Among the most familiar and traditionally popular means of pest control are all kinds of cockroach powders - they are easy to use, most of them are inexpensive and in practice, when used correctly, really show high efficiency.
One of the first representatives of powdered insecticides was dust (DDT, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) - it is well remembered by the older generation, since dust has found wide application not only in agriculture, but also in everyday life, to fight cockroaches, house ants and even lice. And the remedy was really lethal, at least, DDT mowed cockroaches clean (though quite often the drug led to poisoning of the residents themselves, since it was very toxic).
Below in the photo is the same legendary dust that cannot be found on sale today:
Boric acid (the so-called boric powder) has also found widespread use from cockroaches: its mixture with egg yolk is a classic folk recipe for cockroaches, used to this day, and not without success.
Meanwhile, progress did not stand still, and today a large number of other cockroach powders have appeared on the market, no less effective, but at the same time much safer to use than dust, and acting in a lower concentration than boric powder. Interestingly, among the people, almost any powder from insects is still often called dust, although, of course, modern means no longer have anything to do with DDT, and the active substances in them are completely different (we will talk about them a little later).
So, let's see which insecticidal powders are most popular today for killing cockroaches, and also try to figure out how to use such means correctly in order to get the maximum effect and forget about pests in the house for a long time.
And let's start with the exotic - with the so-called "tire powder" - its specificity is that many have heard about its extremely high efficiency against cockroaches, but have absolutely no idea what kind of substance it is, where to buy it, and indeed why some call it tire powder and others call it cable ...
Basic information about the drug
Thiuram is a white or gray crystalline powder that is almost odorless. It is used in the rubber industry, in the manufacture of tires, to enhance vulcanization. Because of this, the drug was named - tire or cable powder. Melts at a temperature of 150 ° C. Poorly soluble in water. Let's dissolve in alcohol, acetone.
By chance, Thiuram was found to have fungicidal properties, that is, it is able to suppress the spread of fungi, fight pests. The drug helps well in the fight against cockroaches.
Release form
The poisonous agent is produced in the form of powder, granules. These can be packages from 15g to 1 kg. It is necessary to store the poisonous preparation away from food, children, and pets.
Ekaterina, Novosibirsk region:
“We bought an apartment with a lot of cockroaches. We decided not to mess with ourselves. They called in the professionals. They asked what remedy they use. They said to Tiuram. I found it on the Internet, it turns out now you can use it yourself. "
The composition of the poisonous agent
Thiuram is very poisonous. The main active ingredient in the composition is pinerobutoxide, which is classified as a hazardous substance. When working with him, you must use protective equipment, observe safety rules.
Pinerobutoxide significantly increases the toxic effect on insects, which makes the use of the drug effective. Thiuram decomposes quickly under the action of ultraviolet rays, it is readily soluble in organic solvents.
Feverfew powder
Feverfew is another specific powder used to fight cockroaches. It is interesting in that it consists of dried and crushed Dalmatian chamomile flowers - a flower that contains natural insecticides from the pyrethrin class. It was pyrethrins that were used to control insects until the industry began to manufacture their synthetic counterparts - pyrethroids.
The second name for pyrethrum powder is Persian powder.
It is believed that synthetic pyrethroids as insecticides are more effective than pyrethrins, that is, they have a more pronounced nerve effect on insects. At the same time, pyrethrins are safer for humans and pets, and therefore Pyrethrum powder is used not only against cockroaches in living quarters, but also for fighting, for example, against lice, ticks and fleas in cats and dogs.
The price of Pyrethrum powder is about 500 rubles per package for 300 grams.
The mechanism of action of Thiuram on pests
The method of exposure to a poisonous agent is contact. Cockroaches must eat Tiuram to get poisoned. Further, the agent affects the nervous system of domestic pests, blocking protective enzymes. The transmission of impulses is impaired, which leads to paralysis and death of parasites.
On the body of the cockroach, the chitinous membrane ceases to form. For some time, the insect still moves normally, this is considered an advantage of the poisonous agent. Since the pest is able to transfer particles of a poisonous drug to its relatives, who took refuge in a shelter, they did not try the bait.
