What is contactless pest control about

It has been five months of embracing the COVID-19 pandemic and part of the circuit breaker measures is to practice social distancing. To protect ourselves from bacteria and viruses such as the coronavirus, interactions and activities are limited. In this article, Rentokil Initial shares how you can maintain your pest control activities in a contactless manner.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1: Understanding pest control in Singapore

• What is pest control service about
• Why is eliminating pests important
• The price to engage in pest control
• How to evaluate a credible pest control company
• Pest control FAQ and Checklist

Part 2: Switching to contactless pest control

• What is contactless pest control about
• Managing your pest infestation remotely
• Why is remote pest control management critical

Part 3: Enriching with pest facts and useful tips

• Different types of pest species
• Various causes of pest infestation
• Signs of infestation signs to look out for
• How to get rid of pests around

Part 1: Understanding pest control in Singapore

What is pest control service about?

Many of us will understand pest control service is about engaging a pest control specialist to perform treatments. In addition, their job is to eliminate pests and keep the environment safe and pest-free. To some extent, this is factually true about the role of a pest control company. However, there is more to just the functional role they are playing, they include:

• Accessing the current pest risk situation, including environmental factors
• Identifying pest species and perform pest trend analysis
• Understanding the nature of the business and customers’ needs
• Partnering with customers to ensure mutual engagement
• Observe the habits and facility maintenance of the premise
• Perform ongoing inspection and monitoring of the situation
• Value add with pest awareness and education for their users
• Provide useful recommendations on pest proofing and housekeeping

Besides providing these professional expertise, pest control service is about customising a relevant solution that can best address pest problems. Considerations include severity of the infestation, budget availability, location risks, business type and preference of green solutions. In summary, it is not a standardised and one-size-fits-all solution applicable regardless of premise. Above all, residential and commercial pest control is also different in terms of frequency, complexity and even price of engaging pest control.

Why is eliminating pests important?

We are all annoyed with the presence of pests at home or at the workplace. Particularly, individuals that get all squeamish the moment we encounter a pest face to face. More importantly, we understand the harm and damages that pests can cause. This includes spreading of diseases such as Salmonella, Hantavirus, E. Coli and Dengue Fever. This is also not forgetting the structural damages pests can impose onto a premise. For instance, damages to the wall and ceiling, electrical wire and conduits and door or window frames. However, there are more reasons besides health and safety needs that eliminating pests is important.

• Trust and confidence of your guests and employees
• Potential operation disruptions and recovery hassles
• Financial implications and business closure risks
• Damaging brand reputation with negative customers reviews
• Long term protection in keeping pest issues under control
• Avoid escalation of a mild pest infestation to serious state

The price to engage in pest control

There is a difference in pest control cost between engaging a pest control company versus using off-the-shelve methods. Compared to the price in purchasing insecticide sprays, gels or traps, the price of pest control service could cost more in value terms. These DIY tools typically cost a few dollars or below the hundred range for a few stash and applied conveniently at home or work.

However, professional pest control services will cost a few hundreds to thousands, depending on the following factors.

• Type of pests matters, for instance termite treatments generally cost more
• Level of infestation where heavy infestation may require intensive treatments
• Size and type of property where huge warehouses need multiple lines of defence
• Business and audit requirements for example any audit or compliance support
• Preference of quality and superior active ingredients or eco-green solutions
• Are there any multiple outlets or premise extensions needed to be treated

Read Also: Seven factors to determine how much do you need to commit for a pest control

How to evaluate a credible pest control company

With over 300 pest control companies in Singapore, it is with some challenge to decide which provider to go with. Rentokil shares some evaluation tips to facilitate your decision making process. Firstly, it is important to do a credibility background check of the company for any business lapses or incidents reported. Secondly, ensure their solutions and chemicals used are backed with proper safety data sheets and process. Thirdly, access the business’s resources and manpower to deliver services promptly and responsively. Fourthly, a trustworthy pest control company would possess proper health and safety policy. Finally, it is important for an essential service to complete with stringent audit and quality control.

You may also like: The complete guide to pest control in Singapore

Pest control FAQ and Checklist

What are the various options to deal with ants’ infestation?

There are options including DIY remedies using chemical aids and insecticide, natural home remedies such as spices, scents and condiments, the flush off efforts with water but also professional ants control programme.

Why is cockroach control important?

Cockroaches are harmful and cause diseases, allergies and potentially running into a kid’s ear while sleeping. As cockroaches infestation begins slowly and minor, their reproduction and breeding can turn into a serious infestation.

How do we prepare our home for pest treatment?

There is a checklist for pre and post pest treatment. It includes a prior cleaning and clearing up of the premise, storing food items away, removing clutters for ease of treatment, relocating your pests and vacating from the premise.

