Pencil "Mashenka" from cockroaches: helps or not, how it affects a person

A pencil with the cute name "Mashenka" can be found today in almost any hardware store. Its name is especially surprising because inside you will find not at all crayons for children's creativity, but an insecticide, a thunderstorm of insects. Today we will try to summarize all the experience gained in pest control with the help of this inexpensive and time-tested tool.

For the cleanliness of housing

A large number of anecdotes have already been compiled on the topic of crayons from cockroaches, but the fact remains. Against the background of the variety of gels and sprays from insects, the least dangerous and at the same time the most effective is the crayon "Mashenka" from cockroaches. Reviews emphasize that with the help of a simple drawing technique, you can get rid of annoying mustachioed creatures.

How does this tool work? A pencil or crayon has its effect due to the content of contact-type toxic substances. Insects, crawling across the line, cling to small particles on their paws. This is how the insecticide works. The insect stops feeding and soon dies.

Currently, the most famous home insecticide is the silver crayon "Mashenka". Reviews suggest that it helps cleanse the house of any insects: synatropic cockroaches, red ants, bugs and fleas, house flies. At the same time, he does not pose a threat to a person. The only exceptions are small children who have not yet learned to walk.

What is the reason for the popularity

A good half of consumers recognize Mashenka as a time-tested remedy. In the 90s, it was almost the only highly effective drug that poisoned Prusaks quickly and ruthlessly.

Qualitative composition

The drug contains in its composition organophosphate substance - chloropyphos. It is a powerful neuroparalytic poison, which manifests its effect in both intestinal and external contact. During penetration into the body, it inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses.

As a result, all the muscles of the insect contract convulsively, tremors and paralysis of the entire system develop.

Multiple components ensure high efficiency

Chloropyphos is very resistant to environmental conditions, it is not afraid of temperature drops. Therefore, its action stretches for a very long time - from 40 to 70 days.

Cementing components also negatively affect the functions of the body. Once in it, they clog the blood vessels, which provokes death even faster.

Composition from other manufacturers contains deltamethrin and zetacypermethrin. Their action is similar. Two different insecticides reduce the chances of insects developing resistance to poison.

Ease and simplicity of instructions

The cockroach pencil is simple and easy to use. Before starting the processing process, you must:

• thoroughly wash and wipe dry all surfaces;
• draw a thick layer of lines in places where insects are found (baseboards, pantry area, water pipes, ventilation compartments, etc.);
• if nests are found, you can grind the pencil to a powdery mass and sprinkle it in them;
• wipe the floor with a solution prepared at the rate of 1 package for 5-6 liters of water.

The advantage of using dissolved crayons is to increase the workable area.

However, it should be noted that in rooms with high temperatures, the effect of the drug may decrease after 7-10 days. Therefore, the procedure will need to be repeated.

Minimum security requirements

In comparison with aerosol and other preparations, crayons do not require special, additional tools and equipment, special skills, and preliminary preparatory measures.

Due to the fact that the components that the cockroach remedy contains are in the pyrethroid group of poisons, it was assigned IV level of danger. However, this poison is of intestinal action. Therefore, with proper observance of safety measures, the agent is relatively toxic.

No particles of a toxic substance remain in the air. Thus, the substance does not penetrate into the respiratory tract of humans and animals.

Release form

Many years ago, Chinese insect crayons entered the Russian market. He was in a blue wrapper with hieroglyphs. This idea was taken up by domestic manufacturers. They did not change the recognizable brand much, and we still buy Mashenka chalk wrapped in blue packaging. It is produced in the form of a gray bar, weighing 20 g. The package is equipped with a polyethylene layer, which protects against moisture and sunlight.

Prophylaxis

Chalk is used not only to destroy a colony of arthropod pests. Housewives use insecticidal pencils when carrying out preventive measures. With their help, they outline the probable ways of penetration of arthropod pests into the house. Additionally, they perform the following actions:

• Organic residues and debris are removed from the house on a regular basis.
• Carry out regular house cleaning and wet cleaning.

Manufacturers pay a lot of attention not only to the selection of components, but also to the preparation of instructions. Rules and features of use, preventive measures are introduced into it. The result depends on the correctness of all actions.

