Ouch fingers crossed it won’t be as bad as you think. I used to live in an antique home in Ct and we used to get mice on our lower level. We started by filling any and all entryways and then tried spring traps but they never worked. we did use glue traps….I know I know everyone hates them but they worked and we checked them almost daily to be sure to put the critter out of his misery.

Another thing we used was the plug in ultrasonic pest repellers, that helped a lot. Then we added the Pic Rodent repellent light bulb and lastly mint cotton balls. We still kept glue traps down but they mostly caught spiders as we went from a revolving door of mice to a few a year mostly in the fall. hope this helps.

One thing you can do is get those devices that plug into wall outlets and create a frequency in the wiring that insects and rodents do not like.

In the years we have lived here I have seen no roaches and two mice which came from next door through a hole behind the stove, which has been plugged up since. (And now we have a cat. BTW I am mildly allergic to cats, I guess, I used to get congested and my eyes would swell whenever we sent to the shelter to look at cats, which we did regularly. A single cat has not been much of a problem.)

I bought the plug in device because right after we bought the house, there was a major rat infestation in the neighborhood. (Remember the Pain Center I mentioned in the other thread? It was abandoned for some years and when it was demolished the neighborhood was overrun.

I know that the device worked because the renters called and said they thought there was a squirrel in the house, and what it was was rats who had chewed through a door sill and gotten into the basement. When I plugged the device in there were two rats outside that door in a matter of about 60 seconds.

I still keep it plugged in.

It is something like this.

https://www.chewy.com/bell-howell-ultrasonic-pest-repellers/dp/192635?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20431895648&utm_content=&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImemIn9P8hwMVckb_AR3MeQyGEAQYASABEgLL6fD_BwE

I second the OWLTRA suggestion. We live in the desert on a golf course and have occasionally had rats trying to nest in our free standing patio warmer bases. Tried so many things but these actually WORK. Can be found on Amazon and worth every penny. Effective and more humane in my opinion than bait poison, snap traps or glue traps. Good luck to you.

I am not into judging people, whether they are ”hoarders” or not - because you really never know what anyone is going through, at any given time. Maybe he isn’t well, and had no help to get his trash and recyclables out. These things can pile up very quickly. And I am sure that whatever his physical and/or mental condition, the threat of eviction and eviction process only made matters worse... which it would for anyone - much less for someone who has called a place their home for 35 years!

I can tell you that the Upper West Side is rat infested. Period. They come up at night from the River. They romp through the garbage cans at the Park and elsewhere. They come for the food. One night I was shopping at a popular neighborhood market and two HUGE rats were casually walking around the store together - like they were a married couple out shopping!

If you keep ANY food out in your apartment, you are potentially attracting rats, mice, roaches, etc. And this applies to anyone, anywhere. If there is nothing for them to consume in your place - they won’t come. They will go elsewhere. I NEVER keep food waste sitting out in a garbage can or pail anywhere in my place. It goes into baggies in the fridge and/or freezer until it goes outside in garbage on pickup day. I have zero problems with roaches or anything else. If I saw a roach, I would get the combat trays. Also, the devices mentioned by @palimpsest are a good option.

Thanks all! I'm thrilled to learn about the ultra sound devices and am going to take everyone's advice and purchase them now. Glad to have one more thing to bring to the battle.

Although the city for sure has a rat problem (my walk in Central Park this week I must have seen 25 of them), but nobody in our building has roaches or mice. It is truly a result of the hoarder next door.

He is deeply mentally ill. Hoarding is considered an ADA disability and they were not allowed to evict him because of the hoarding. But, he owed the coop almost 100K and they got him out because of that.

He is a racist who told another neighbor when we moved in that he could handle us being Jewish and was just glad that we were not black. I have zero sympathy for people like that! My mother-in-law is a hoarder too, very mentally unhinged, and kind of a horrible person as well. I understand though that it is an obsession that is often out of someone's control.

