COVID-19 has taken the world by storm. Ever since Singapore’s borders closed, many returning to Singapore or wishing to enter Singapore have had to serve a 14-day Stay-home Notice (SHN) at dedicated hotels. These have included Singaporeans, Permanent Residents and working professionals. No one can leave their hotel room. Hotels such as the Grand Copthorne waterfront hotel and Swissotel the Stamford provides these services. It was only from 1 September onwards that SHN durations were lessened for a small handful of countries/regions that are considered low-risk. Travellers entering from these low-risk countries/regions may also serve their SHN at their place of residence instead of dedicated SHN facilities.

Cockroach Infestations in hotels

For over $140 per day in a five-star hotel, one would expect a reasonably comfortable and clean stay. Unfortunately, news has broken out from the ground up about cockroach infestations in some of the hotels. In the last few months, quarantined guests have found numerous cockroaches in their rooms. Even when their rooms are changed, the situation does not change for some. These are clear signs of large infestations and hotels facing these issues should get cockroach treatment as soon as possible. When you can find small cockroaches crawling on the walls or even harbouring at the bedside table, you know that you have a real cockroach infestation at hand.

Thankfully, the affected hotels have called in certified specialists to mitigate the situation.

Prevention is better than cure

For hotels that are SHN facilities, it is especially vital to ensure rooms are regularly checked, cleaned and treated. In this digital age, it is unfortunately easy to gain bad press that would damage the hotel’s reputation. Even if hotels were to respond excellently after the incidents, their name and reputation would have already been dragged through the mud and turned off wary travellers who will be visiting Singapore in the future. Digitally-savvy Singaporeans will also be quick to pull up such bad news when looking for a hotel to staycation in. It will then take a lot of time, money and effort to rebuild trust with the public through advertising, marketing and hospitality. 

Dormitories that are housing quarantined workers should also look out cockroach infestations. While brand reputation is not crucial, cockroaches pose a major health concern. They carry with them a wide range of bacteria and viruses that could cause illnesses if left on food. They can also trigger allergic reactions and cause food poisoning because of the germs and bacteria they carry. All in all, they are extremely unhygienic and should not be in human environments.

How to look out for cockroaches

So what should you do? Before jumping the gun to get cockroach treatment in the hotel, train the staff to look out for signs of cockroaches. These dark-coloured pests are masters of disguise. Nocturnal by nature, they can blend into dark environments easily, and they find every nook and cranny available to hide in. Staff should check rooms thoroughly; potential areas are: cabinets-corners, cracks and crevices, behind and under refrigerators, behind and under microwaves and toasters, under table-tops, behind and under sinks, switch boxes and sockets as well as places with access to water.

Cockroaches also multiply very quickly. One egg case can contain up to 18 eggs and female cockroaches can produce several egg cases in their lifetime. Once you see a cockroach, it is likely that there are more that are hiding and multiplying. It is worse if you spot one in the day time. It is a sign of serious infestation because there is a shortage of food and they are forced out to seek more food.

Other signs of cockroaches include egg cases and droppings. Cockroach egg cases tend to look like a small dark brown case with a hardened exterior; some cockroach species carry this case with them until the eggs are ready to hatch while other species drop the egg case. On the other hand, their droppings look like coarse black powder. They also tend to be really small and clustered together.

Cockroach treatment in hotels and dormitories

Once you have established the presence of such pests, ring up a reputable pest control company. At Innovative Pest Management, we provide reliable pest control, including cockroach treatment for hotels and dormitories. As a company, we have more than 30 years of experience in the pest control treatment. Through our time out in the field, we have gathered extensive insights about pests such as cockroaches that have further sharpened our expertise. Our knowledge spans from their behaviour and breeding patterns to their diets and characteristics.

When you engage us, our four-step method begins with the identification of the pest. There are various types of cockroaches that exist; three common ones in Singapore are the American cockroach, German cockroach and the Brown-banded cockroach. Equip hotel staff with photos and information on how to identify types of cockroaches. This will help our team form a comprehensive and specific plan to deal with the infestation. Alternatively, a photo of the cockroach can be provided to us for reference. We are your one-stop pest control solutions

The next steps of the process are Implementation and Treatment. Depending on our assessment of the infestation and environment and with consideration of the hotel’s needs, our team will customise a pest management service. It will include a combination of cockroach treatments like cockroach baits, gel baits, granular baits, bait stations, liquid insecticide, residual insecticide and Ultra Low Volume Misting Treatment. Innovative Pest Management takes pride in using eco-friendly products that are just as potent as other products.

Finally, we establish Control with a cockroach infestation control programme. Once cockroach infestations begin, they are not easy to get rid of. One-time-off sessions may be effective for the time being, but rest assured, the creepy crawlers will return. To completely eradicate the infestation, an integrated programme is required to regularly fight cockroach breeding and inhabiting.

Stay safe, stay clean

COVID-19 may not be going anywhere any time soon. With more hotels converting into SHN facilities and dormitories going into lockdowns, it is important to look out for the wellbeing of guests and occupants.