For as long as Singaporeans can remember, NEA has been issuing warnings for us to stay vigilant in the ongoing fight against dengue. Despite the multiple PSA ads we see online, on TV, and even at bus stops and MRT stations, the threat still remains at large with surges throughout the year.
To avoid potential damage to our immune system and our wallet – thanks to those hefty medical bills – we can stay safe by keeping a lookout for overlooked spots that unknowingly become possible dengue breeding grounds.
No one likes house chores, but probably not more than they’d dislike suffering from dengue. A commonly overlooked place is the dish rack tray that collects excess water from your air-drying crockery.
Throwing out collected water daily can help prevent the breeding of dengue mosquitoes, disrupting otherwise stagnant water. Let’s not forget that the kitchen should be a sanitary place, and allowing days of dish water to accumulate could result in other pests coming for a drink too.
Not only will you be getting rid of unwanted visitors, you’ll also be preventing the formation of unsightly water stains left behind by untouched water and keep your house looking spick and span.
Many of us like to keep large potted plants around the house, but these can be common breeding grounds for those pesky mosquitoes. Based on, plant axils and hardened soil make up one of the top few breeding grounds for pests.
To help yourself, your family, and your neighbours, shake the leaves of your plant babies once in a while to get rid of any collected water droplets.
Hardened soil, on the other hand, can cause a layer of stagnant water to remain on the surface. This can be avoided by mixing compost in with your plant soil to keep it soft and absorbent.
Gully traps – especially those not regularly cleaned – can result in gross stagnant water puddling at the surface, attracting not just mosquitoes but flies as well. Speaking from experience, cleaning the gully traps daily can be a pretty disgusting chore to commit to.
To help prevent a build-up of gunk and mosquito-breeding moisture, NEA suggests installing anti-mosquito valves which can be purchased from homeware stores for just under five bucks. If all else fails, you can spray a high-quality insecticide spray around the drainage area every now and then to quickly get rid of any imminent threats.
For most of us, overturning our buckets and pails may have already become a common practice. But one area many of us might not think to look at would be the rim around the buckets and pails. These little nooks and crannies are notorious for collecting water and, left unchecked, could become a full-fledged dengue nest.
So, before you’re officially done with the cleaning, it might be a good idea to check the rims of your buckets and pails to make sure they’re nice and dry.
Build-up of unchanged water which could be harbouring mosquito eggs
Flowers and potted plants are a great way to beautify the home, but can be the culprit of harbouring mosquito eggs when left unattended.
Potted plants are often accompanied by a tray that catches the drained water from the plant substrate. However, we’re more likely to remember watering our plants than to remember clearing the flower pot tray, which can lead to hatched mosquito eggs circling the pot.
Likewise, you may forget to change the water in flower vases on a regular basis. This causes the water inside it to fester dirt, grime, and potential mosquito larvae.
Image credits: Roof Doctors
For those who live in landed properties, house chores never seem to end. An important place to look out for would be the roof gutter, which has been identified by NEA as one of the top overlooked spots for mosquitoes to breed.
To save yourself the trouble of having to clean the roof gutters daily, you can try placing mosquito coils to reduce the risk of dengue breeding. They’ll make your life a little easier, as you can essentially place them, light them, and let them do their thing.
Pet water fountains ensure steadily running water as opposed to regular water bowls holding stagnant water
We all love our furry friends and want them to have the best. This includes being diligent enough to change their water bowls daily, and not just when the bowl is running close to empty. Stale water can also be unappealing to our four-legged friends, so not only will you be clearing a possible breeding ground, your little fur bud will be treated to clean and refreshing water too.
Alternatively, you could invest in a pet fountain to get your pets a constantly moving supply of water, and reduce one more chore from your busy schedule.
Baygon Multi-Insect Killer comes with a double nozzle spray for farther and wider reach
Not-so-fun fact: Dengue mosquito eggs take less than a day to hatch and develop into adults, able to multiply in our households at accelerated rates if we’re not careful. Putting this in perspective, it’s scary how fast one overlooked spot can become the next breeding ground for dengue, and put many of our loved ones at risk.
While you may have eradicated the possible breeding spots, extra precautions are always welcome to put our minds at ease. For one, you can equip your household with the Baygon Multi-Insect Killer. For years, the fight against dengue has raged on, but trusty weapons like Baygon help rid out living spaces against the world’s most irritating insect.
As one of the most established brands of insecticide spray trusted by Singaporeans over generations, Baygon proves highly effective and can get rid of not just dengue mosquitoes, but houseflies, cockroaches, and even scary wasps, in as quick as 30 seconds. The double nozzle also allows for wider coverage, and can clear the whole room in a matter of minutes.Dengue is set to be an ongoing threat as far as we know it, but the best thing we can do is keep ourselves diligent and get rid of possible breeding spots. This way, we can avoid waking up in the middle of the night to the irritating buzzing noises, or – touch wood – falling ill to dengue.
This post was brought to you by Baygon.
Photography by Clement Sim.
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