Oiy 😳 well, after living in military housing, woods etc..I’ve learned a few things that may or may not work,but worth a shot. Boric acid powder (looks like old plastic ketchup bottles) poured along baseboards, behind & under cabinets sinks,etc. Also, copper mesh scrubbies or even steel wool stuffed into holes, they chew on those blockades it kills them, copper especially. There’s a great box mouse trap that’s battery operated , you bait it (Peanut butter ) they enter & cross over & get zapped, has a flashing light to let you know when there’s one 😵 , may want to buy a few. Spendy but worth it. 🤞

I would be SCREAMING that anything and everything in his place that could go out a window to the street below - go out that way. I don't care if it is floor number thirty.

There should be a board meeting. Every owner present. Everyone understands NYC - the challenges, also compensations, good ones of a life there. But.

The roach has been around for 125 - 140 million years. Certainty on the exact number is rather unnecessary. It just tells you all you need to know about that insect......

Rats are pikers at 34 million years: ) and I can't be bothered to look up mice.

I feel your pain.

I don't feel sorry for the guy next door with his obvious racial/religious issues. I also believe community living should not allow THIS degree of filth to exist and affect the well being of others. I can't imagine the MOLD in that apt.

Every one of the workers in a hazmat suit, and I will assure you- you left out bed bugs. That's a guarantee lol so cut up the furniture and out the window.....tata.

Best of luck Kendrah!!

Kendrah, so sorry you are going through this. You have gotten a lot of good ideas in the above posts. I will add one more. Put something at the very bottom of your entrance door, or doors, so nothing can get under them. Do any shopping for anything you might need, for at least a week, so it limits opening and shutting your doors. Dont open any windows. Hopefully, in a week, they will have that apartment empty, and sprayed, and bait put out for any left overs. If you have a mail slot in your door, you may want to seal it shut, and have your mail kept at the post office for a week or two.

If you check the internet, there are studies indicating that ultrasonic devices do not work

What are people's experience with fog/bombing? I like chispa's mention of it and wonder about asking them to do it to the space before they start moving things out.

Word from the busy-body guys who live in the apartment below is that once emptied, the building plans to strip and stain the floors to get any potential bed bugs out. (They have sustained major damage in their apartment from kitchen leaks because this hoarder's kitchen is unaccessible.)

I started looking at reviews of ultrasonic devices and must say they were incredibly varied with loads of people saying they were ineffective.

We have a studio apartment on the same floor, but on a different wing of the hallway. Might stay in there for a while so we don't have to open our main apartment door to come and go while the workers are carrying his crap out. And we will keep our windows closed too.

Jan, I love the idea of moving his stuff out the window! I think it would require a DOB permit and much money. So, not going to happen.

I will ask for floor protection for the hallways.

Would be great if they got 12 trash bins on wheels with lids. A crew of 6 guys, and tackled the apartment in a systemic way from the door way then going inward, just wheeling out bins as fast as they could get them down in the service elevator and back up. Rotating empy and full bins in and out. A dumpster on the street. Instead I fear it is going to be two guys going at this for a few days with trash bags that get tossed on the street.

I’m just here to say this is a situation I wish you weren’t experiencing. As a former New Yorker, I know the city is challenging, as are neighbors, but this is an absolutely extreme situation. Every tenant/owner should be concerned. As should the Board. There should be a professional extermination of that apartment at the expense of the Board since the critters that might come out of that apartment will go to more than just yours.

My husband also just told me that the ultrasound devices don’t work. But others say it does so I’d get one to try.

sorry for all of you who live in such dense areas that you have that much of a infestation problem. We have moved from places that have always roach problems and live in an area now where we have neither roach nor rodent problems. We did get some rats in the neighborhood and in the compost a few years ago. I switched the compost to metal and we caught a few in traps. But it was temporary . I am so grateful to be roach free! I dont exterminate anything. I have no need to.

About that hoarder.... I never stopped to think how it can affect others when the hoarder lives in an apartment and shares walls with others. I can understand the OP's concern. But, it seems that OP would already have problems.

An apartment like that is going to need a real intense and deep redo.

