Complete guide for cockroach control in Singapore

Cockroach infestation in Singapore is a common household complaints and an ongoing concern. Whether it is because of the phobia and pest fear, or the health risks it causes to our safety, cockroach is definitely an unwelcome pest in every home. Rentokil Pest Control shares the complete guide for cockroach pest control in Singapore.

Complete guide agenda covers the following:

• The different types of cockroach species
• What attracts cockroaches
• What do cockroach eat?
• Where are some cockroach hiding spots
• Learn the cockroach infestation signs
• What do I do if I spot a cockroach problem?
• Find out the damages and risks caused by cockroach
• Common home mistakes that causes cockroach infestation
• Debugged some common cockroach pest myths
• Engage cockroach control treatment
• What is the cost of cockroach elimination treatment
• Pros and Cons in cockroach elimination methods
• Adopt useful cockroach prevention tips

What are the different kind of cockroaches commonly found in a home?

German Cockroach

• German cockroach are brownish in colour with 2 black stripes
• They usually hide around cartons or card boxes, piles of items, food area and furniture.
• Likes dark, humid and warm environment
• Favourite hot spots include the kitchen, sinks and kitchen cabinets, appliances, garbage or waste bins
• An indoor house-pest that is commonly brought in from external activities such as shopping bags or groceries

American Cockroach

• These cockroaches are reddish-brown in colour
• They are commonly associated with food preparation and consumption spaces
• Key risk areas include restaurants, cafes, canteen, kitchens
• Prefer warm and moist environment
• Typically brought in through sewers and drains and pipe ducts

In fact, there are common incidents of cockroaches in car as well, which can be dangerous for those who has phobia for these unhygienic pest while driving. Read more on useful tips to prevent cockroaches hiding in the car.

5 reasons why we do not like cockroaches

What causes a cockroach infestation?

Where do cockroaches come from? Cockroaches seek warm and shelter to hide and breed and home is one good choice of location. Because they require food supplies and water or moisture to survive, it is no wonder home and kitchen is their number 1 favourite hot spot. Here is a list of common causes of cockroach problemWhere do cockroaches come from? Cockroaches seek warm and shelter to hide and breed and home is one good choice of location. Because they require food supplies and water or moisture to survive, it is no wonder home and kitchen is their number 1 favourite hot spot. Here is a list of common causes of cockroach problem

• Poor hygiene and sanitation such as uncleaned dishes, dirty wash sinks and surfaces with food debris
• Undisposed waste bin or garbage
• Water spills and moistures that are not wiped dry
• Unsealed or uncovered food ingredients or supply
• Cross infestation reasons by bringing them in from exterior areas
• Allowing cockroach entry via unmanned cracks, gaps and crevices in the home
• Lack of awareness in detecting and spotting potential signs of cockroach infestation

What do cockroaches feed on?

In fact, cockroaches with their filthy nature eats almost anything and everything. Sugar sweet stuff, protein and meat related, hair, decaying and waste matter, books, water, starch, greasy food and even dead insects. These food source are largely available in a home, be it in the kitchen, living room, dining area or waste chute space. However, even if a home is kept spot clean, and eliminating these food source, how long cockroaches live without food? In fact, they can live without food for up to a month, but without water, they generally can last for a week.

Read more on why water and moisture is a major cause of pest infestation.

What attracts cockroaches

Identifying cockroach key risk areas

Kitchen, dining area, storeroom, living room and even balcony are potential hideout of these pesky cockroaches. Here is a list of common home location you should keep a lookout for hiding cockroaches

• Electrical appliances such as kettles, ovens, refrigerator, washing machines,
• Grease and floor-trap
• Below the wash sinks or near bathrooms
• Garbage or dust bins
• Within or behind kitchen cabinets and drawers, including shoe cabinets!
• Behind or underneath curtains, rugs or carpets
• Near washing pails and cleaning tools like mops

Read here to find out why kitchen is top rated pest favorite haunt in every home.

What are some signs of cockroach infestation to look out?

• Cockroach droppings (feces or poo) that is black in colour and cylindrical in shape (resembles like coffee grounds or black pepper seeds), usually around 2mm long
• A strong, distinctive and unpleasant odour, where some would describe as musty
• Presence of cockroach eggs, or also known as ootheca
• Physical dead cockroach bodies lying around or live running cockroaches
• They typically surface at the nighttime, and one critical signs of heavy infestation is spotting them in the daytime. Read here to find out which other pests typically emerge at night.