Part 2: Switching to contactless pest control

What is contactless pest control about?

As we evolve into the Internet of Things (IOT) and digitalising processes and operations, Rentokil has designed the contactless pest control service for customers. In order to continue adhering to social distancing and restricting interactions, the contactless pest control helps to control pest service remotely. This means, deploying innovative devices at the premises to monitor, lure, trap and control pests effectively with minimal or no physical interaction with a specialist. In summary, it is switching from conventional methods to managing your pest infestation digitally.

Managing your pest infestation remotely

Post your pest query and concerns online

There are various communication platforms on Rentokil Singapore website for users to post their questions on pest matters. Firstly, the Chatbot platform is available for users to enquiry on the pest they will like to find out more. Secondly, there is a medical entomologist to answer all your concerns and clarifications around pest complexities via #askdrchan. Thirdly, the audience can also consider the contact us online form for home or business and a representative will tend to your query. Finally, you may also call the Rentokil hotline at 6347 8138 where a pest control consultant will address your questions. Above all, users may also search us via the Google my Business listings and connect with us via the message function.

Install mosquito trap for a remote mosquito control

Mosquito is a concern among residents, besides the current COVID-19 pandemic we are dealing with. With a large volume of dengue cases in Singapore, mosquito prevention is essential to protect our family and employees from contracting dengue fever. The In2care mosquito trap is placed outdoors, usually at mosquitoes hot spots, and hence limits indoor interactions. They are in service every month and thus, stretching the frequency of visits at your premise. In addition, the active ingredient to infect other mosquitoes is spread in a domino effect across other mosquito breeding sites. Request for a complimentary one-month trial today.

You may also like: Nine questions we should ask about mosquito bites

Digitalise your rat control solutions

It is challenging to deal with rats and mice population in Singapore given their reproduction capability. In recent years, rats infestation in Singapore has become increasingly challenging to eliminate. Firstly, urbanisation changes and lifestyle trends have heightened the control challenges. Secondly, the immunity resistance to baits and lures makes luring more difficult. Lastly, their superior hiding nature and intelligence makes them a lot more difficult to detect and eliminate.

Conventional rat control methods require regular visits to the premises to inspect and monitor the rat infestation situation and shift baiting stations around. Especially for sensitive periods with the coronavirus, this potentially places us at risk of cross contamination.

The Rentokil Digital Rodent Control eliminates unnecessary physical interaction and attendance at the premise. It uses sensing, connected technology to monitor rat activities through a command centre, and triggers a service when necessary. In addition, it is able to detect their movements during odd hours, such as late at night or blind spots where visible inspection is impossible.

Check service history and pest recommendations digitally

Picture a familiar and dated scene where there are physical files and printed papers of information in an office. The risks of these documents are potential missing information, security and confidentiality lapse and slow retrieval of information. With technology and digitalisation in place, critical information is securely stored online, 24/7. Such as the myRentokil portal, it houses essential and useful information including:

• Service visits details, coverage and history
• Service recommendations including housekeeping and proofing advices
• Pest trend analysis and locations with high pest activities
• Safety data sheets for audit checks and inspections
• Details of other premises (if the account has various outlets and branches)
• Automated report generation facility (particularly for operation leaders)

You may make payments conveniently online

Thanks to the many online payment options, payments need not rely on conventional methods of cash on delivery or cheque issuance. This also means reducing cross contamination through contact surfacing with these notes. Options such as internet bank transfer, online credit card, mobile pay and AXS online can be considered. For companies such as Rentokil Initial, an E-invoicing is issued and every account is tagged to an e-billing platform for easy payment process. Find out more about Rentokil online payment facility here.

Digital pest library with facts and information

The commonly queried pests are ants, mosquitoes, cockroaches and rats. These often appear in our daily lives, particularly at residential homes or workspaces. Some critical information we wish to know includes what causes a pest infestation, what attracts them, what do they eat and more importantly, how to get rid of them. You can now get answers on how to get rid of mosquitoes, signs of mosquito or even cockroach prevention tips at My Pest Control Quick Tip. Besides debugging the common pest myths and provision of tips and tricks in pest management, FAQ checklist is available to answer all your needs. Have fun reading some interesting pest facts and common misconceptions about pest control!

Why is remote pest control management critical?

The concept of contactless and digital pest control may sound new and unfamiliar currently. However, remote pest control solutions help to limit gatherings, physical interactions and cross-contaminating activities. Here are some features and benefits of contactless pest control.