Caulk up any cracks or holes in your walls, however small. A millimeter wide crack is enough for a cockroach to slip through. YOu may have to move bookcases and other furniture away from the wall so you can caulk and later on, vacuum thoroughly. Roaches and mice love places that are undisturbed. Running a robo vac daily is a good way to disturb their peace. https://www.amazon.com/eufy-Super-Thin-Super-Strong-Self-Charging-Medium-Pile/dp/B07R295MLS

Check that your windows are tightly closed during this process, too. Screens should not have any holes in them, so if you have to get the screening in the frames replaced, now is the time.

Others have covered the mice and rat situation. A dead rat has a smell you never forget. Buy an air cleaner with a charcoal pre-filter if you don't have one already. Honeywell's air cleaners are excellent.

Sending all the debris out the window is far better than using the elevators., as Jan says.

Good luck. Please post an update when you are ready.

NYC has a few websites that you might find informative.

In regard to ultrasound, unless there have been improvements, we rented a cottage years ago and for 2 weeks we heard the mice running around every night.

When they empty this place next door? It isn't just what will come crawling out, a 100 thousand roaches running for their lives.

It is the eggs.......that will be in every warm safe, dark space.

Simple math does not yield a simple solution.

Welcome to the BIG APPLE?

And that’s why I’ll never again live in a big city apartment.

I have a meeting set with the super tomorrow. Eager to hear what he outlines and how to take care of eggs especially.

Mice were a problem when we first moved in but we had the building seal up all of the entry points in closets, radiators, behind the range, and we haven't see one in a year and a half. An exterminator comes to the building weekly at the coop's expense and anyone can sign up to get treated.

The coop has been dealing with this guy for 15 years trying to get him out but he lawyered up and since hoarding is a disability he always won the right to stay and live however he wants regardless of impact to others. Glad they were finally able to evict. The coop now owns the apartment, will spend the coop money on the move out and remediation, and keep the money from the sale of the apartment.

I'm way more terrified of all the insects I have come across in suburban and rural homes than I am here. In this building I have only seen one spider, lady bugs, and 2 roaches, but the roaches were when we opened up our wall for our kitchen renovation. I'm knocking on wood least I ruin my luck right before this upcoming neighbor move out!

sending you good thoughts Kendrah! ✨

I'd get a bunch of Combat roach motels -- put some under every kitchen appliance, near the doors, maybe discretely in each bathroom. You just need to weather the initial onslaught!

It seems that much of apartment life in NYcity is depressing looking, to my eyes. I guess if that is your vision of home, it is what seems normal. I have never lived in a big city but have lived in apartments on the Air Force base. I see these NY apartments in movies and they so often look so bleak, to me. I guess folks get around that. In all the hoarders that I see on the programs I havent seen any from an apartment. Guess I just never thought of that. Sharing walls with a hoarder has got to be a night mare. Sharing walls with anyone is something that I would never willingly do.

I also could not imagine living in such a small area with that many people! Amazing how what one considers normal can be so different.

I have no roaches or rodents out in the burbs, other than squirrels and rabbits, and an ocassional field mouse who tries to come in for the winter, and I am so grateful. We did have a problem with roaches further south in Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. We had those giant flying ones too. They were frightening. And having a roach infestation stinks, too. I can smell them. No matter how clean you were, they were still there, even in a small town.

First, you're being proactive /aren't just waiting for the problem to happen. That counts for a great deal. You've already taken some strong steps. You need to be relentless in these efforts over the next couple weeks.

I'd say also sprinkle a good layer of Borax (buy it at the grocery store in the laundry aisle) allll around the edges of your apartment. Roaches don't like it, and they'll head to your neighbor's place instead. Sorry, but this is a look-out-for-yourself situation. When you think it's safe, you can just vaccum up the Borax; it's not toxic in any way to you.

Consider that roaches -- they are a safe assumption -- will be a problem now, and their eggs will hatch in 24-38 days (I just googled that). So if you fog /bomb now, you need to repeat that action in 24-38 days. And then again a week later.

I'd try to eat up most of the food in the house, and then -- for the next month or so -- shop frequently and be fastidious about storing the small amounts you keep. If you don't have, they won't come.

I like the idea of the ultra-sound devices. If I were in your shoes, I'd be willing to pay a bit for these devices.

I don't see what difference it'd make if the cleaners throw things out the windows vs. taking them out the door. The issue is that all those creepy-critters who've made their home next door will be disturbed -- how they are disturbed is really not so important.