What to do if you see a cockroach?

For most homeowners, some initial reaction would be to smack these gliding cockroaches around the home with a shoe or rolled-up newspaper. Some may attempt spraying insecticide directly at them, and for those with a fear of cockroaches, would be running away from the problem. Steps to consider, is to take note on where are the cockroaches found, what time of the day was it found, how often and how many incidents counted. In conclusion, call a pest control service whenever in doubt.

What are the damages and risks caused by cockroaches?

1 common fear of cockroaches is the spread of diseases and food contamination harm they caused to us. This is because of the bacteria and germs they picked up as the move along dirty and unhygienic surfaces or places.

This means compromising the food safety because of the transfer of bacteria to our eating utensils or meals.

Read here to find out more on the 4 common diseases spread by cockroaches

Besides causing fear, cockroaches are also associated to allergy, including asthma and rashes. For many other pests such as bed bugs and mosquitoes, they known to bite for blood meal. Do cockroaches bite? While cockroaches can bite and there are cases reported of possible biting, but are rare cases. More importantly, is to prevent cockroaches from hiding and breeding in your home

What are some common home mistakes?

We are all guilty of poor lifestyle habits and procrastinate diligent housekeeping regime. Due to busy lifestyle, there are times where we are unaware of some actions that potentially can habour cockroach infestation. We are all guilty of poor lifestyle habits and procrastinate diligent housekeeping regime. Due to busy lifestyle, there are times where we are unaware of some actions that potentially can habour cockroach infestation.

• Not clearing the soiled dishes in the sink after food preparation and dinner
• Uncleared dining table with visible food crumbs and residues
• Waste bins without lids – worse case is leaving them overnight
• Snacking in the bedroom or living room with food and water spills around
• Did not keep home dry, particularly at wet spaces such as wash sinks, bathrooms and balcony
• Possess cartons and piles of boxes and items in store room for a long time
• Negligence in checking unusual signs or signals of an infestation
• Placing repellents or baits at wrong locations – in some cases pandan leaf to repel cockroaches

Common causes of cockroach infestation

Debugged some common cockroach pest myths

Pandan Leaf  is a common cockroach repellent used by many homeowners as a cockroach prevention home remedy. In fact, many readily available home ingredients are widely used in an attempt to rid of roaches. This includes condiments and spices such as bay leaves and garlic, baking soda, vinegar, essential oils, fruits related like lemon and cucumber. While cockroaches might dislike certain smell, and these myths could help repel and deter for a short while, other problems may surface.

Read here to debugged the Cockroach Pest Myth using Pandan Leaf

Pest Myth using Pandan Leaf

Engage cockroach control treatment

There are various ways on how to get rid of cockroaches. It ranges from a one-time-off cockroach treatment that largely targets localised area to long term and ongoing cockroach control programme. Such programmes covers a complete and holistic pest control management including the followingThere are various ways on how to get rid of cockroaches. It ranges from a one-time-off cockroach treatment that largely targets localised area to long term and ongoing cockroach control programme. Such programmes covers a complete and holistic pest control management including the following

• Initial site survey, assessment and inspection
• Scheduled visits to perform residual spray or baits placement
• Monitoring of the premise
• Pest control recommendations and tips
• Ongoing monitoring and inspection

Cockroach control treatments also involves the type of solution and active ingredient use, the frequency or intensity depending on the infestation level and area of coverage. This means, identifying cockroach hot spots and infestation key risk areas in the home, and targeting treatments to this area.

What is the cost of cockroach elimination treatment?

The cost of a cockroach control depends on a few factors: The frequency of treatment visits, the type of treatment and package used, the scope of work, long term yearly contract vs a one-time-off job basis, the size of the premise and coverage area and lastly, the severity of the infestation. For heavy cockroach infestation, a more intense and robust package may be recommended.

We have compiled a list of common questions related to engaging a pest control company in Singapore.

• The average cost to engage a pest control
• How do we evaluate which pest control company is credible
• What does a pest control service covers?
• What are some cockroach treatment methods ineffective?
• When do we start to engage pest control service?

Pros and Cons in cockroach elimination methods

With so many options available to eliminate roaches, Rentokil discuss and evaluates the pros and cons in considering the different control methods.