Main advantages

The chalk "Mashenka" is not just so fond of a wide audience. Reviews emphasize that a simple and cheap tool has a lot of advantages, which conquers the first time:

• The chalk is colorless and odorless and is suitable even for people prone to allergic reactions.
• It can be used regardless of whether people are in the room or not.
• Accordingly, there is no need to leave the house for several hours, and then ventilate it for a long time.
• Long-term action. If the line is not drawn on a surface that is regularly wiped with a damp cloth, then it remains fatal to insects for several months.
• Ease of use. Any schoolchild can easily apply strokes on the floor.
• Possibility of using for prevention.

But that's not all. Silver Chalk is famous for being equally dangerous for almost all insects, so you don't have to buy different products for all occasions.

Conclusion: is it possible to remove cockroaches with the help of chalk?

Having considered the general points in using a pencil, you can make an overview of the positive and negative aspects of its use.

Once and for all, get rid of cockroaches in the apartment, Mashenka's chalk is unlikely to help. Over time, the effect of the drug disappears and new cockroaches can freely settle in your home. If you know your neighbors are still living with cockroaches, renew the strips of crayon every week. Better yet, remove insects from the entire entrance at the same time, using more powerful drugs or with the help of a sanitary and epidemiological station.

Pros:

• Ease of use;
• low price;
• lack of smell;
• low toxicity.

It is convenient to use chalk due to the release form. They can be applied in solid lines or for surface treatment in hard-to-reach areas.Compared to other means (aerosols, powders), to use a pencil, you do not need to additionally prepare the room and apply special skills and knowledge.

Low cost (about 20 rubles) and the effectiveness of the product, according to customer reviews, has led to its widespread popularity among peers. Chalk Mashenka allows you to destroy various insects, which confirms the duration of its presence on the insecticide market.

The absence of smell makes it possible to process the apartment with the tenants present in it.

Minuses:

• short period of validity;
• low efficiency with a large number of insects;
• danger to animals and small children.

The drug retains its properties for 7 days, after this period only residual qualities remain. Pencil lines are negatively affected by heat and sunlight. Therefore, one treatment will not have the desired effect, and it is better to carry it out at least 2-4 times.

If there are a huge number of insects in the apartment, then it is better to use other powerful agents to destroy them in the complex.

When small children and animals live in a house, the substance on the floor can enter the baby's body and lead to poisoning with the poisons contained in the pencil.

Having some disadvantages, Mashenka's chalk remains the most affordable means for effectively destroying various insects in living quarters.

Chalk composition

The composition contains four components, two of which directly affect insects, and two are neutral - chalk and gypsum. They are needed to create the very shape of the crayon, as well as to indicate the stripes. The active ingredients are as follows:

• Deltamethrin.
• Zeta-cypermethrin.

Both of them have found wide application in the practice of killing crops and domestic parasites. Once in the insect's body, they block the nervous system. As a result, the work of all muscles stops and the insect quickly dies. "Mashenka" is a great help against bedbugs. Reviews emphasize that it is quite difficult to remove them, but if you work well with small pieces, the bloodsuckers disappear. And once again we emphasize that in small quantities these substances are not dangerous to humans.

The principle of the effect of Masha's chalk on insects

The components of the crayon belong to insecticides that exert their effect only on contact, so the insect must touch it. When cockroaches need food or water, they cross the line drawn by the shallow and smear in the composition.

It is imperative to outline solid lines 1-2 cm thick without gaps so that insects cannot avoid contact. Finding such loopholes, insects do not come into contact with the product and do not touch it.

Substances that have a toxic effect penetrate the cockroach and destroy the nerve impulses going to the muscles, which leads to paralysis and death. The composition adhering to the paws of insects is brought into the nest, where a cockroach manages to run in before death and infect the rest of the fellows.

Massive insect infestation occurs within 5-6 days. It can be noted that their number has decreased when their remains are on the floor. In many cases, insects can be removed within 2-4 weeks, re-processing every week.

Operating principle

In order for the fight to be won, you need to learn a little about your enemies. If these are cockroaches, then they usually appear at night because of the bedside tables and sinks, run along countertops and open shelves. This is where the product should be applied. The chalk "Mashenka" from bedbugs works a little more complicatedly. Reviews say that it is difficult to find a nesting place for these tiny creatures. But this is not required.

