If we’re to pick one pest that Singaporeans detest most – cockroaches are likely to take the top spot!
These nasty bugs hide in dark places and crawl out unexpectedly on you. Similarly, there’s no feeling worse than flicking your kitchen switch only to see scuttling legs and antennae of cockroaches on a feeding frenzy, from the countertops to the floor.
Even worse, cockroaches are known to transmit a wide array of dangerous bacteria that can spread diseases like Salmonellosis, cholera, dysentery, plague, typhoid fever, and more. But most frustratingly, they are super resilient, seeming to survive the most stringent eradication attempts.
In this article, we’re going to explore some of the most effective ways, as recommended by entomologists, to promptly get rid of roaches. But before we delve into that, let’s explore some background information.
See also: Cockroach pest control Singapore
Common Types of Cockroaches in Singapore
Do you know that there are about 4,500 species of cockroaches in the world? But before you panic, only four species are typically found in Singapore, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The two most common species we find in homes are the German cockroach and the Australian cockroach (which looks similar to the American one!).
What Attracts Roaches to Your Home
Cockroaches have been around for some 320 million years and they acclimatized to human settlements early on in our evolution. But as you can guess, they are primarily attracted by a cozy shelter, food, and water. Guess where they can find all three? Your home!
That dirty dish on the sink or crumb on the floor or open garbage is just perfect for roaches to feed on. Similarly, those warm and hidden locations inside books, or behind the refrigerator provides adequate shelter.
How Cockroaches Get Into Your Home
Roaches don’t magically appear in your home. They get in through entry holes like cracks and crevices, holes in the vents and pipes, hitching a ride onto items, and many other ways.
For HDB flats, apartments, and condominiums, cockroaches usually enter your home via the rubbish chute, kitchen gully trap, toilet, or shower drainage. Or they can simply fly or crawl in via your window or door! For landed houses, cockroach infestations are often found in the drainage areas, pipes, and generally the nooks and corners surrounding the house.
But what’s scarier is that they reproduce once they get in. A cockroach’s lifespan is about a year and within that time, a female roach can produce between 200 to 300 offspring or 6 generations.
Getting Rid of Cockroaches in Your Home
If you have a cockroach infestation problem, you not only have to get rid of them. You also have to put measures in place to prevent new ones from returning. Therefore, we’ll examine how to get rid of them in two stages.
Solving a Cockroach Infestation Problem
Here are some ways to solving a cockroach infestation problem.
1. Identify the Problems Areas with Flashlight and Glue Strips
The first step is to inspect your home for possible infestation sites. Cockroaches love to reside in warm dark places during the day before they become active at night. Common sites of high activity include behind the refrigerator, crevices of the cabinet and shelves, under the sink, bathroom cabinets and closets, and closet door corners. Using a flashlight will help you in your search.
Once you’ve identified such areas, place strips in strategic locations around there. Within a few days, the strip will catch most of the roaches in that vicinity. Remember that success lies in placing the strips in high-traffic areas.
2. Gel Bait & Bait Stations
Gel Bait is effective for killing roaches. This gel poison can be applied to areas of high roaches activity, like under baseboards, near cracks and crevices. Within a few weeks, it should eliminate the majority of roaches in your home. The only issue is that you have dead roaches lying around your house.
On the other hand, a bait station works by attracting roaches to the station, where they feed on poison. As the poisoned roaches return to their hiding location, they die. Thereafter, other cockroaches feed on them, and they also die as a result of secondary poisoning.
3. Liquid Concentrates
Liquid concentrates are used to deter roaches. Once diluted, the liquid can be sprayed to hiding spots of roaches. You can also use it to mop your floor or wipe your counter to deter roaches.
4. Boric Acid
If you’re keen on taking the DIY approach, then boric acid is one of the best home remedies. Mix an equal amount of boric acid, sugar, and flour to make a dough. The balls of dough can be strategically positioned in high activity areas like under your refrigerator, stove, and the back of your cabinets. The flour and sugar will attract the dough while the boric acid will kill them.
Although boric acid is low in toxicity, you avoid using them around kids or pets.
5. Call a Licensed Pest Control Company
Roaches are super resilient and getting rid of them in some instances might seem impossible for many of us. If that’s the case, your best bet is to hire a professional pest control company in Singapore like Greencare to treat your home.
The pest control company can also help you get rid of other crawling insects in your home and even provide disinfection services in Singapore.
Preventing Cockroach Infestation
The best way to get rid of roaches is to create an environment that’s not conducive to them. Here are some ways you can make your home less hospitable to these creepy bugs.
Clear out all Potential Hiding Spots
If your home is cluttered, that’s an open invitation for roaches. When you have cardboard boxes and newspapers lying around, roaches start to reside there. In general, you want to minimize all potential hiding spots. This way, roaches would have more difficultly concealing their presence.
Seal all Potential Entry Holes
Because roaches are small-sized, they can gain access to your home through tiny holes. Similarly, they can crawl under doors and cracks in your home’s foundation. Other spots to inspect include around windows, along the roof, attic and crawl space vents, and holes in the plumbing and electrical wires.
Caulk can be used to seal small holes. For larger holes, steel wool or foam will do the trick. For very large opening around the attic or chimney, install a fine wire mesh to create a barrier.
Do Not Feed Roaches
Sound funny, right? Why on earth would you feed them? Well, you do – unintentionally. That pet food lying indiscriminately on the floor or that crumbs will attract all kinds of insects, including roaches. That’s why you have to eliminate access to food sources. Clean spilled food or leftovers immediately. Do not leave dirty dishes. Similarly, ensure that you store your foodstuff in sealed containers. Also, close your garbage bin appropriately so roaches don’t have access to it.
Final thoughts
Cockroaches are highly detested and for good reasons. Aside from their filthy habits and bad smell, they are carriers of many intestinal diseases.
To ensure your safety and that of your family, it’s important that you keep these cringe-worthy insects out of your home. Eliminating food and shelter sources is a great way to start.
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