How do I use Cy-Kick Aerosol Insecticide correctly?

Inspect first and mark where pests are actually traveling — cracks, voids, pipe penetrations, behind cabinets — before applying anything. Shake the can and attach the injection tube, then inject the residual directly into those cracks and voids at the pace the label directs, rather than broadcasting it across open surfaces the way you would a retail contact spray. For spot surface treatment, hold about 12 inches away and apply per label, not to runoff. Keep kids and pets off treated areas until fully dry. The single biggest technique difference from a consumer can is precision placement into voids — that's where the professional injection-tube design earns its advantage.

Does Cy-Kick actually work?

For precise crack-and-crevice and void residual work, yes, genuinely — cyfluthrin is one of the pyrethroids university extension guidance lists as effective against cockroaches when placed correctly in cracks and crevices, and the injection-tube design puts the residual exactly where a broad-nozzle retail can't reach. Where it falls short is as a standalone fix for an established colony: it's still a surface residual, and a resistant or bait-preferring population can avoid or outlast it, which is why professionals combine it with baiting rather than treating the residual as the whole solution.

Why do I still see roaches or ants after treating with Cy-Kick?

The residual only reaches what physically crosses the treated cracks and voids — it does nothing for a colony or reproducing population sheltering somewhere you haven't treated. If activity continues after correctly placed crack-and-crevice and void application, that's a sign the source is elsewhere or the population is resistant, not that the product failed at what it was designed to do. Pairing the residual with an actual bait program, kept in a separate zone, targets the colony directly and is the next correct step before escalating to a full professional treatment.

What's the difference between Cy-Kick and a Raid-style consumer aerosol?

Cy-Kick is sold through a professional/semi-pro channel and is built around precision crack-and-crevice and void injection rather than broad surface spraying. It's meant to be used with an injection tube targeting specific cracks and voids at label-directed intervals, not aimed at an open baseboard the way a consumer point-and-shoot can is used. Because BASF markets more than one Cy-Kick formulation, including a microencapsulated 'CS' controlled-release version, always confirm the exact concentration and product designation on your can rather than assuming it matches general marketing claims.

Can I use it near ant bait to speed up control?

No — the same rule applies to this professional product as to any pyrethroid. The repellent residue drives ants away from a bait placement rather than letting them carry the toxicant back to the colony, which undermines the entire mechanism that makes baiting effective against a hidden population. Keep the residual application and any bait placement in physically separate areas, and let each tool do its own job rather than layering them on the same surface.

Is it safe to use around my pets?

The practical precaution is keeping pets and kids off treated cracks, crevices, and surfaces until the application has fully dried — that's when exposure risk is highest. This is a professional-grade pyrethroid product meant for targeted placement, not open living surfaces, so avoid injecting it anywhere pets dig, chew, or spend extended time. For the full per-species pet-safety verdict on this specific product, see the companion review at /is-pest-control-safe-for-pets/cy-kick-aerosol-insecticide-spray-by-basf.

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

How to Use Cy-Kick Aerosol Insecticide Spray by BASF

Workhorse

Cyfluthrin 0.1% (verify the exact printed concentration against your can — BASF markets more than one Cy-Kick SKU, including a microencapsulated 'CS' controlled-release version)

Cy-Kick is a professional-grade cyfluthrin aerosol built for precision crack-and-crevice and void work, not for pointing at an open baseboard the way a retail can is used. You inject it directly into cracks, crevices, and voids at travel and harborage points using the actuator or injection tube, and it delivers both fast contact knockdown and a residual film that keeps working on treated surfaces for an extended period afterward — commonly cited around 6 weeks, though you should verify the exact figure and concentration on your specific can, since BASF markets more than one Cy-Kick formulation. University extension guidance lists cyfluthrin among the pyrethroids that genuinely work against cockroaches when placed in cracks and crevices, so the residual claim is grounded, not just marketing. What it does NOT do is replace baiting for an established colony: it's still a repellent surface residual that a resistant or bait-preferring population can dodge, so professionals pair it with baits and sanitation rather than counting on the residual alone.

At a glance

Efficacy: Workhorse
Best job: Placing a lasting cyfluthrin residual precisely inside cracks, crevices, and voids where pests actually travel — including sensitive commercial and food-handling areas
Format: Professional-grade pressurized aerosol with an injection actuator/tube for crack-and-crevice and void placement — a semi-pro product sold through a pro/consumer channel, not a light-duty point-and-spray retail can. No mixing.
Technique: Moderate technique

The honest verdict

Does this product actually work?

The verdict on this product

WorkhorseModerate technique

Workhorse

A genuine professional workhorse for crack-and-crevice and void residual work — situational as a standalone fix for an established colony.