The bug eats at night. Where are you located? That's right, in your bed.Therefore, draw in stripes the approaches to it. Moving along the surface of the floor, insects with their paws pick up particles of the substance, which then enter its digestive system and, finally, into the blood. The result is known.

An analogue of Mashenka - a Chinese pencil from cockroaches

A Chinese cockroach pencil is one of the simplest and most affordable means used to fight insects in the USSR. It was he who formed the basis for the production of the domestic pencil. It was more effective than Soviet crayons due to the higher concentration of chemicals. Now Chinese crayons are also sold, but their effectiveness is similar to our "Mashenka". Where to buy such a pencil from cockroaches? You can buy it in online stores, in specialized stores or in the market.

The Chinese pencil acts on cockroaches in the same way as the Russian one. When an insect comes into contact with the agent, it develops itching and other unpleasant sensations, which later lead to death.

The method of application is identical: the necessary surfaces are treated with them around the perimeter and continuous lines are drawn so that insects must come into contact with the agent.

The period of validity of the Chinese pencil is limited to 7 days, like Mashenka, so after this period you need to re-treat the surfaces.

Infection of relatives

How long will it take for the entire population to die when using crayon from bedbugs "Mashenka"? Reviews often argue that at first the effect was not visible. The insects were still biting at night. But after about a week it became noticeable that there were much fewer of them, and soon they completely disappeared. Why is this happening?

Bedbugs live in communities and hide in secluded places. It is unlikely that they all feed on the blood of one person, so it is not necessary to assume that in one night they will all cross the line and die soon. But there is another mechanism at work here. In order to become infected, the insect only needs to touch its relative, which has crawled along the chalk line. That is, returning to the nest, the bug will bring death with it for many insects.

How long does the poison last?

On the packaging of the crayon, as a rule, it is indicated that the duration of the active substance on the treated surface is one week. However, in reality, the poison will have a toxic effect much longer. Chlorpifos works up to 2.5 months. Of course, a week after application, the crayon will no longer be so poisonous, but nevertheless, the strip becomes completely safe only after a couple of months.

The streak will become completely inactive only after two months

When using Mashenka, you should carefully monitor the dosage. One continuous line is enough so that the cockroach cannot avoid contact with the insecticide. And yet, some people try to paint as much of the surface as possible in order to be sure to kill all the parasites. Such diligence will be superfluous, especially in homes where there are children and animals. If you do not follow the rules for working with a poisonous substance, you can get big health problems.

The danger is small for a person arises if active substances enter the body. Often this happens when safety rules are not followed when working with poisons and an increase in the dosage of the insecticide.

Mild poisoning can lead to sleep disturbances, general weakness, vision problems, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. If you swallow a part of the "Mashenka" chalk, you must call an ambulance. Drink a glass of 2% soda water and try to induce vomiting before the medical team arrives. If the product comes in contact with the skin, negative reactions such as itching and rashes are possible. You need to wash off the chalk with alcohol, and then thoroughly clean the skin with soap and water. To avoid poisoning, you must not drink, eat or smoke when working with Mashenka.

Prolonged action

This is a very important property that distinguishes the "Mashenka" chalk from bedbugs. Reviews emphasize that, unlike aerosols, the drug begins to act not at the time of contact with an insect, but after a while. Thus, insects have time to poison their entire colony.

The principle of action is a slow effect on insects. In a few days, most of it is destroyed, and after about a week, the result becomes clearly visible. Consistent and systematic application will completely get rid of the invasion of insects in five days.

Testimonials

Pharaoh ants have prevailed! If my cookies were crawling all over the house. I thought I would never get rid of them. I thought so until I tried Mashenka. I will not say that the insects quickly disappeared - it took them a month to die out. But a year has passed, and I have not seen a single ant. I even started to miss these scoundrels!

Olga, Moscow

Muravyov received from unscrupulous neighbors. They bred quickly, crawling out into the open even during the day. Mashenka bought a chalk, drew lines, and waited. The number of insects has become much smaller, but they have not completely disappeared. Apparently the ants have adapted to Mashenka.

Andrey, St. Petersburg

Mashenka brought ants out, provided preventive measures, it's great. The price, by the way, is also pleasing. But this is not the main thing! What amazed me was that my dog ​​ate crayons with appetite and was poisoned. She felt a little nauseous, and that was the end of it. It turns out that Mashenka is pretty safe!