Problems that cockroaches create
In addition to the terrible sight of the accumulated hordes behind pieces of kitchen furniture and in other secluded places and crevices, a person suffers from physical contact with insects, their harmful effects are manifested in the following troubles:
- food deteriorates from contact with excrement;
- serious diseases occur due to the spread of infection on the bodies and legs of uninvited goseti (dysentery, lichen, diphtheria, E. coli, helminthiasis, tuberculosis, etc.);
- lack of water in an apartment inhabited by parasites is the cause of human bites (including small children) in a dream;
- some people suffer from an allergic reaction to the waste of the "lodgers", especially dry ones.
Insects are capable of reproducing at a high speed, and very soon a couple of uninvited guests increase to a real misfortune, even a professional cockroach poison can hardly cope with such a disaster. Thanks to their flat and elongated body, they easily penetrate into thin crevices. Such visitors settle in any place hidden from human eyes: on the back walls of cabinets, refrigerators, under skirting boards, in kitchen drawers with any utensils, behind sheets of peeled wallpaper. Insects feel great breeding in the cases of TVs, microwave ovens, computers, laptops, non-working electric ovens.
The fact that hordes of cockroaches live in the apartment are evidenced by black dots of excrement on any surfaces and dry capsules from which harmful offspring hatch.
Buying a drug
This poisonous substance is not registered as a means for the destruction of cockroaches, therefore it cannot be found on the open market. In the Soviet Union, the sale of Tiuram was prohibited.
It is not sold in stores, in household markets. This tool is used in tire shops, factories for the production of rubber, cables. You can try to get it in production.
There is a certain danger of buying a fake, since it will not be possible to distinguish a quality product, we can only hope for the honesty of the sellers. It is necessary to be wary if Tiuram is offered for free sale under its real name. It is not approved for sale, as it is a substance hazardous to humans.
It is possible that Tiuram powder with a completely different composition is on sale. The manufacturer used the "promoted" name.
They order a purchase through online stores, like a chemical reagent in some stores on sale there is "Cable powder" in small packaging or "Tiram" means weighing up to 1 kg.
Pros and cons of the remedy
The ratio of positive and negative sides becomes decisive when choosing a tool. The table summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of Tiuram.
| Dignity | disadvantages |
| The drug has a detrimental effect on adults and eggs. | Thiuram is toxic to pets and humans. |
| Can be used indoors and outdoors, at low temperatures. | Cannot be purchased at regular stores. The original powder must be obtained from specialists. |
| Increases the toxicity of toxic substances that are used together. | Not easy to use. |
| Cockroaches do not get used to Tiuram. | Complex preparation of the premises is required before processing. |
| It successfully destroys other household pests - mosquitoes, flies, bedbugs, ants. | The product must not be used in damp rooms. |
| It retains its toxic properties for a long time even without packaging. | It is necessary to leave the room for a long time when processing with Thiuram, then a thorough cleaning is necessary. |
Vladislav, Izhevsk:
“About 20 years ago there were an immeasurable number of cockroaches, which didn’t help. They disappeared for a while, then reappeared. Hands dropped. Now strong chemicals have appeared, they have freed homes from these parasites. I think, even if this is a strong chemistry, but it is not scary for it to be doused 1-2 times, then it will be washed away, and there are no more cockroaches. Thiuram at the dacha exhausted everyone, brought out the ants too. An excellent remedy, it helps against everyone. "
Insecticides
If there are a lot of insects in the apartment, then you cannot do without the use of insecticides. Do not be afraid to use them, modern effective means help get rid of cockroaches without harming people. Of course, provided they are used correctly.
Crayons and pencils
Crayons and pencils are perhaps the simplest tool. To get rid of cockroaches, you will need to draw solid lines where insects move. However, crayons confirm their effectiveness only with a small number of cockroaches; with an average and high degree of infection in an apartment, it is better to use more radical methods of struggle.
But it is small, this is the most convenient means of prevention, it should be used to protect the premises from the penetration of cockroaches from neighboring apartments. For prevention purposes, it is recommended to periodically draw lines at the places where communications take place:
- around risers of pipelines of sewerage, heating, water supply;
- at ventilation ducts;
- around sockets and switches located on walls adjacent to neighboring apartments.
