How do I use CB-80 Aerosol Insecticide correctly?

It depends on the job. For a space treatment, close the windows, doors, and HVAC in the room, apply in the sweeping motion and timing the label specifies, then leave it closed briefly before ventilating thoroughly. For crack-and-crevice flushing, skip sealing the room and instead direct the straw attachment into cracks, behind sinks and cabinets, and along baseboards to drive hidden insects into the open. Either way, sweep or vacuum up fallen insects once you've ventilated, and don't stop there — because CB-80 leaves no residue, follow up by treating the harborage you found with a residual product or bait.

Does CB-80 actually work?

For fast knockdown and flushing, yes — pyrethrins deliver a genuinely quick, natural knockdown, and the flushing action is real and useful for finding out exactly where pests are hiding. But it does not work as a lasting control tool, and that's by design, not a defect: the manufacturer states plainly that CB-80 has no residual effect. If you're expecting one application to solve an ongoing infestation, it won't — you need to pair it with a residual product or bait aimed at the harborage the flush reveals.

Why do I still see pests after using CB-80?

Because it isn't meant to keep working after the can stops spraying. CB-80 kills or flushes what's present and exposed at the moment of application, and then its job is done — there's no lasting chemical barrier behind it. If pests reappear within days, that's the expected behavior of a zero-residual product, not a sign it failed. The fix is to use CB-80 as a diagnostic flush, note where pests came from, and treat those specific spots with an actual residual insecticide or bait for lasting control.

Why would I choose a product with no residual over one that has one?

Because in certain settings, no residue is exactly the point. CB-80 is labeled for food-handling establishments, restaurants, and other sensitive areas precisely because it doesn't leave a lasting chemical film behind — you get the knockdown you need without ongoing residue concerns on food-contact-adjacent surfaces. For a typical home wanting weeks of protection on a treated crack, a residual crack-and-crevice product is usually the better fit; CB-80's advantage is speed, flushing, and a clean finish, not duration.

Can I use CB-80 instead of a residual spray for ongoing prevention?

No — it isn't built for that job, and using it that way will disappoint you. Because it has no residual effect, a CB-80 application offers zero protection the day after you spray it, unlike a residual crack-and-crevice product that keeps working on treated surfaces for weeks. Use it for its actual strengths — fast knockdown and flushing pests into view — and pair it with a genuinely residual product or a bait program if what you need is ongoing prevention.

Is it safe to use around my pets?

The practical precaution is to keep pets and people out of the room during and immediately after a space treatment, and to ventilate thoroughly before anyone re-enters — that's when exposure risk is highest. This is a petroleum-distillate pyrethrin/PBO aerosol, so avoid direct contact with food, fish tanks, and bird cages. For the full per-species pet-safety verdict on this specific product, see the companion review at /is-pest-control-safe-for-pets/cb-80-aerosol-insecticide-by-fmc.

Daniel Brady · NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664

How to Use CB-80 Aerosol Insecticide by FMC

Situational

Pyrethrins 0.50%Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) 4.00%

CB-80 is a fast-knockdown, zero-residual pyrethrin aerosol built for a specific job: flushing pests out of hiding and killing what it directly contacts, then getting out of the way. Used as a space treatment, you close up the room and spray in a sweeping motion per label timing; used as a crack-and-crevice flush, you direct the spray (with the straw) into cracks and harborage to drive pests into the open. Either way, knockdown happens in seconds to minutes — the manufacturer is explicit that it has no residual effect, so nothing keeps working after that. That makes it genuinely useful as a diagnostic flush (find out where roaches are actually hiding) or for sensitive food-handling areas where a lasting chemical residue isn't wanted, but it is the wrong tool if you're expecting ongoing protection: without a residual product or bait as a follow-up, whatever wasn't hit today will simply return.

At a glance

Efficacy: Situational
Best job: Instant knockdown and flushing pests out of harborage — including in food-handling areas where a lasting chemical residue isn't wanted
Format: Professional pressurized aerosol with dual spray-action (mist and crack-and-crevice straw) — no mixing; the manufacturer states plainly it has no residual effect
Technique: Moderate technique

The honest verdict

Does this product actually work?

The verdict on this product

SituationalModerate technique

Situational

A real, fast knockdown-and-flushing tool for a narrow job — situational because it deliberately offers zero lasting control.

Pyrethrins deliver a fast, natural flushing and knockdown action, which is exactly why professionals use CB-80 as a diagnostic tool — it drives roaches and other pests out of hiding so you can find and treat the actual harborage. But the same fast-degrading chemistry that makes it safe for food-handling sites means it leaves nothing behind: the population it doesn't directly hit rebounds on its own schedule. Grade it honestly as a situational specialty tool — genuinely useful for knockdown and flushing, genuinely the wrong tool if you're expecting a lasting barrier.

Best for

Fast knockdown of exposed insects and flushing pests out of cracks and harborage so you can see and target where they're hiding, including in food-handling or sensitive areas where you don't want a lasting residue.