Maria, Moscow

How to apply

There is not one, but at least three different methods, and the result will be slightly different each time. Let's take a look at each of these options separately.

The traditional way of applying the drug is with lines. They are applied as with a pencil or crayon. It is not necessary to make it too wide, 1 mm is quite enough so that, crawling along the line, the insect gets smeared and died within an hour.

Quite often they ask whether the "Mashenka" chalk helps with bedbugs. Reviews are advised to use a different method of application, so that tiny blood-sucking creatures will definitely die. To do this, the crayon must be ground into powder and applied by spraying. Use a dry brush to distribute the powder in a manner similar to face powder. This method is great for sofas and beds to get to all corners. But the powder is a danger to humans when inhaling its particles. With this method of application, the crayon quickly helps to remove cockroaches from the home.

The drug is diluted in water. From this, it does not lose its properties, but only takes on a new form. Now, using a brush, like paint, it is applied in the favorite habitats of insects. If there are cracks in the walls and floor, then insects can hide in them. With this method of application, you have every chance to destroy the entire colony. This also applies to ants and fleas.

Other uses

Masha pencils are used to combat arthropod pests in various ways.

1. Application of thick stripes around the areas most frequently visited by insects.
2. Grinding pencils. The resulting powder is used to treat infected areas.
3. Dissolve finely in water until a kind of mixture is obtained. It is used to treat skirting boards, flooring and furniture. It helps to get rid of a small population.

Previously, the crushed powder was used to dust the areas. Now this method of application is not popular, since the probability of particles entering the respiratory system and intestinal tract of a person is high.

An integrated approach to wrestling

If over and over again you lose the battle, and the insects start a new attack, then you should not despair.This happens especially often if the houses have wooden floors in which fleas have settled. Victory will still be yours. And a simple crayon from fleas "Mashenka" will help. Reviews suggest that in this case, you will have to carry out a number of activities, which, as a result, will lead to the final cleansing of the house:

• It is necessary to remove the rugs and carpets and take them to the dry cleaner.
• Free the cabinets from things and treat them well with a crayon solution from the inside. If it's winter outside, then take all things out in the cold.
• Now we need to take on the upholstered furniture. Sofas and beds, an armchair, must be disassembled in the most possible way and carefully rub with chalk or spray a crushed block. Chalk "Mashenka" for fleas works great, you just need to make sure that the insects come into contact with the insecticide, and do not pass by.
• Reconsider where insects may be hiding in your room. Wallpaper, pictures, bookcases and drawers with writing utensils lagging behind the wall - all this must be taken into account.
• The skirting boards around the perimeter of the entire room must be carefully rubbed with chalk. Moreover, one strip must be run along the plinth, and the second a little higher, along the wall.
• Pay particular attention to cracks in the baseboard. These places are carefully processed by pouring a crayon solution into them.

We must not forget about the most favorite places for cockroaches. This is a trash bin, a dishwashing area, refrigerators and a dining area, a space behind the stove.

Precautions

Chalk Mashenka from ants is dangerous not only for insects, but also for humans and pets. Use it while adhering to the following safety rules:

• After opening the package, it is forbidden to take the chalk with bare hands. The processing of the apartment must be carried out with rubber gloves.
• After the end of the procedure, you should thoroughly wash your hands and face with soap.
• You need to draw with chalk in places closed to the child and pets.
• It is necessary to distribute the liquid mixture made of chalk in closed clothing, after putting on a mask or respirator on the face. After the procedure, you need to ventilate the room.
• Before use, carefully read the instructions, check the expiration date of the product.

You can get rid of bed bugs, cockroaches and ants once and for all if you use an insecticidal agent correctly.

NOTE! To get rid of fleas quickly, there are only three effective options:

The apartment is prepared for processing in two stages:

1. All people and animals are removed from the premises. Aquariums are tightly closed with a lid. Food and utensils are packed and hidden in cabinets. Clothes and bed linen are washed in hot water. Mattresses and carpets are exposed to the sun or frost.
2. Furniture is moved away from the walls, and wet cleaning is carried out in the room. To block the escape routes, doorposts, ventilation grilles and windows are washed with a strong bleach solution. As soon as the moisture dries up, you can start processing the room.

