes on. This oily smell can come from large numbers of roaches, but just one German roach can produce this smell on its own. There are also odors arising from dead roaches as oleic acid is produced during decomposition.
What does it smell like when you have roaches?
When cockroaches have infested your home, you may notice an “oily” smell. This smell is usually extremely pungent and might strike you as quite musty. … Not to mention the smell that dead roaches produce. Once a cockroach has died, it will release an acidic smell during the decomposition, adding to the odor in your home.
What do cockroaches smell like when you kill them?
This smell is called “death stench” and it is produced by oleic acid. Even though oleic acid is odorless in most cases, when it is released by a cockroach -after its death- it starts the decomposition process. This results in a musty, oily smell that affects everything nearby.