I love the barncat idea, haha! I agree that it's good you're being proactive. You could start laying just a mess of traps around before they clear the neighbor's belongings. That's much easier for the cockroaches than the mice.

Finding a way to secure your food so that it's not in any containers that mice could chew through may also help. If there's nothing to eat, why would they stick around?

Great info about the 24-48 day follow up plan. Will ask the super to have the apartment sprayed weekly starting the day they get the belongings removed.

We are incredibly proactive about food. All of our dried goods are in glass containers or we keep in the fridge. Nothing is out on the counter. One advantage of living in NYC is you can stroll past the store on the way home, duck in to pick up your produce for the next few days, chat with the store keeper, and pet the store cat!

Our home is super clean. And we keep sticky traps under the radiators and range just in case. We also get preventive treatment weekly because of the dude next door.

It is incredible what everyone gets used to as a living space. And, how wide the range of experiences are living in NYC, largely dependent on means, as is everywhere. I have incredible sunlight, Manhattan skyline views, and views of the Hudson and pallisades out of 8 windows. I can see more nature from my NYC apartment than anywhere else I've lived.

I would put the everyday dishes in big clear plastic bags. Anything that runs across them will only run on the plastic, not the eating surfaces. The not-everyday dishes could also be enclosed or simply washed after this episode is over.

You obviously have a wonderful West Side apartment. I know the advantages of city living and all the wonderful places to walk to, shop in and drool over. But the problem here is a specific one that needs your diligence to keep your place as rodent free as possible. I like Theresa’s suggestion about the Borax. That sounds pro-active and practical.

For those who wonder about “throwing his stuff out the window”. The other choice would be constant up and down the communal elevators with his disgusting belongings. This plan is actually faster and more considerate of the other apartment dwellers.

FWIW my oldest just accepted a job yesterday to be in NYC after college and is OVER the moon! so much to do, so much energy, so many of his friends will be there, etc

every single place we choose to live has tradeoffs, that is just part of it

Sounds like a sad and stressful situation all around.

We had to bug bomb for fleas many years ago, it was very effective. Not sure if it works as well for roaches but it couldn't hurt. I definitely would suggest it during your meeting.

I would also think that NY would have pest experts who would be experienced in handling this situation. Kind of like a Servpro but for bugs and vermin. I would do some research and share the names during the meeting.

Good luck, let us know how it works out.

Having lived in a row home for a year when I was just out of college I learned was that if the entire row got treated at the same time you stood a chance of getting things under control. When one home has roaches - all get roaches, when one home got mice, all the homes got mice.

The boric acid roach powder worked better than anything else I tried.

I had cats back then and they kept the mice away.

In my current home there was a mouse infestation when I moved in and I live across the street from a corn field. I used traditional traps and I used the baiting stations. It took some time to get the initial infestation destroyed, but I got mice again the next fall when the weather got cold. I learned to keep several of the baiting stations outside of my house and in corners under furniture inside my home and along the top edge in my basement where one may get in, and (knock on wood) I have not seen a mouse or evidence of a mouse inside my home in a couple of years.

Boric acid everywhere for the roaches. It's nontoxic in amounts that will kill roaches.

There is a product called excluder it's like steel wool so mice can't chew through it. Make sure to buy the leather gloves as it can really hurt. Shove this in any crevice you can purchase on Amazon or I think home Depot https://www.amazon.com/Xcluder-162706-Protects-Residential-Commerical/dp/B09P22PPJ2?th=1

Keep us posted on this. Are they emptying out the apartment this weekend?

I met with our building manager and super. They seemed ridiculously unprepared for this saying they would call 1-800-GOT-JUNK. They didn't even know that there were specialists that deal with hoarding, evictions, and vermin.

I called five places. Found the best three and gave the names of them to the manager. Best places have 8-10 person crews to keep the flow moving and get the job done ASAP. They bag everything tightly before bringing it out on carts. However, some of this is just going to have to happen in the hall because there is not enough space to move in there to start getting the first batches out.

I requested the work be done on a Monday so pest control could come the next day and we not be stuck over the weekend.