One pencil will be enough to process surfaces of 30 square meters. m.

Room processing

Before using the crayon, Masha is recommended to wear protective equipment. Hands must be protected with rubber gloves.

There are three ways to use an insecticidal pencil:

1. Simple lines. A variety of lines 1–2 cm thick are applied on the surface with chalk. In places where insects accumulate, the lines are made even thicker. All joints and cracks are processed. Particular attention is paid to the interior spaces of the furniture.
2. Grated crayon. The use of powder from a pencil Mashenka is a fairly effective way to destroy bedbugs, cockroaches, ants. The crayon must be crushed so that the powder looks like flour or soda. It's stuffed into electronics, books, and other things that can't be sprayed with aerosols. After the pests have been destroyed, the powder is removed with a vacuum cleaner.
3. Solution. The prepared powder can be dissolved in water and applied with a spray bottle. All the habitats of bedbugs and cockroaches are processed by it. The solution can be poured over batteries, baseboards and into various slots. It is not recommended to spray wallpaper with it. Washable wallpaper will then have to be washed for a long time, and paper can come off.

The effectiveness of the treatment depends on the correctly chosen place of application of the drug. Therefore, the apartment should be carefully examined beforehand in order to identify the places of the greatest accumulation of cockroaches, bedbugs, ants.

It is imperative to outline in small pieces the places where insects can gain access to food and water:

• kitchen sink;
• trash bins;
• stove;
• dinner table;
• refrigerator;
• cupboards in the kitchen.

Only two days have passed after the treatment of my apartment with small Mashenka, and there are already much fewer cockroaches. I hope that after a while they will disappear altogether. I really liked this insecticide. It is easy to use and very cheap. Pencil - for those who are worried about bedbugs, fleas, ants, cockroaches, moths. They are used to treat walls, skirting boards, sinks, furniture, tiles, mattresses, paintings. Chalk has one drawback - after processing, the lines drawn by it are visible on the surfaces.

Katerina, Kazakhstan

During the renovation of the apartment, along with the purchased building materials, cockroaches appeared in our house. I am very afraid of these insects, so I immediately ran to the nearest supermarket to buy poison. There was nothing suitable on the shelves of the store. Apparently, cockroaches appeared not only in our apartment.

In a private shop, I was offered to try to get rid of pests with the help of Mashenka's chalk. His price is very low, so I doubted it, but bought it. At home, I put on rubber gloves and, armed with a pencil, outlined all the building materials in bold lines. After a while, the cockroaches disappeared, and I washed off the traces of crayon with a damp cloth. I recommend this remedy to everyone if insects have just appeared in your house. If they have already bred, then a stronger drug will be needed.

Antonina, Ukraine

In a rented apartment, we encountered cockroaches, which were not poisoned with anything! We tried various aerosols, gels, traps. But nothing helped. We decided to resort to the old well-known and cheap means - Dichlorvos and a pencil Mashenka. We were satisfied with the result. We don't remember insects anymore.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with: What is iron sulfate used for

Love, Ukraine

When working with crayons, certain precautions should be taken to help prevent ingestion and skin contact. It is necessary to work with rubber gloves. Or, without touching the crayon with your hands, open its tip and draw with it, holding the rest of the package. You do not need to wear a mask while working.

But you should avoid getting particles of crayon on your face. Eyes can be protected with special glasses. Store and apply the product only out of the reach of children.When storing the drug, it is necessary to avoid sudden changes in temperature and exposure to direct sunlight. This will extend its service life.

• Be sure to read the instructions for use of the pencil, which is located on the package.
• When applying, be sure to make sure that the product does not get on the mucous membrane or into the respiratory tract.
• It is better to handle the room with gloves.
• Be careful not to get the pencil into your child's hands or your pet's teeth.

Ant fighting

These are not frequent guests in apartments, but they can take a fancy to the old five-story buildings. And the private sector is very familiar with anthills in the basement, in the cellar and in the kitchen. You should not waste time and effort to prepare various drugs according to folk recipes. The crayon against ants "Mashenka" is a great help. Reviews suggest that it can be applied in two ways:

• The insecticide dissolves in a bucket of water. The resulting solution should be used to treat the floors in the apartment, or to water the anthill, if the latter is found.
• The pencil is crumbled and scattered into the cracks along the baseboard, especially in those places from where the ants get out.

