One household pest in Singapore can put your child in hospital. The rest are a nuisance. Start with that one.
Aedes mosquitoes breed in clean, still water, and they breed inside your home, not in drains.
They need very little: a flowerpot plate, a vase, a pail, a bucket on the balcony, water trapped in the folds of a plastic sheet. A capful is enough.
The five-minute weekly check: change the water in vases and flower pot plates, turn pails and watering cans over, loosen hardened soil in potted plants, clear roof gutters and balcony drains, and cover any bamboo pole holders.
Aedes bite during the day, mostly early morning and late afternoon, which is when children are outdoors.
What to watch for with dengue
High fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, joint and muscle pain, nausea, and a rash appearing a few days in.
Don’t give ibuprofen or aspirin if dengue is suspected. They increase bleeding risk. Use paracetamol, and see a doctor.
Go to hospital immediately if there’s severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding from the gums or nose, blood in vomit or stool, lethargy or restlessness, or cold clammy skin. These are warning signs of severe dengue and they often appear as the fever comes down, which is exactly when families relax.
Cockroaches
More than a nuisance: cockroach allergen is a recognised trigger for asthma and allergic symptoms in children, so getting on top of them has a health payoff beyond the disgust.
- Gel baits work; sprays mostly don’t. Spraying scatters them into wall cavities and neighbouring units. Bait is carried back to the nest.
- Place bait out of children’s reach: behind and under appliances, inside cabinets, not on open surfaces.
- Remove the water source. Fix dripping taps, dry the sink at night, empty the drying rack. They need water more urgently than food.
- Seal food in containers, including pet food, and empty the bin nightly.
- Seal the entry points: gaps around pipes under the sink, floor traps, and the gap under the front door.
- Cover floor traps when not in use; this is a main route between units.
Ants
- Bait, don’t spray. Spraying kills the ones you can see and the colony sends more. Bait is taken back to it.
- Wipe the trail with soapy water or vinegar to erase the pheromone track, after the bait has done its work.
- Find the entry point and seal it.
- Keep bait away from children and pets, and behind appliances, not on the floor.
Bed bugs
Difficult, and the one where do-it-yourself usually fails.
- Signs: small dark specks along mattress seams, rusty blood spots on sheets, and bites often in a line or cluster, typically on skin exposed during sleep.
- Get a professional. Shop treatments rarely clear an infestation and repeated failed attempts spread them through the flat.
- Hot wash and hot tumble dry all bedding and affected clothing. Heat is what kills them.
- Don’t put infested furniture in the corridor. It spreads them to neighbours, and somebody will take it home.
- Check when travelling: inspect hotel mattress seams, keep luggage off the bed, and wash everything hot on return. This is how most infestations arrive.
Rats and mice
- Seal food, clear bins nightly, and don’t leave pet food out overnight
- Seal gaps around pipes and under doors
- Droppings, gnaw marks or scratching in walls mean call in help instead of managing it yourself
- Report activity in common areas to your town council or management, it’s rarely one unit’s problem
Dust mites
Invisible, and the most common indoor allergy trigger in this humidity. Relevant if anyone has eczema, asthma or persistent rhinitis.
- Wash bedding weekly at 60°C: cooler washes don’t kill them
- Mite-proof mattress and pillow encasements, which help measurably
- Reduce soft toys on the bed, and freeze the favourite one overnight periodically
- Run the air-conditioning or a dehumidifier; mites struggle below about 50% humidity
Using pesticides around children
Don’t use naphthalene mothballs. They can cause a serious breakdown of red blood cells, and the risk is much higher in people with G6PD deficiency. It’s screened for at birth in Singapore precisely because it isn’t rare here. Mothballs also look exactly like sweets to a small child.
- Baits over sprays wherever possible: less airborne exposure, and more effective anyway.
- Keep children and pets out during and after treatment for the time the label states.
- Never use outdoor products indoors.
- Store everything locked and high up, in the original container.
- Ventilate after any spraying.
- Tell a pest control company that there are young children in the home, and ask what they’re using and what the re-entry time is.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop mosquitoes breeding at home?
Aedes mosquitoes breed in small amounts of clean still water inside homes, not in drains. Weekly: change water in vases and flower pot plates, turn pails and watering cans over, loosen hardened soil in potted plants, clear roof gutters and balcony drains, and cover bamboo pole holders. A capful of water is enough for them.
What should I do if I suspect dengue?
See a doctor, and use paracetamol, not ibuprofen or aspirin, which increase bleeding risk. Go to hospital immediately for severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or nose, blood in vomit or stool, lethargy or cold clammy skin. These warning signs often appear as the fever falls, which is when families tend to relax.
Why don’t sprays work on cockroaches?
Spraying kills what you can see and scatters the rest into wall cavities and neighbouring units. Gel bait is carried back to the nest, which is what clears an infestation. Place it out of children’s reach, behind and under appliances, not on open surfaces.
Can cockroaches affect my child’s health?
Yes, cockroach allergen is a recognised trigger for asthma and allergic symptoms in children, so controlling them matters beyond the nuisance.
How do I get rid of bed bugs?
Call a professional; shop treatments rarely clear an infestation and repeated failed attempts spread them. Hot wash and hot tumble dry all bedding, since heat is what kills them. Never put infested furniture out in the corridor. It spreads them and someone will take it home.
Are mothballs safe to use at home?
Naphthalene mothballs should be avoided. They can cause a serious breakdown of red blood cells, with substantially higher risk in people with G6PD deficiency, which is screened for at birth in Singapore because it isn’t uncommon here. They also look like sweets to small children.
How do I use pest control products safely with children?
Choose baits over sprays, place them out of reach behind appliances, keep children and pets out for the time stated on the label, never use outdoor products indoors, store everything locked and high in its original container, and tell any pest control company there are young children in the home.
What to remember
Do the five-minute mosquito check weekly. Aedes breed in clean water inside your home and bite during the day, and dengue is the one household pest problem that lands children in hospital.
For cockroaches and ants: bait, never spray. Fix the leaks. They need water more than food.
Bed bugs need a professional. And don’t use naphthalene mothballs, particularly with G6PD deficiency in the family.
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This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice. See a doctor if you suspect dengue, and report mosquito breeding concerns to NEA.