They are scheduling it for September 9th. I don't know what company yet. I will ask for a meeting with them next week to find out.

They will put protection down on the hallway floors. I am going to ask for the service elevator to be shut down and used exclusively for this while the removal is being done so there are not bags of nasty stuff lined up in the halls waiting for the elevator.

My husband and I are going to pack bags like we are going away and will stay down the hall in a studio apartment we own. (And both work from home together in the studio - it will feel like covid again!)

We will put thick tape around all of the doorways on the exterior. We will put tape over the outlets. I will get a sonic device. Even if it doesn't work, it is inexpensive enough to take a chance. I will put glue traps down and boric acid.

It is going to be a **it show. But, I'm doing all I can and we will see what happens.

I’m glad you found out what they had planned and intervened. Getting away from your apartment and going to the studio one is a good idea.

I hope you continue to speak out and rally the other tenants to ensure this gets done with as few “leftover critters” as possible.

Couple of thoughts on the choice to use glue traps. (Lessons learned from when the home I bought had a pretty severe infestation.)

I tried the glue traps first (and some of the closed traps so you don't have to see the mouse after the deed is done. Neither were as effective as the old fashioned, cheap, snap traps.

The glue traps are easier to "set" than traditional snap traps, but the mouse doesn't die right away. They struggle and can flip the glue trap and it can get stuck to floors or furniture.

I don't like mice alive or dead, but it is harder to deal with the live mouse stuck to the glue than a dead mouse just laying there in a trap.

I also learned that the glue traps would get stuck to the grabber that I used to pick up the traps. Had to throw a plastic shopping bag over the trap before picking it up so it didn't get stuck.

Glue traps are what the exterminators use that service our building. We were really successful at catching mice with them when we first moved in before all the cracks and holes in the radiators and behind the stove were sealed. I have never had much success with old fashioned snap traps but have not used them in NYC, only at other homes. I also like that glue traps can catch creepy bugs too.

My husband, god love that man, takes care of removal and disposal of the glue traps and of putting the mice out of their misery. I do feel badly for the slow death. It is a good reminder though that we should get a pair of dedicated tongs for this purpose and keep a lot of plastic shopping bags on hand!

You want to use OWLTRA electrocution traps. They work great, and there is NO trauma for either you or the mouse (they also have rat versions).

You can set up a $50 trail/game camera in your own apartment to check for mice, rats or large bugs while the removal takes place and you are out of the apartment.

not only do ultasonic devices not work, but your pets can hear them and cant escape. think of a fire alarm that never shuts off. thats what your pets hear. the people advising these are wrong. sorry, not seeking to offend anyone, but it needs to be said.

Oh that sounds truly awful....

Kendrah - any updates? hoping its been going well

I was thinking of you this morning, too.

Last week he had two days to remove items. The building hung plastic, taped my door shut, added construction covering to the hallway floor. He was only about to make a small dent in removing his stuff. After he left, the exterminator fog bombed the heck out of the rest of the belongings. We stayed out of the apartemnt for 6 days in our studio down the hall. We spent this past weekend in our apartment and so far no critters.

Tomorrow we move to the studio again. The put up plastic and tape again. 1-800-GoT-Junk is sending seven trucks and seven crews to haul everything out. (Management didn't even call the hoarding move out specialists I gave them. And, I am sure 1-800 got-junk will do nothing to prevent vermin from hopping out of belongings and in to the hall.)

After everything is removed, they will have the exterminator come again.

They are having a security guard stationed in the hall to make sure the door is not left open and no belongings sit in the hallway. It went ok last week. Hopefully tomorrow goes well too. We will be back in the studio for a few days. Our apartment was sprayed and will be again.

Thanks for your thoughts and concern.

Seven trucks? woah…..

I'm so sorry to read about this situation!! Ugh. Hopefully you didn't have any vermin or insect invaders during the second stage of the big cleanout!

The clean out is complete and we have had zero vermin. Exterminators will continue to spray next door and in the hallway. I hope that takes care of any possibility of eggs hatching! Yikes, it gives me the creeps to even type that. Thanks everyone for your support through this!

Great news!

you must be SO happy to have the behind you - onward! 🌈