Gels and poison traps
Gels and poisonous traps are very convenient for use at home, these funds are convenient to use in combination. The composition of the gel and bait in the trap includes:
- insecticide, that is, insect poison;
- fatty base that does not dry out for a long time, maintaining the performance of the drug;
- special substances that attract insects and encourage them to try the gel (bait).
Gels and traps do not take effect immediately, the effect of their application will become noticeable only after a few days. The fact is that these are means of the so-called viral spread. An insect that has tasted the gel does not die immediately, the individual returns to its habitat and in the remaining 2-3 days of its life infects many of its fellow tribesmen. Thus, the poisonous substance spreads like a virus, and after a while, almost the entire population becomes infected.
Using gels is very simple. They are released in tubes or syringes. The drug is applied with dots in the form of a dotted line, the distance between the dots is determined by the number of insects in the apartment. If there are a lot of cockroaches, then the points should be set with an interval of 2-3 cm.With a small number of insects, in order to save money, the distance between the points can be increased to 7-10 cm.
Gels can be applied to floors, walls and furniture, due to their dense structure, the drug adheres well to vertical surfaces.
The gel is recommended to be used in hard-to-reach places, for example, behind furniture. And it is more convenient to set traps in the public domain.
Aerosols
If you need to get rid of cockroaches as quickly as possible, then it is best to apply insecticides in aerosol form. These drugs enter the body through the respiratory system, so they act almost instantly.
So, you can always find an effective remedy against cockroaches. When choosing, you need to take into account the degree of infection of the premises, the desired speed of obtaining the result and the capabilities of the owners. Means that are perfect in one case may not give the expected result in another.
Application methods
Poisonous Thiuram is used as a powder and solution. The powder simply crumbles in places of accumulation of domestic parasites, along the areas of their movement, near the water. Since the powder is odorless, it will not attract cockroaches. It will not be effective. It is better to mix some sugar into the powder to attract arthropods.
Some manufacturers on the packaging with the drug give recommendations on how to prepare the poisonous solution. Stir the package, about 15 g, with raw chicken yolk, then apply to the designated places. It is convenient to do this with a brush or sponge. Always protect your hands with rubber gloves.
What good cockroach remedy is worth using if there are children or pets in the house
In the event that children or animals live in the house, you should be especially careful not to leave various edible insect baits in the apartment, which, by their appearance or smell, can attract not only cockroaches. It is better to use crayons or use some folk remedies. One such safe and proven method is cockroach baiting with baking soda. If a cockroach consumes even a certain amount of this substance, then it will simply die. Leave this mixture in places where cockroaches appear overnight: a little sugar mixed with baking soda. It is best to scatter such a "lunch" behind the refrigerator, near the trash can, in the closet.
One of the best pest control agents is boric acid
However, it is important to use it so that it is out of reach of children and animals. One of the most popular recipes: 40 g of boric acid, chicken egg yolk, 1 tsp
a spoonful of sugar or some kind of syrup. Roll balls from the resulting mass and lay them behind the furniture. This method is very effective, however, of course, it is important that the baits are not available to children and animals. A cockroach destroyed by such a remedy no longer poses a danger, but such balls are unsafe for children and pets if they decide to eat them.
Premises preparation
To increase the effectiveness of the use of a toxic drug, it is necessary to properly prepare the room before processing. It will be easier to do spring cleaning later.
Before processing with Thiuram, you need:
- put small items, books, clothes, toys in plastic bags;
- put food in the refrigerator;
- wrap the dishes and put them in lockable cabinets;
- move furniture away from the walls in order to find the nests of parasites, to free up access to the baseboards and corners;
- close doors, windows, ventilation openings (if this is not done, the cockroaches will go to neighboring apartments, wait there for the duration of the action of toxic substances, then return again);
- take away children, elderly people, pets;
- carry out wet cleaning, this will remove debris.
It is necessary to identify the places of accumulation of parasites for processing just such areas. It is easy to do this by looking at the numerous feces they leave behind.
Room processing methods
A thin layer of powder should be sprinkled on skirting boards, including hard-to-reach places. Particular attention is paid to cracks, cracks, pipe joints. It is advisable to nail the baseboards tightly so that insects do not have the opportunity to move freely between apartments.
Next, you need to process facing panels, wallpaper, tiles, gaps behind batteries, refrigerator, cabinets. All carpets, upholstered furniture, rugs are also processed. Thoroughly sprinkle the insides of sofas, armchairs (armrests and side connections).