Skip it for

Anyone wanting ongoing protection between treatments, or expecting one application to solve a population — it has no residual effect by design.

Read the label first

What it is — and what it's really for

The label is the law. Here's the honest read on the format, the one job it does well, and the job people wrongly buy it for.

Format

Professional pressurized aerosol with dual spray-action (mist and crack-and-crevice straw) — no mixing; the manufacturer states plainly it has no residual effect

Indoor / outdoor

indoor

Residual

None by design — the manufacturer states 'because CB-80 has no residual effect, there is no need to worry about insecticide buildup.' This is a genuine trade-off: no lasting protection, but no residue concern either, which is exactly why it's labeled for sensitive food-handling sites

Target pests

Cockroaches, Ants, Flies, Mosquitoes, Gnats, Wasps, Spiders, Silverfish, Bedbugs, Carpet beetles, Stored-product pests (grain moths, weevils, flour beetles)

Best job

Instant knockdown and flushing pests out of harborage — including in food-handling areas where a lasting chemical residue isn't wanted

Active ingredient

Pyrethrins (0.50%), Piperonyl Butoxide (PBO) (4.00%)

Not for (honest)

Any expectation of lasting control between treatments — it deliberately leaves no killing residue behind

The technician's method

The technique walkthrough

Where DIY succeeds or fails is in the placement, patience, and the small pro moves the label never mentions. Follow the label; these are the technique details on top of it.

Moderate technique~10-20 min to apply; knockdown in seconds to minutes; no lasting effect after thatTools:The can with straw attachment, Gloves, A broom or vacuum to remove flushed/fallen insects afterward

The correct technique depends on which job you're using it for — a sealed-room space treatment or a targeted crack-and-crevice flush — and either way, a follow-up plan is what separates a useful application from a one-time knockdown with no lasting effect.

Decide: space treatment or crack-and-crevice flush
For a space treatment, close windows, doors, and shut off HVAC/fans in the room; for crack-and-crevice flushing, skip sealing the room and go straight to targeted application with the straw.
Common mistake
Spraying into open air in an unsealed room expecting a space-treatment effect — the plume dissipates before it can knock anything down.
For space treatment: apply in a sweeping motion per label timing
With the room sealed, apply in the sweeping pattern and duration the label specifies, then leave the space closed briefly before ventilating.
For crack-and-crevice flushing: direct the straw into harborage
Aim the spray into cracks, behind sinks and cabinets, along baseboards, and around drains and plumbing to drive hidden insects into the open where you can see and target the actual harborage.
Pro move
Use CB-80 as a diagnostic flush — it drives hidden roaches out so you can locate exactly where they're harboring, then treat those specific spots with a residual product.
Ventilate thoroughly and sweep up
After the labeled wait time, ventilate the space completely before re-entry and sweep or vacuum up fallen insects.
Caution
Exit the area during a space treatment and keep kids and pets out until it's fully ventilated.
Follow up with a residual product or bait
Because CB-80 leaves nothing behind, treat harborage you identified during the flush with a residual insecticide or an appropriate bait for lasting control.
Common mistake
Treating CB-80 as a stand-alone solution — with zero residual, it kills what's present now and does nothing for what shows up tomorrow.

Habits that decide it

Do & don't

Use it for fast knockdown or to flush pests out of harborage you can then target.
Seal the room for a space treatment; skip sealing for a crack-and-crevice flush.
Ventilate thoroughly and sweep up fallen insects afterward.
Follow up with a residual product or bait for any lasting control.

Don't

Don't expect any lasting protection — there is none by design.
Don't rely on it alone for an ongoing pest problem.
Don't spray into open air in an unsealed room and expect a space-treatment result.
Don't skip ventilation before re-entry.

The honesty moat

Where it works vs. where it fails

No product fixes everything. This is the honest boundary — the situations it genuinely handles, and the ones it simply won't.

Where it works

You need fast knockdown of exposed flying or crawling insects right now
You want to flush hidden roaches or other pests out of harborage to locate the actual problem area
You're in a food-handling or other sensitive area where a lasting chemical residue isn't wanted
You're doing a pre-inspection flush before deciding where to place a residual treatment or bait

Where it fails

You want lasting protection between applications — there is none
The population is established and reproducing somewhere the flush doesn't reach
You're using it as a stand-alone fix instead of pairing it with a residual product or bait
You expect a single treatment to solve an ongoing infestation

Don't throw money away

Mistakes that waste the product

Expecting residual protection

There is none — the manufacturer states this plainly, and treating it like a residual barrier means you'll be surprised when pests reappear almost immediately.

Fix

Use CB-80 for knockdown/flushing only, and follow up with an actual residual product or bait for lasting control.

Spraying into the air in an unsealed room

Without a closed space, the plume dissipates before it achieves meaningful knockdown, wasting product for a poor result.

Fix

Seal the room for a true space treatment, or switch to targeted crack-and-crevice application with the straw.