Cyfluthrin is one of the pyrethroids university extension guidance lists as genuinely effective against cockroaches when placed correctly in cracks and crevices, and Cy-Kick's injection-tube design is built specifically to place that residual exactly where pests travel — that's a real professional advantage over a broad-nozzle retail can. But it's still a surface residual: a resistant, bait-preferring, or simply unreached population evades it the same way it evades any pyrethroid, which is why licensed technicians pair it with baits and sanitation rather than relying on the residual alone. Because BASF's current Cy-Kick lineup is centered on the CS microencapsulated reformulation, confirm the exact concentration and product designation on your can before planning a reapplication schedule.

Best for

Precision crack-and-crevice and void placement where a lasting cyfluthrin residual is wanted, including sensitive commercial and food-handling sites.

Skip it for

Broadcast surface treatment, or expecting the residual alone to eliminate a colony a bait would reach more effectively.

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-grade pressurized aerosol with an injection actuator/tube for crack-and-crevice and void placement — a semi-pro product sold through a pro/consumer channel, not a light-duty point-and-spray retail can. No mixing.

Indoor / outdoor

indoor

Residual

Retail and label material describe a film that 'keeps on killing for weeks' — commonly cited around 6 weeks — but treat the exact figure and concentration as something to verify on your can's printed label, since BASF's current Cy-Kick line centers on the CS (controlled-release/microencapsulated) reformulation

Target pests

Ants, Cockroaches, Bedbugs, Spiders, Beetles, Centipedes, Millipedes, Scorpions, Earwigs, Boxelder bugs, Silverfish, Pantry/stored-product pests, Ticks, Localized wood-destroying insects (per label — not a substitute for a termite inspection)

Best job

Placing a lasting cyfluthrin residual precisely inside cracks, crevices, and voids where pests actually travel — including sensitive commercial and food-handling areas

Active ingredient

Cyfluthrin (0.1% (verify the exact printed concentration against your can — BASF markets more than one Cy-Kick SKU, including a microencapsulated 'CS' controlled-release version))

Not for (honest)

Broadcast fogging an open room, or replacing baiting as the primary tool against an established ant or roach colony

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 on contact, residual across subsequent weeksTools:The can with actuator/injection tube, Gloves, A flashlight to inspect cracks and voids before treating

This is a finicky-to-moderate professional tool built around precise void and crack injection — the injection tube is the whole point, and using it like a broad-spray retail can wastes its advantage.

Inspect and mark harborage before spraying anything
Identify active cracks, voids, and entry points — behind cabinets, around pipe penetrations, along baseboard gaps — before you start applying.
Pro move
Void injection at pipe penetrations and behind cabinets places the residual exactly where roaches and ants actually shelter, not just where you can see them.
Shake and attach the injection tube
Shake the can and fit the injection tube or actuator for precise crack-and-crevice and void placement.
Inject into cracks, crevices, and voids at travel points
Move the tube along cracks and inject into voids at label-directed pace, targeting where pests actually travel rather than open surfaces.
Common mistake
Spraying open surfaces or into electrical outlets — the label restricts this to cracks and voids, not broadcast application or anywhere near live electrical.
For spot surfaces, hold at label distance and treat lightly
Where a surface spot treatment is called for, hold roughly 12 inches away and apply until the surface is treated per label — not to runoff.
Let dry; keep kids and pets off until then
Allow treated cracks and surfaces to dry fully before normal access resumes.
Pro move
Pair the residual with baiting and sanitation rather than relying on it alone — a licensed technician's real edge is combining tools, not any single one.

Habits that decide it

Do & don't

Use the injection tube for precise crack-and-crevice and void placement.
Verify the exact cyfluthrin concentration and product designation on your can.
Combine the residual with baits and sanitation for real colony control.
Keep kids and pets off treated areas until fully dry.

Don't

Don't broadcast-spray open surfaces — it's a spot/crack-and-crevice product.
Don't spray near baits — the repellent residue drives foragers away.
Don't apply near electrical outlets or live wiring.
Don't assume this behaves like a light-duty retail can — it's professional-grade.

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

Cracks, crevices, and voids need a precisely placed, lasting cyfluthrin residual
Pantry-pest harborage in cracks needs targeted treatment
Sensitive commercial or food-handling areas need spot treatment rather than broadcast spraying
Entry-point bands need residual reinforcement between deeper treatments

Where it fails

Large-area control is needed and the product is used as a broadcast spray
The population is established, resistant, or reproducing somewhere the residual never reached
It's used alone instead of paired with baiting for real colony-level ant or roach control
The treated area is damp or exposed, degrading the residual faster than expected

Don't throw money away

Mistakes that waste the product

Broadcasting it across open surfaces like a retail contact spray

The label restricts this professional product to spot and crack-and-crevice use — broadcasting wastes product, likely violates the label, and gives poorer results than precise placement.

Fix

Use the injection tube and confine application to cracks, crevices, and voids.

Spraying over or near bait placements

Like any pyrethroid, the repellent residue drives foragers away from bait before they can carry it back to the colony.