• Enhances the health and safety of your family and employees
• Limits cross contamination risks among people
• Optimises the efficiency and productivity in pest management
• Heighten the detection accuracy and control measures
• Promote ease and convenience in a customer journey

Part 3: Enriching with pest facts and useful tips

Different types of pest species

We have encountered at least one pest species and often heard common complaints around rats, ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, flies and even termites. However, how much do we know about their habitats, hiding haunt, pest species difference and causes of infestation? They may be similar at some point where they seek food, water and shelter. However, there are some important differences among them.

Termites versus ants

At a glance, termites and ants do look similar with their slim bodies and body shape. In addition, the subterranean, drywood termites and carpenter ants associate around wood and furniture. However, between both pest types and among their pest type species are different.

For instance, subterranean termites live within the ground and spread their colony upwards and horizontally. Whereas drywood termites live within the wood structure and furnish itself and feed on soft wood. Above all, solutions and processes to control ant infestation are very different from termite treatment. For instance, ants treatments include scheduled residual spraying or gel placements whereas termite treatment involves injecting termiticide along the perimeter of the property. Read more on how to differentiate between termites and ants.

Difference between German and American cockroach

No doubt, these are all cockroaches and pests of poor sanitation and hygiene. However, do you know there are various types of cockroach species? Physically, they are generally brownish in colour set in different tints, however, habitats, droppings, reproduction and favourite hideouts differ. This will help to manage cockroach infestation more effectively with the appropriate cockroach control solutions.

American Cockroach

Length or size - 35 to 40 mm long

Physical appearance - Reddish/brown in colour with a yellow outline at the back of their head

Hiding area - Warm, damp and humid environment including drains, sewers, bathroom, laundry corner and basements

Reproduction - Contains up to 28 eggs and develops fully within 150 days

Droppings - Slightly bigger and cylindrical in shape with ridges running by the sides

German Cockroach

Length or size - 13 to 16 mm long

Physical appearance - Light/tan brown with black stripes behind their head

Hiding area - Dark and secluded area among boxes, under cupboard, cabinets or appliances and sinks

Reproduction - Contains up to 44 eggs and mature into adults up to 60 days

Droppings - Small and dark coloured spots that resembles pepper grounds

Are rats and mice species the same?

Sounds like not much of a difference except the size of the rats and its droppings are much bigger. It is important to identify if that is a rat or mice infestation because species type affects the choice of baiting units deployed. For instance, placing a station meant for mice would not be able to capture rats as its opening size if smaller. In terms of luring technique, rats would be more attracted to fresh grains, seeds and nuts. Read more on how to differentiate between rat and mice.

Various causes of pest infestation

Generally, most pest infestation starts with poor hygiene, sanitation and housekeeping habits. In addition, cross infestation and allowing pest entries through cracks and crevices promote pest problems. However, there are specific causes of pest infestation for the following pests.

• Mosquitoes: Starts by allowing receptacles to surface for mosquito breeding opportunities
• Termites: Drawn to moisture and decayed wood and connected through ground contact
• Ticks and Fleas: Latch onto your pets or yourself as they go outdoors for walks
• Bed Bugs: They seek warm body host and hitch on belonging, bags and clothing to spread
• Flies: Exceptionally attracted to rotting and decaying matters, such as garbage and faeces.

Signs of infestation to look out for

Firstly, observe the presence of droppings left behind by pests, which are usually dark in colour with mini spots (like seeds or grounds). Secondly, you can sniff to differentiate the different smell types emitted by pests. For example, cockroaches leave a musty and pungent urine smell and bed bugs create a sweet, and fruit smell. Thirdly, an obvious pest symptoms signs are pests crawling around, particularly if they emerge in the daytime that indicates heavy infestation. Finally, check if there are any visible signs or damages found on the structure and surfaces. For example, mud tubes, frass, damaged walls or bitten conduits or packaging.

Read Also: The different smell indicators of a pest infestation

How to get rid of pests effectively

Pest management is an ongoing process and unfortunately, a one-off treatment will not eliminate pests permanently. Even if there is a pest control service in place, pest population is reduced however, recurring pests can occur. This is due to a few factors:

• User habits and activities
• Housekeeping standards
• Integrity of the property
• Neigbouring pest conditions
• Proofing adequacy
• Environmental situations

There are pest prevention measures that can help to get rid of cockroach and ants more effectively. For example, check your piping and drainage facilities are well functioning with no defects that cause water leaks. Water and moisture attracts both cockroaches and ants for survival. Adopt diligent facility maintenance and regular housekeeping to remove any food sources for pests to feed. For some individuals, they believe in applying pest deterring methods such as using natural remedies to repel pests. For example, diffusing citronella to repel mosquitoes or vinegar to deter ants. Find out what are the other common home remedies to repel pests.

Call Rentokil Singapore at (65) 6347 8138 for a pest control solution today.