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Green, smooth long leaves with a nice fragrant aroma, the pleasant smell of pandan leaves linger to give off a sweet effervescent, a perfect natural scent enhancement.
If you have ever used pandan leaves other than for cooking purposes, it is most likely to use it as a natural cockroach repellent. A popular DIY cockroach repellent method among many locals in Singapore, the smell of pandan leaves is thought to repel cockroaches and make them go away.
Dr Chan shares expert views on using pandan leaf
Yet, are pandan leaves a good cockroach repellent and an effective cockroach bait? Dr. Chan, in-house Medical Entomologist of Rentokil Initial Singapore shares his expert view on this:
Dr. Chan says: Placing fresh pandan leaves around is not a "treatment" or a solution. Cockroaches may avoid it (some form of repelling effect) but they are not killed. Moreover, should these fresh leaves dry up, they could become a food source for cockroaches and other pests.
Cockroaches may dislike the smell of pandan leaves yet they are not killed. Placing fresh pandan leaves in one area may allow cockroaches to simply move from 1 point to another within the same area. In other words, you are just helping to move cockroaches around your home or in the vehicle.
Pandan leaf is not a baiting alternative to cockroach control. Besides serving a weak repelling effect and do not have control and eliminating function, placing pandan leaves are not able to address the root source of a cockroach infestation.
Cockroaches can cause harm and danger to our health
Cockroaches pick up pathogens from poorly sanitised surfaces such as drains, sewers and garbage bin as they source for food. They transmit diseases such as Salmonella, Cholera and Typhoid Fever as they transfer bacteria and germs to food, utensils and cooking tools. Without adequate food safety, cleaning regime and cockroach control, we can suffer from contamination risks through this cockroach infestation. In addition, they can cause allergies through their saliva, droppings and urine and in some cases, cockroaches do bite when there is an over population or food competition.
Take proactive housekeeping efforts to prevent cockroach infestation
Did you know? A cockroach is able to live for a long time in a car as it feeds on various human fibers left behind by its driver and passengers. And with food, water and shelter readily available in a home, cockroaches are omnivorous pests which will eat almost anything organic and form their harborage. Find out what cockroaches like to eat in your home.
Cockroaches can be carried in from many sources into your vehicles or homes via shopping bags and/or rubbish bins found nearby. Any possible gaps, crevices and holes are entry points for these cockroaches. Widely known as "Pests of Poor Hygiene", keeping your home, office, car or environment clean helps to keep them from finding comfortable places to hide and live in. There are some simple housekeeping steps you can follow to minimize cockroach build-up.
Are you a common myth believer and a victim in resorting to DIY alternatives? Learn more about other interesting pest myths that are commonly misperceived or call us at (65) 6347 8138.
Frequently-asked questions about cockroaches
What type of cockroach species are common in a home?
There are three types of cockroaches that are commonly found in homes in Singapore:
- American cockroach
- Brown-banded cockroach
- German cockroach
How fast can a cockroach problem turned into a serious infestation?
Considering that a female cockroach can lay around 30-50 eggs at a time and that it takes just 35 days for a nymph to become an adult, a small cockroach problem can turn into a serious infestation very quickly. They are also one of the hardest pests to get rid of because of their good survival instincts. As such, in addition to ensuring proper home sanitation, it will be beneficial to invest in a pest control specialist in Singapore as they will provide cockroach control to keep cockroach infestation at bay.
What do cockroaches feed in an environment?
While omnivorous, cockroaches are also considered opportunistic feeders. This means that they will eat almost anything - even dead cockroaches or small insects. Other than that, cockroaches have shown a preference for sweet and sugary foods, starchy diet like bread and rice, meat, decaying matters, fermented cheese and spilled food found in the sink.
How do I prevent cockroach infestation in a car?
Cockroaches enter cars for the same reason they enter homes: to find a reliable source of food, water, and shelter. As long as you limit their access to food and water, it should be relatively simple enough to prevent a cockroach infestation in your car. You can do so by:
- Limit the number of times you eat in the car so that food crumbs do not attract cockroaches
- Regularly clean and decluttering your car (especially the boot). This will help to clean up any food crumbs and prevent a humid environment that cockroaches love
- Keeping all vents, windows and doors closed properly so that cockroaches have little entryways inside your car
Where are the cockroach hiding hotspots?
A few cockroach hiding hotspots in homes are:
- Behind kitchen appliances such as fridges, microwaves, and toasters
- Inside kitchen cupboards
- Near pipes
- Behind furniture
As cockroaches prefer a dark and humid environment, anywhere with these conditions is a suitable hiding place for them. In addition, they are also most likely to hide near food sources snd waste bins. Therefore, it is very important to maintain home hygiene, clean up food crumbs, and fix leaking pipes. You may also engage a professional pest control service to inspect hiding spots for cockroaches and deal with them accordingly.
How do I tell if my home has cockroach breeding nests?
Three factors indicate that your home has cockroach breeding nests
- Cockroach egg cases which are brown and oblong
- The presence of cockroach nymphs (their young)
- Gray-ish moulted skin
- Cockroaches moult several times before turning into an adult and they usually moult near the nest.
- Live cockroaches crawling around especially if you see them in the daytime.
Breeding nests are often an early indication of a cockroach infestation. If you happen to find one, it is best to call a professional cockroach control service in Singapore as they have the proper solutions to deal with the problem effectively.
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