The festive season in Singapore, like the glowing lanterns of Deepavali, the sparkling lights of Christmas, and the busy preparations for Chinese New Year, is a time of vibrant celebration. It’s a season defined by open houses, where the doors are literally and figuratively open to friends, family, and, of course, abundance.
However, there may be unwanted guests that can sneak inside, especially since our festive peak coincides with the year-end monsoon season. Pests. The high humidity and accessible food sources are major factors for their potential presence.
To ensure that your celebrations remain pest-free and enjoyable, strive to devise a proactive approach to pest prevention. Explore in this guide how to protect your home against common pests during the holidays.
Common Pests During the Festive Season
Before we discuss pest prevention tips, let’s dive first into the pests that are more likely to crash your party. The tropical climate means we deal with pests year-round, this is a given. But some pest behaviours change during the holidays.
Cockroaches and Ants
These pests are the primary scavengers. They are attracted to festive treats, which are usually sweet or sugary, and oily catering dishes.
Rodents
As the rains intensify during the monsoon, rats look for dry and warm shelter. There is also an increase in food waste during the holidays that they can feed from.
Subterranean Termites
High moisture levels in the soil during the rainy season can trigger termite activity. So if you have wooden decor, or you are storing cardboard boxes on the floor, you may be providing them with a food source.
Mosquitoes
With more plants and floral arrangements brought into your home, stagnant water in vases or pot trays can become a breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito.
The Kitchen & Catering
The heart of any celebration, whether here in Singapore or any nationality, is the food. Whether you opted for a home-cooked feast or a catered buffet, the kitchen remains the most vulnerable area for infestations.
Manage the Buffet Table
When you are the host for the gathering, it’s easy to leave the food unattended as guests enter your home. It may be the chance for ants and flies to make contact with the food.
Use mesh food covers for ambient-temperature dishes and, when you have leftovers later on, make sure you transfer them to airtight containers as soon as you have time.
Dispose of Food Waste Daily
Your trash cans will fill up faster than usual during this busy time of the year. Rodents and cockroaches are attracted to scraps like prawn shells and bones. So don’t wait until the morning to clear the trash.
If you live in an HDB flat or a condominium, make sure that your waste is bagged securely before sending it down the rubbish chute to prevent pests from climbing back up.
Deep Clean Post-Party
After the guests leave, you may perceive the notion that a simple sweeping is enough. Take note that grease and sugar spills may have found their way under the fridge or behind your oven, so take the time to deep clean these often unnoticeable areas.
Effective pest prevention also equates to how comprehensively you can remove food sources that pests can depend on for survival.
Festive Decorations and the Trojan Horse Effect
We unknowingly bring pests into our homes, especially with the rise of e-commerce. A surge in home delivery during year-end sales and festive periods means an increased risk of pests hitchhiking and infiltrating our homes.
The Cardboard Connection
Cardboard boxes are a favourite hiding spot for German cockroaches and silverfish. The glue used in these boxes is actually a food source for some insects.
To maintain high standards of pest prevention, unbox your deliveries outside or in the service yard and dispose of the cardboard immediately.
Inspecting the Bomb Shelter Storage
Most of us store our artificial trees and ornaments in our household shelters. So before you bring them inside the living area, inspect and look for droppings, egg cases, or chew marks.
To make the inspection easier and ensure that no pests will be displayed alongside your decorations, wipe them down one by one.
Real Christmas Trees
If you opt for live Fir Christmas trees, remember that these are imported. Even if they’re treated, they can still harbour small spiders or beetles.
Give the tree a good shake outdoors before bringing it inside and decorating it.
Closing the Entry Points
With the monsoon rain pouring outside, many pests are simply looking for a dry place to take shelter. Your home’s structure is vital for effective pest prevention.
Sealing the Gaps
Ants and roaches may take advantage of the small gaps under the front door or around your windows, so make sure to seal them. You can install brush strips or door seals to do the job.
Pests can also travel via service pipes, crawling from unit to unit. Check if there are gaps where pipes enter the walls, and seal them with silicone sealant or expanding foam.
Moisture Control
Pests like cockroaches and termites need water even more than they need food. They are called moisture-dependent pests because they need moisture to thrive.
Check under your kitchen and bathroom sinks for drips.
Also make sure that your balcony drains are clear and not ponding to avoid stagnant water forming, which is an ideal environment for mosquitoes and rodents.
Quick Prevention Tips for Home Maintenance
- Always wipe down the sink and countertops. Ensure they are dry and clean before calling it a day.
- Throw away stacks of old newspapers or magazines.
- Move dry goods such as flour, rice, and sugar into glass or hard plastic containers.
Outdoor Areas and Festive Greenery
Many people decorate their corridors and balconies with festive plants like Poinsettias, Lucky Bamboo, or Chrysanthemums. These are beautiful but they require careful handling.
Be vigilant about stagnant water. Follow the 5-Step Mozzie Wipeout, as it’s particularly important now. Change the water in floral vases every other day and scrub the insides to remove mosquito eggs.
If you have potted plants outside, double-check to see if there’s no water collecting in the hardened soil or the base plates.
When to Seek Professional Pest Prevention Service
You may follow every pest prevention tip in the book but sometimes, a pre-existing infestation or a pest problem in your neighbouring unit can be the reason why you’re dealing with your own pest problem.
If you start seeing pest signs that don’t go away even with repeated and comprehensive efforts, it’s time to get professional help.
A professional inspection provides peace of mind, especially before a big day like a reunion dinner. You would easily know if you are faced with a large infestation, and you can also start professional treatment right away.
Experts can identify nesting sites that are invisible to the untrained eye, such as those inside wall cavities and deep within kitchen cabinetry.
Conclusion
The festive season should revolve around joy, connection, and relaxation. Try to implement these few simple pest prevention tips that we’ve discussed to reduce the risk of a pest encounter.
However, we understand that the busy holiday schedule doesn’t always leave time for a detailed inspection. If you want to guarantee the readiness of your home and protect it from unwanted guests, it is a wise investment to engage professional pest control services in Singapore.
At Avalon Services, we help you host your loved ones with the confidence that your home is clean, safe, and pest-free.