Skipping the follow-up treatment

A flush without a plan just relocates the problem temporarily — the population that wasn't directly hit rebounds on its own schedule.

Fix

Use the flush to identify harborage, then treat those specific spots with a residual insecticide or bait.

Calibrated expectations

What to expect — and when

This is a knockdown-now, nothing-later tool — judge it purely on what it kills in the moment, never on how long protection lasts.

Seconds to minutes
Fast knockdown of exposed insects; flushed pests emerge from cracks and harborage into the open.
Same day
Once ventilated, the treated space has no meaningful residual left — this is by design, not a flaw.
Days after, without a follow-up
Without a residual product or bait applied to the harborage you identified, sightings return on the population's own schedule.

When results plateau

There's no real 'plateau' to wait out — because there's no residual, results don't fade so much as simply end. If you're relying on CB-80 by itself and seeing pests again quickly, that's expected behavior, not underperformance; the fix is pairing it with a residual product or bait.

Know the ceiling

When to stop DIY & call a pro

A zero-residual flush is a specialty tool, not a solution — these are the honest signals you need more than a can:

You're reaching for a knockdown flush repeatedly for the same recurring activity
Repeated flushing without lasting control means the underlying population needs a residual product, bait, or an integrated professional program.
Roach sightings continue after flushing and treating identified harborage with a residual product
That points to an established population beyond what consumer-grade tools can finish.
You're using it in a food-handling or commercial setting with an ongoing pest problem
Sensitive-site pest programs typically need a licensed, integrated approach beyond a single knockdown aerosol.
Any suspected termite, carpenter-ant, or stinging-insect nest activity
A knockdown flush can't verify or eliminate a structural nest or colony — that needs professional inspection and treatment.

When knockdown and flushing aren't enough on their own, Anchor's licensed NH technicians build the residual and bait follow-through that actually finishes the job. Free inspection, same-day service across southern and central New Hampshire.

Flushed them out but they keep coming back?

Get a Free inspection (603) 785-0118

Before you treat

Is it safe for pets & kids?

The short version lives here; the full per-species verdict lives on this product's pet-safety page.

This is a petroleum-distillate pyrethrin/PBO aerosol used as a space or crack-and-crevice treatment — exit during a space treatment, keep kids and pets out, and ventilate thoroughly before re-entry. Never treat a suspected exposure at home.

Re-entry: Keep everyone off treated surfaces until dry and out of a space-treated room until it's fully ventilated per the label's wait time.

If there's an exposure, call

ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661 Northern New England Poison Center: (1-800) 222-1222

See the full per-species pet-safety verdict for this product

New Hampshire context

A flush tool, not a season-long fix, in NH homes

In southern and central New Hampshire, CB-80's genuine niche is diagnostic: flushing roaches, spiders, or occasional invaders out of a basement or kitchen so you can see exactly where the harborage is before committing to a residual treatment or bait. It won't hold the line through a full NH pest season the way a barrier or residual crack-and-crevice product will, and it isn't the right tool for carpenter ants or termites in structural wood — NH's most troublesome structural pests. Anchor Pest Services builds the residual, bait, and follow-through that actually finishes a job across Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and the surrounding towns.

Service area

Southern New Hampshire

Anchor Pest Services · NH license #782664 · NEPMA member · family-owned since 2017.

Common questions

Frequently asked

Sources & further reading(4)

[1]
EPA Registered Product Label — CB-80 for Insect Control (Reg. No. 279-3393)
Verified actives (pyrethrins 0.50%, PBO 4.00%), listed target pests, space/crack-and-crevice directions, food-handling site labeling
epa_labelverified 2026-07-14
[2]
Envu — CB-80 Insecticide product page
No-residual design, dual spray-action format, labeled use sites including food-handling establishments (facts only, not the efficacy verdict)
manufacturerverified 2026-07-14
[3]
NPIC — Piperonyl Butoxide General Fact Sheet
PBO as a synergist (not itself an insecticide) that enhances pyrethrin knockdown
npicverified 2026-07-14
[4]
UC IPM — Cockroaches (Home & Landscape)
Knockdown sprays without a residual/bait follow-up will not eliminate an established population
extensionverified 2026-07-14

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

Verify license

Last updated July 2026

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Professional Pest Control

When a Flush Isn't a Fix

CB-80 finds where pests hide; it can't keep them from coming back on its own. Anchor Pest Services builds the residual and bait follow-through that actually finishes the job across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Get a Free inspection (603) 785-0118

Targeted, lasting source treatment
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Free inspection — same-day service across southern NH

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Keep Exploring

How to Use CB-80 Aerosol Insecticide by FMC

Does this product actually work?

What it is — and what it's really for

The technique walkthrough

Decide: space treatment or crack-and-crevice flush

For space treatment: apply in a sweeping motion per label timing

For crack-and-crevice flushing: direct the straw into harborage

Ventilate thoroughly and sweep up

Follow up with a residual product or bait