Cockroaches often run along walls and ceilings. It is better to treat vertical surfaces with Thiuram solution. To do this, it is applied to a wide brush or foam sponge. In this way, you can apply a liquid solution to the inner surface of carpets, grease door frames, the bottom and back of cabinet furniture.
Particular attention is paid to places:
- near the trash can;
- kitchen sink;
- ventilation grilles;
- the space behind the toilet;
- door frames.
In the cabinets, lay out sheets of paper with the poison applied. The instruction does not recommend removing them for 2 weeks. During this time, cockroaches will hatch from the eggs and taste the poison.
After the end of the distribution of the poisonous substance, it is necessary to remove protective clothing and wash. The face should be rinsed with plenty of running water, as the powder can enter the respiratory tract, especially if a mask was not used.
After processing, you need to leave the room for about 24 hours. After returning, you need to wash the apartment with soda and soap. Vacuum the furniture to remove the remaining particles of the toxic substance. Ventilate the room. You can leave the poisonous agent in small crevices, cracks, but in inaccessible places. This will eliminate the re-entry of parasites into the apartment.
There will be many dead cockroaches in the apartment. They need to be removed with extreme care, because they contain a large amount of toxic substance. Care should be taken to ensure that children do not touch them and that pets do not try to eat them.
How to prevent the emergence of cockroaches in the future: cleanliness, prevention
If you want to prevent cockroaches from entering your abode, pay special attention to the factors that contribute to their appearance. So what should you be aware of first? They are attracted by food
Cockroaches appear where food is available to them. If the remains of food on the table is a familiar sight for you, then you should not be surprised that this picture has attracted your "uninvited visitors" as well. Just a little is enough for them to "look at the light" - an open garbage bag, crumbs on the table, cereals scattered in the kitchen drawer
They are attracted by food.
Cockroaches appear where food is available to them. If the remains of food on the table is a familiar sight for you, then you should not be surprised that this picture has attracted your "uninvited visitors" as well.Just a little is enough for them to "look at the light" - an open garbage bag, crumbs on the table, cereals scattered in the kitchen drawer.
You have available water.
Cockroaches love not only to eat, but also to drink, and if you have water freely available to them, then probably the problem cannot be avoided. We can talk about puddles near the washbasin or a leaking shower cubicle.
Neighbors food and water.
However, even if you are trying to maintain perfect order, but at the same time food and water are freely available and abundant in your neighbors, then, most likely, you will also have to face cockroaches. However, in this case, there are two ways out: either to help the neighbors get rid of insects, or to eliminate all possible gaps between your apartments.
Prophylaxis
If you do not want your abode to attract cockroaches, we recommend keeping it in order. In order to get rid of these insects, you will not do with only one cleaning per month - cleanliness must be observed constantly
We advise you to store all edible products in an airtight container, do not leave crumbs or leftovers anywhere - especially at night on the dinner table, it is also important to keep an eye on the places where your pets eat - there should also be no extra crumbs. Check the contents of your kitchen drawers to make sure there are no spilled cereals in them.
Among other things, it is recommended to wash the dishes immediately after a meal, and even more so not to leave them in the sink overnight.
Don't leave trash in your apartment - take it out as often as possible. We advise you not to keep garbage for a long time in the cupboard under the kitchen sink or collect bags with various waste at the entrance. Try to put your trash in the trash can every day, whenever possible. Also, place a container in the kitchen with a tight-fitting lid.
Do not leak, because these insects may well survive without food for many days, but they need water on a regular basis. It is for this reason that you should often inspect the house for potential leaks (sink, toilet, pipe joints, and so on). It is important to always wipe dry any surfaces in the house and avoid any puddles.
You should get rid of possible cracks in the apartment, in case your neighbors turn out to be unclean and cockroaches start in their abode. Examine the walls of the apartment, the ceiling, as well as all corners to make sure that there are no cracks - otherwise they need to be putty. Also, do not forget to close the ventilation with a fine mesh.
Precautions
When working with Thiuram, one should not forget that it is a very toxic substance in relation to all living organisms. Hardest of all, the poisonous agent affects children, pregnant women, the elderly. The symptoms of Thiuram poisoning are:
- dizziness;
- migraine;
- vomiting;
- bouts of nausea;
- pain in the eyes;
- increased lacrimation;
- memory impairment.