Wash your hands thoroughly after working with crayons.

Chalk Mashenka from ants

Pencil Mashenka is best used as an additional tool in the fight against ants, in conjunction with ant gels (Raptor, Great Warrior, etc.). An effective method will be drawn solid lines in places of their constant movement into the anthill.

If you find such trails, be sure to draw along them with a pencil. You can grind the crayon and sprinkle the resulting powder near the baseboards and in other places. The whole process must be carried out with gloves and in compliance with safety precautions.

The manufacturer reports that the substance retains its properties for a week, and it is better to re-treat the surfaces after 7-10 days.

Minuses

Judging by the reviews, "silver crayon" copes well with any pests that encroach on your home. However, it is not suitable for everyone and not in all cases:

• The agent has practically no effect on egg clutches. There is a chance that the poisoned individual will return to the nest, and as a result, young individuals will die, but it is not too great. And the eggs themselves do not move.
• The chalk is very resistant to temperature, moisture and weathering. It does not lose its properties for a long time and therefore is not suitable for rooms where children live.
• The pencil will not work immediately and quickly, especially if you limit yourself only to applying chalk strokes. Of course, this will stop the reproduction of a special and the spread of the insect population, but more efforts will be required to completely exterminate them.

Given these features, you can yourself assess the scale of insect infestation on your home and choose ways to fight. If there is not enough time, then call a specialized brigade so that they can conduct a dignity. processing. The same advice can be given if the house is inhabited by a large colony of insects. Destroying them with crayons will take a very long time.

Precautions when using chalk in an apartment

• Be sure to read the instructions for use of the pencil, which is located on the package.
• When applying, be sure to make sure that the product does not get on the mucous membrane or into the respiratory tract.
• It is better to handle the room with gloves.
• Be careful not to get the pencil into your child's hands or your pet's teeth.

Security measures

Processing is carried out by relocating household members for a couple of weeks to another home. Before returning, it will be enough to do a thorough wet cleaning and vacuum up the dead insects.

Further contact with surfaces that previously had chalk marks is safe. Grains of matter do not remain in the air. When machining during the erasure of the bar, the chips fall off, and do not move like dust.

How to protect yourself and your loved ones:

• Do not completely unpack the crayon. Remove only part of the packaging and hold by drawing lines. Cellophane will protect the skin from contact with poison. If the wrapper is accidentally torn completely, you should work with rubber gloves.
• Wear a mask or respirator. This is necessary in order to protect the respiratory tract from poisoning - some crayons generate dust when drawing lines.
• Protect children. Draw in places inaccessible to kids. If age allows, you need to explain to the child what these lines are, and why they should not be touched.
• Keep your pets safe. For warm-blooded people, the harm is minimal, but it is there. It is necessary to try to limit the access of the four-legged friend to the marked areas. It is best to give it to relatives, friends, or to a pet hotel for a while.

Even after a time, when the crayon itself has rubbed off, do not forget that it was applied. General wet cleaning is the only measure to neutralize active substances that are likely to remain on surfaces.

Description of the tool

Chalk "Mashenka" is an insecticidal agent that has a contact effect, that is, in order for the insect to receive a portion of the poison, it needs to come into contact with the surface treated with chalk.

The composition of the drug includes an effective insecticide - chlorpyrifos, but the main substance of the agent is a cementing composition. When particles of the drug enter the insect's digestive system, the cement blocks its work, as a result of which the insect dies.

Packaging and appearance

Outwardly, the product looks like ordinary school white chalk, which does not have a pronounced odor. Packed in paper or polymer packs, decorated in blue and blue colors. Instructions for use must be printed on the pack. The weight of one package is 20 grams.

Storage conditions

To prevent the chalk from losing its insecticidal products, it is important to store it correctly. Storage conditions:

• room temperature;
• lack of high humidity;
• lack of direct sunlight.

Safety

The tool belongs to the IV (highest) class of safety, that is, the chalk is low-toxic for a person, of course, if you do not start using it inside in large quantities. However, you should not neglect basic security methods:

• crayons should be stored in their original packaging away from food;
• during use it is not recommended to hold the pencil with bare hands, it is better to use gloves. You can apply the product by holding it through the packaging.