Pros

Cons

DIY Home Treatment

Easily available from home fix retail, treatments are easy to apply and generally at lower investment

Might have efficacy issues, health & safety risks and risk of recurring cockroach problem

Repelling Method

Convenient home available items such as spray or placing natural ingredient, close to no-costs and easy to execute

Merely deter pest and move from 1 location to another, might invite more pest problem and not eliminating the infestation

One-Time-Off Job

Short term, quick fix and localising solution, however might not address the root source and cause of the infestation

No long term protection and proper eradication of the cockroach infestation

Professional Cockroach Treatment

Safe and effective treatment to resolve pest issue, and ongoing monitoring and inspection to keep infestation at bay

Might recover a little bit of investment and longer term commitment

Adopt useful cockroach prevention tips

There will always be a recurrence of a cockroach problem due to various factors such as the home integrity level, daily lifestyle and activities, quality of home maintenance and cross-infestation reasons, by bringing in from outside. However, there is no best home remedy to get rid of cockroaches. There are essential cockroach eradication tips we can adopt to keep roaches away from an apartment.

Read here for a list of useful housekeeping tips

How to prevent cockroach infestation in Singapore

Besides regularly cleaning your premises, there are a few other tips that can help prevent a cockroach infestation from happening.

• Sealing up any cracks and holes in the walls and floors as cockroaches use them as entry points into your premises.
• Paying special attention to dark and damp areas in your home such as under sinks, bathrooms, and storerooms by cleaning them more often as cockroaches are attracted to these environments
• Fixing water leaks so that cockroaches do not have access to an easy water source
• Keeping food stored in airtight containers and cleaning up food crumbs
• Disposing of waste and trash that attracts pests with their foul smell and food source availability (cockroaches favour food scraps and decomposed matters

While all the above tips are useful in preventing a cockroach infestation, you should also keep an active lookout for the signs of cockroach infestation so that you can call a professional pest control service to deal with the situation immediately.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised interest in reducing bacterial and viral transmissions are at an all-time high. Especially since surfaces such as walls, tabletops, and floors can easily spread germs, it is crucial to sanitise them no matter the situation. As such, here are five methods of keeping surfaces clean:

• Perform regular heat and steam clean services as high temperatures can kill most germs
• Conduct diligent soaping and scrubbing
• Wipe surfaces with a clean towel or wet tissue
• Maintain surfaces with dry cleaning methods such as sweeping or vacuuming
• Disinfection misting and surface sanitisation

The above methods will not only get rid of visible grime and dirt, but also reduce bacteria and germs that thrive in such environments. If you are looking for a more thorough sanitisation, or if your premise needs to adhere to strict health and safety standards, you should consult a professional disinfection and sanitisation service as they can offer expert solutions.

Call Rentokil Singapore at 6347 8138 for cockroach elimination help today.

Topics that people also ask

Is one cockroach a sign of infestation?

Just one cockroach may not be alarming, as they could just slip into your home from outside. From the pipe, grease trap, window or door. However, because we are unable to detect cockroach infestation signs effectively, there are some signs that could go unnoticed. I.e. cockroach droppings hidden dip within cabinets. There may be a more severe underlining infestation problem. Note: If you do see a live running cockroach in the day, then it most likely that your home has a cockroach problem.

Are cockroaches that dirty?

Cockroaches are the Pest of Poor Hygiene because of the following

• They consume anything, including decaying matters, feces and fermented items found in the waste bin
• They picked up bacteria and germs.
• The places they crawl along, such as garbage area, drains, sewers, are another reason why cockroaches are they dirty.

Do cockroaches crawl on you at night?

Yes, cockroaches are nocturnal pests and typically surface at night. They may crawl onto you, on the bed or while asleep. There is a potential cockroach bites incidents, but largely is because of insufficient of food or there is a serious cockroach infestation.

How to get rid of cockroaches at home?

If you are seeing many cockroaches at home, some DIY remedies that you can use include placing a mixture of boric acid and water near areas where you have seen them. In addition, when other cockroaches consume the dead cockroach, the boric acid will affect them as well. You can also set up gel baits so that you can trap the cockroaches and dispose of them far away from your premises

As DIY remedies are a short-term solution, you should contact a professional pest control service as they can get rid of cockroaches for the long-term.

Does bug spray work well with cockroaches?

Yes. Most bug sprays contain neurotoxic chemicals that paralyses and eliminate cockroaches on contact. However, cockroaches move very quickly and tend to escape from your sprays and lures. In addition, they may go into hiding at tight corners and sprays, that you are unable to reach them with insecticide sprays easily.