How Should We Treat Waste Bins at Home

Managing waste properly is key to preventing a pest infestation and it is not hard to see why. Waste provides an abundant food source for pests like ants and rodents, but particularly cockroaches. Besides disposing of your trash every night to keep it from attracting pests, there is more you can do to manage your waste bins at home and reduce the risks of an infestation.

6 Poor Waste Management Practises

We may not have pay enough attention to waste management in our home. This may result in negligence that could lead to a potential pest infestation. Rentokil shares the common poor waste disposal habits that we are all guilty:

• Direct disposal in trash bins without segregating or even rinsing leftover food.
• Discarding wastes in the bin with exposed opening, thus providing easy access for pests.
• Leaving waste in trash bins overnight, increasing the risks of pests scavenging for food.
• Leaving wastes in bags around the premises which rats can easily chew on.
• Neglecting holes and gaps in bins that give access to pests.
• Disposing into sinks and drains that may not only cause blockage but also a foul odour that can attract pests.
• Failing to address the foul smell from the garbage and clean leaks that stain the floor.

Why is Proper Waste Disposal Necessary?

Unsanitary conditions caused by poor waste management can attract pests, which when left untreated can result in further issues⁠—this is the case for both indoor and outdoor wastes.

Aside from scavenging for food inside your homes, pests are usually seen gathering around your outdoor waste disposal areas. Unfortunately, this is often where disease-causing pathogens thrive and pests can pick them up easily and transmit to you, your household, and in areas where you prepare food.

In business establishments, these unsanitary conditions can attract pests that can put your employees, guests, and potential customers at risk, thus driving away business. Particularly around food safety that causes food contamination symptoms.

These go to show that while your waste bin is not exactly a great hangout place for you, it can provide everything that the following pests need to survive. These include food, water, and shelter.

Cockroaches

There are factors that attract cockroaches into your home, but the primary culprit could be the decaying matter in your bin or decomposed food scrapes lying around. These pests can spread pathogens that cause food contamination and other diseases. Their faeces, saliva, and shed skin, can also trigger allergic reactions to some.

Flies

Flies can easily travel from one bin to another and when they do, they pick up and spread bacteria wherever they land. These include you, your kitchen counters, and even food. They can easily make the dumpsters their breeding grounds, so do not be surprised why you are seeing more flies lately.

Rodents

Rats and mice also feast on garbage and later on contaminate the area with their urine, hair, and other excrements. In addition to their potential health risks, rodent damage can also damage to the extent on chewed-on cable wires, gas lines, even support beams.

These pests are just a few of those that are likely to get into your waste bins, regardless if they are inside or outside your home. Keep these unwanted visitors from making your bin their home with the following tips.

How to Manage Waste & Treat Waste Bins

Schedule regular cleaning

With your busy schedule, it can be difficult to keep and observe a cleaning schedule. However, keep in mind that cleaning your waste bins regularly is fundamental to prevent pest infestations. This can often be linked to poor sanitation. Set up a regular cleaning schedule for waste bins, even the area where it is placed.

Avoid overflow and spills

Every time your waste bin is not properly cleaned, pests can see it as an opportunity to take advantage of the overflow of food debris and leftover. Fluid drips at the bottom of the bin can also provide breeding grounds for flies, among other insects.

Compost & recycle

When your waste bin is regularly filled to bursting point, it is either you are throwing away too many things or it is just too small for your volume for trash. Either way, you can benefit from reducing the amount of waste you throw away by recycling and composting biodegradable waste. More than taking a step towards being eco-friendly, you also remove opportunities for pest harbourage.

Fix the gaps and seal cracks

Many pest infestations can be traced to simple lids that do not close properly and/or the cracks and gaps that not only cause leakage but also provide easy entry for pests into the waste bin. Make sure to address these issues to exclude pests like rats, ants, and cockroaches from your waste.

Manage Waste

Dispose of trash regularly and make sure that it is picked up frequently in your area. You should place your trash in sealed bags to keep them from attracting pests. Below are some other tips on how to manage your waste properly:

• Dedicate a bin exclusively for food wrappers and leftovers.
• Rinse empty food containers before disposal to remove any residue that could attract pests.
• Empty cans and water bottles before disposal.
• Wash waste bins often with dishwashing soap to remove any grease and food debris.
• Clean spills and dry any moisture that is collecting in and around the bin.
• Discuss your options for waste management solutions with your pest control specialist.
• When placing garbage bags in the dumpster, make sure to shut the lid immediately.
• Repair any holes or cracks in the bins.
• Place your trash as far away from your building and other communal spaces.
• Install baits and monitoring stations near the garbage area.
• Make sure to dispose of trash before they start to smell. Ensure that garbage collection is regular and on-schedule.
• Avoid throwing food scraps and debris on the floor, sinks, and drains.

As you can see, you should not only focus on food waste because water, grease and any other form of moisture can serve as a sustenance for pests—even if they are as small as a puddle of water. In fact, an average-sized rat needs just about a tablespoon of water a day to survive. What is worse is, a twenty-cent coin size of water is enough to breed mosquitoes that is causing the rising surge in dengue cases in Singapore today.

Read also: Do you know water attracts pests?

When to Engage Pest Control Services in Singapore

We tend to overlook and neglect wastes that becomes an opportunity for pest harbourage. Besides being mindful of the waste we throw away, it is necessary to take a proactive step by calling a pest control specialist. In addition, waste management is part of the housekeeping regime we all should keep up on a regular basis. It is one way of pest prevention by eliminating their three main survival needs – food, water and shelter. You can also take the opportunity to spot for potential pest signs or any unusual symptoms that is pest infestation alert. For instance, do you notice odd and distinctive odour, spotted any droppings or larvae and home defects such as cracks and damages that could be the works of pest infestation.

At Rentokil Singapore, we offer a proactive pest management program that involves regular monitoring and inspection to address the factors that could possibly be attracting cockroaches and other pests into your home: entry points, improper waste management, and unsanitary conditions.

In case of an infestation, we will use residual spray, gel and baits placed strategically to get rid of cockroaches. Also part of our service is to offer advice on how to prevent a re-infestation. More importantly, to monitor the pest condition and ensure it is well controlled.

For more information on pest control services, call Rentokil Singapore at (65) 6347 8138 today.