Singapore Expats

Hi All,

I will soon move to Singapore and i am already looking at a condo.
My wife has a big phobia about cockroaches
can you please give me some tips in order to avoid them choosing my condo.

Many thanks

In any condo, any place in Singapore you will have roaches. I mean, you will see them occasionally, at best once every few months inside your flat, much often in the common areas, e.g. car parks. I am talking about the few cm guys, avionic type (yes, they can fly in Singapore). If your wife has a serious problem with them it looks like you both have made a very very bad decision.

Having said that, less roaches:
- in newer developments (but not a very significant difference)
- on higher floors (but there will be some regardless the hight)
- geckos eat roaches - be friendly to them

x9200 wrote: Having said that, less roaches:
- in newer developments (but not a very significant difference)
- on higher floors (but there will be some regardless the hight)
- geckos eat roaches - be friendly to them

I have seen roaches in very high floors

And many are terrified of geckos too ..

And keep your house clean and avoid clutter. If you don't do both diligently, you'd be inviting them instead.

Sg is definitely a poor choice for someone with a phobia of cockroaches. I had never seen so many or such large beasts until I moved here.

New and high would be my recommendation, but that won’t completely stop them. I have had them fly in on the 31st floor and also climb the rubbish chute. This was a brand new condo.

However my worst experiences were reserved for an older place on the 3rd floor. Had an infestation in some storage boxes. Had to throw everything out. Also had a big chap under the kitchen sink. Fly spray does not kill them, I’m talking a whole can. I found one in my shoe after wearing it all day. Another fell out of my helmet, after I took it off.

Perhaps not a good idea to share my experiences with your wife.

bgd wrote:Sg is definitely a poor choice for someone with a phobia of cockroaches. I had never seen so many or such large beasts until I moved here.

You've obviously never been to Texas... comparatively speaking, the roach problem in Singapore is non existent.

For the OP, you are always at larger risk for cockroaches when you live in a shared space like HDB or condo because you cannot control the cleanliness habits of your neighbors.

If your wife truly has a phobia, then rent a semi-detached house. Keep it clean. In eight years we only had the occasional outdoor roach wander in. The other thing to do is keep small containers of boric acid (it's a powder) in various cupboards... kills roaches.

@bgd, we have similar experience with the shoe and the helmet, perhaps only that I managed to realize there were some unwanted visitors rather quickly.

I had some in my motorcycle. One day we saw a big beast going inside our car (it was hidden below the door frame). We didn't catch it and my wife freaked out - she uses the car. If the thing decided to emerge back while she was driving most likely we would need another car and perhaps a new wife. I sprayed out the whole big can of Baygon inside and left everything sealed for one day as an ad hoc gas chamber.

OP, no, don't let your wife to read this thread.
And if your wife has a vivid imagination she will soon realize that what she sees is nothing comparing to what she misses.

keep the house tidy, get rid of left over food and crumbs...clear the rubbish bin daily and place the repellent in every corner...that's only the best you can do... no guarantee here

you can consider to hire professional pest control company to do the job on regular basis.

24th Floor of a middle aged HDB. Always keep the floors clean no scraps of food left. We tend to use the air con extensively so windows are closed. Sealed the waste pipe for the washing machine with silicon. Fitted draft excluder to the front door.

The last measure above seemed to be the most effective. Have not come across a roach inside the apartment for nearly a year.

slippers are my best friend against these roaches.

Addney6 wrote:Hey friends I just saw a few termites in my garden. I am sure there are more termites hidden so I am quite worried about my plants. I am considering hiring a professional pest control firm instead of dealing with them on my own. Is that a good decision?

I believe an Ant Eater would be the best solution.

http://www.ant-eatersRus.com.sg

Use the bait method. Its the most effective long term solution. You can get them in any Supermarket stores here. If you're living in a condo with a rubbish chute in your house, try to avoid the lower floors. They fumigate once in awhile and there's only 1 direction the roaches will run in..