Fix

Keep the residual and any baiting program in physically separate zones.

Assuming the residual alone will finish an established colony

It's still a surface residual a resistant or bait-preferring population can evade — the queen and brood behind an untouched section of the colony survive.

Fix

Pair the residual with baits and sanitation, and escalate to professional treatment if activity persists.

Calibrated expectations

What to expect — and when

This is a precision residual tool — judge it on how well-placed cracks and voids stay protected over weeks, not on instant colony-wide results.

On contact
Insects that contact the fresh application are knocked down quickly.
Subsequent days to weeks
The residual keeps working on treated cracks and voids as pests cross them, commonly cited around 6 weeks — verify your can's exact claim.
If the colony or source is untreated
Activity plateaus or returns outside the treated zone, since the residual only reaches what physically crosses it.

When results plateau

Results plateau when the colony, nest, or reproducing population is somewhere the injected residual never reached — that's a sign to add baiting or escalate, not to apply more product to the same cracks.

Know the ceiling

When to stop DIY & call a pro

A professional-labeled residual still only treats the cracks and voids you can find and reach — the diagnosis of where the problem actually lives is the part a can can't do. These are the honest signals the job needs a full licensed program:

Roach or ant activity persists after correctly placed crack-and-crevice and void treatment
A surface residual reaches only what crosses it — an established or resistant population needs an integrated baiting and treatment plan, not more residual in the same spots.
You see signs of carpenter ants or swarming termites in structural wood
A crack-and-crevice residual cannot verify or eliminate a colony inside a wall or joist — that's a structural-pest inspection.
Activity spreads across multiple units in a shared building
Multi-unit infestations need a coordinated, licensed treatment plan rather than unit-by-unit spot spraying.
You're unsure of the exact concentration, EPA registration, or labeled use sites on your can
A professional product's correct use depends on matching the label to the site — a licensed applicator resolves that ambiguity correctly.

When precise crack-and-crevice residual work isn't holding the line on its own, Anchor's licensed NH technicians build the full baiting-plus-residual program that actually reaches the colony. Free inspection, same-day service across southern and central New Hampshire.

Crack-and-crevice residual still not enough?

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 professional pyrethroid aerosol meant for cracks, crevices, and voids, not open living surfaces — keep kids and pets off treated areas until the application has dried. Never treat a suspected exposure at home.

Re-entry: Keep children and pets off treated cracks, crevices, and surfaces until the application has fully dried.

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 pro-channel tool for NH's real structural pests

Because Cy-Kick is sold through a semi-professional channel, it's most often reached for by NH landlords, property managers, or DIYers tackling German cockroaches or ants in cracks and voids rather than a casual over-the-counter buy. It's a real asset for precision crack-and-crevice work, but it isn't a termite or carpenter-ant treatment — carpenter ants remain New Hampshire's dominant structural ant pest alongside termites, and any suspected activity in structural wood needs a professional inspection, not more aerosol in the same crack. Anchor Pest Services builds the full residual-plus-baiting program 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(5)

[1]
BASF Pest Control — Cy-Kick CS Controlled Release Insecticide product page
Cyfluthrin active ingredient, BASF's current Cy-Kick product line and microencapsulated reformulation, professional crack-and-crevice/void use sites (facts only, not the efficacy verdict)
manufacturerverified 2026-07-14
[2]
NPIC — Cyfluthrin General Fact Sheet
Cyfluthrin pyrethroid class, contact/stomach-poison mode of action, formulation types
npicverified 2026-07-14
[3]
University of Maine Cooperative Extension — Pest Management Fact Sheet #5011 (Cockroaches)
Cyfluthrin listed among pyrethroids effective against cockroaches when applied to cracks and crevices
extensionverified 2026-07-14
[4]
UC IPM — Cockroaches (Home & Landscape)
Residual sprays alone will not eliminate an established cockroach population; pairing with baits/sanitation is the correct integrated approach
extensionverified 2026-07-14
[5]
UNH Cooperative Extension — Carpenter Ants Fact Sheet
Carpenter ants nest in structural wood — a call-a-pro escalation, not a crack-and-crevice residual target
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 Residual Placement Isn't Enough

Even correctly injected cracks and voids can't reach a colony sheltering elsewhere. Anchor Pest Services combines residual, bait, and inspection into one licensed program across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Get a Free inspection (603) 785-0118

Integrated residual-plus-bait treatment
NH-licensed applicators (#782664)
Free inspection — same-day service across southern NH

NH License #782664 · No obligation · We answer in person

Keep Exploring

How to Use Cy-Kick Aerosol Insecticide Spray by BASF

Does this product actually work?

What it is — and what it's really for

The technique walkthrough

Inspect and mark harborage before spraying anything

Shake and attach the injection tube

Inject into cracks, crevices, and voids at travel points

For spot surfaces, hold at label distance and treat lightly

Let dry; keep kids and pets off until then