Before processing, you must protect your body from the ingress of aggressive substances. It is necessary to wear work clothes, disposable rubber gloves, a protective mask for the nasopharynx, special glasses. It is advisable not to leave exposed skin areas.
If a poisonous substance gets into the eyes or on the skin, wash your hands well with soap and water, then rinse the affected area with plenty of water.
Konstantin Nikolaevich, Ufa:
“Too much trouble with Tiuram. The remedy may be good. But there are many problems. It is difficult to get it, it is difficult to process an apartment. Poisonous powder for humans. I have two cats, they love to climb everywhere, I'm afraid for them. There are other drugs. Previously, there was nothing, so they killed cockroaches than necessary. Now the choice is rich, you can find another remedy. "
Use of Thiuram for prevention
Thiuram is toxic. If there are people or pets in the room, then it cannot be used, even for preventive purposes.But it is very convenient to use this poisonous substance on weekends or when the whole family goes on vacation for a few holidays. For Thiuram, 24 hours is enough to have a detrimental effect on domestic parasites.
For preventive purposes, the powder or solution of Thiuram must be applied to a sheet of paper (it will be more convenient to remove it later) and spread out in certain places. Be sure to push it into the ventilation grill, leave it in the opening of the front door, at the balcony door. Spread out around the perimeter of the apartment, under upholstered furniture. In the kitchen, sheets of paper should be under the refrigerator, near the trash can, under the sink, near cabinets, in places of constant accumulation.
After returning, the sheets with toxic contents must be collected, wet cleaning must be carried out. If such prevention is carried out once a month, then cockroaches will stop looking into such a house.
Everyone decides for himself how to deal with domestic parasites. But this must be done, because they are carriers of many dangerous diseases, for example, tuberculosis.
Good old boric acid
Boric acid (otherwise called boric powder) is a much more popular and well-known cockroach remedy than thiuram. It is very toxic to most insects, and if used correctly, it can take cockroaches out of the house in just 2 weeks.
Boric acid can be used as an insecticide in two ways:
- The powder is poured in paths where cockroaches are likely to run over it, or a small bait (bread, egg, onion) is simply placed in the middle of the piles of boric acid. The bottom line is to get the cockroaches to get dirty in the boron powder. When insects begin to clean their paws and antennae, they will certainly swallow a few grains of the product;
- Or boric powder is added to the food bait, and the cockroaches simply eat it. Traditionally, the recipes for such baits involve mixing boric acid with a boiled egg (yolk), with mashed potatoes, with dough, but, in principle, you can knead the powder into anything that cockroaches will eat. From the resulting mixture, balls are rolled, which are then laid out in different places of the apartment. Gradually, cockroaches find them, willingly eat and poison themselves.
It is also useful to read: Insecticidal smoke bombs for the destruction of cockroaches in the apartment
And one more thing: Do not write off the chalk from cockroaches Mashenka - it really works, we checked it during the experiment ...
Feedback
“My mother and I poisoned cockroaches with boric acid. They got us incredibly! We bought 4 sachets of 10 grams at the pharmacy, they cost 40 rubles each. We boiled two eggs hard-boiled and mixed the boric acid powder with the yolks well. Then they rolled small balls, they were laid out in different places in the kitchen, especially under the sink, where these creatures are constantly crawling. Cockroaches just pounced on this treat, it seemed that they were chomping all over the kitchen. After about 5 days, there were much fewer of them, they began to poison themselves. Boric acid is a slow-acting poison for them. Then they swept away the corpses for a few more days, but now everything is clean, they don't even come from the neighbors. "
Svetlana, Moscow
Boric acid is good for its wide availability, complete absence of odor and relative safety for humans (moderately toxic, rarely causes allergic reactions, it was even used to disinfect wounds before). You can buy it at almost any pharmacy.
On a note
Instead of boric acid for baiting cockroaches, you can just as well use borax (sodium salt of boric acid, which is also a white crystalline powder).
Another important point that not everyone takes into account when using boric acid in practice: the room should not have easily accessible water sources for at least some time, since cockroaches poisoned with boric acid can drink, which significantly reduces the effectiveness of the method.
