Insect control powders continue to be very popular among those who have to deal with cockroaches. Easy to use and inexpensive products, when used correctly, can achieve very good results.
Many people associate the name “dust,” which means “powder,” with dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). Once upon a time, this drug was used everywhere in everyday life, on collective and state farms to combat all kinds of insects and pests. Until it was established that dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane is very harmful to people, tends to accumulate in the body and cause serious illness. Currently, the use of DDT is banned in most countries, and it is no longer possible to buy it.
An equally well-known and “ancient” powder preparation against cockroaches – orthoboric or simply boric acid – continues to be widely used today. Everyone knows the classic folk anti-cockroach remedy - a mixture of orthoboric acid with boiled egg yolk. These classic powders have been replaced by modern dusts, which are no less effective than their predecessors, but are much safer for warm-blooded animals than the notorious DDT.
We will begin our review with an old remedy, which, although it is inferior in popularity to DDT and boric acid, but, according to those who have used it, has a “killing” power against cockroaches. This is "tire powder". Perhaps many have heard that this drug is very effective against insects, including cockroaches, but they themselves have not yet encountered it.
Tire powder: composition, operating principle, reviews
Tire powder is a disulfide, or more precisely, tetramethylthiuram disulfide, also called technical thiuram, simply thiuram or TMTD.
Reference.
Thiuram is a white, gray or yellowish-gray odorless powder widely used in the rubber industry as a stabilizer and vulcanization accelerator (hence the name: “cable/tire”), and as a fungicide in agriculture.
For people who are concerned about the fight against cockroaches, the main interest, naturally, is its insecticidal (directed against insects) properties. Although it is useful to know that thiuram also has fungicidal (antifungal) and rodenticidal (acting against rodents) properties.
Professional exterminators practically do not use tiuram as an insecticide; they have stronger agents in their arsenal. But for hobbyists who deal with cockroaches from time to time, it is good to know that, judging by reviews, TMTD is more effective than the commonly used boric acid.
Where can I buy thiuram?
- In hardware stores, where it can be sold packaged in bags under the name “cable powder” or in one-kilogram bags under the name “Thiram”.
- At tire factories.
Review
I remember Tiuram from childhood; my parents used it to get rid of cockroaches. It was not sold in the store at that time; my father bought it at the tire factory where he worked. I remembered tiuram when cockroaches appeared in our apartment. I wanted to use it, but couldn't find it in the store. And I have a childhood memory of it that it is stronger than all karbofos and dichlorvos.
Oleg, Novosibirsk
Thiuram has an intestinal effect; in order for insects to be poisoned, it must enter their intestinal tract. The drug is moderately toxic and, therefore, dangerous to animals to a certain extent. It must be used carefully, eliminating any possibility of contact of all family members, especially children and cats, with the poison.
Mashenka chalk
To easily get rid of a small number of harmful insects, you can use Mashenka chalk. Its effectiveness is average, but the ingredients included will help you safely get rid of cockroaches traveling around your apartment. Particles of a toxic substance begin to act after contact with an insect, blocking its gastrointestinal tract.
Advantages:
- convenient to use;
- meager price;
- safe for animals;
- has a pleasant smell.
Boric acid
Orthoboric or boric acid is the most popular insect repellent among people. It is highly toxic to cockroaches and, when used correctly and consistently, can completely get rid of insects in a couple of weeks.
It can be used in 2 ways:
- Powder in the form of tracks crumbles on those planes where cockroaches travel. Arthropods soiled in powder clean their legs and involuntarily swallow a certain amount of powder inside. This is enough for death from poisoning to occur. The powder can be sprinkled around food baits. Heading towards them, cockroaches will definitely stain their paws with poison.
- The second way to use boron powder involves adding it to any food bait. Boiled egg yolk, boiled potatoes, dough. You can make small balls or cakes from the bait along with boron powder, placing them in different places in the room. As cockroaches find and eat them, they will gradually become poisoned.
Important.
It is very desirable that when using orthoboric acid, cockroaches do not have access to water, since drinking plenty of insects during poisoning reduces the effectiveness of the poison.
Review
Cockroaches can be easily controlled with boric acid. My mom and I did this. We bought 4 sachets of boric acid, 10 g each. They literally cost pennies - about 40 rubles. They took the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a couple of boiled potatoes, mixed them with boric acid, made small balls from the mixture and placed them in the kitchen - behind the stove, under the sink and in other places where cockroaches usually hang out. The poison acted gradually, after a couple of days the first corpses appeared, and somewhere in the 2nd week there were almost no cockroaches. Now there are no insects, even the neighbors' ones do not appear. Boric acid is a good remedy for cockroaches and does not pose any danger to people, much better than dichlorvos.
Svetlana, Voronezh
Boric acid is moderately toxic, practically does not cause allergies, and has no unpleasant odor. It can even be used to disinfect wounds. In a word, cheap, accessible and safe. It is these properties that boric acid owes its popularity.
On a note.
There is also borax (sodium tetraborate), a crystalline powder that can also be used as a poison for cockroaches.
Precautionary measures
When working with Thiuram, one should not forget that it is a very toxic substance to all living organisms. The toxic agent has the strongest effect on children, pregnant women, and the elderly. Symptoms of Thiuram poisoning are:
- dizziness;
- migraine;
- vomit;
- attacks of nausea;
- pain in the eyes;
- increased lacrimation;
- memory impairment.
Before treatment, you need to protect your body from exposure to aggressive substances. It is necessary to wear work clothes, disposable rubber gloves, a protective mask for the nasopharynx, and special glasses. It is advisable not to leave exposed skin areas.
If a toxic substance gets into your eyes or skin, you should 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 product may be good. But there are many problems. It’s difficult to get, it’s 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 starved the cockroaches with whatever they had to. Now there is a lot of choice, you can find another remedy.”
Ecokiller
The drug is an insecticidal agent based on diatomite (other names are “kieselguhr”, “mountain flour”). It is a cream-colored mineral with strong abrasive properties. The main component of diatomite is silicon dioxide, which is formed from the surface cells of diatoms.
In terms of its action, ecokiller stands apart from other insecticides. While most powdered preparations disrupt nerve conduction in insects and cause paralysis, the preparation with diatomaceous earth works in a completely different way. In addition to abrasive properties, it also has absorbent properties, that is, it actively absorbs moisture. This is the basis of its insecticidal effect. When the drug comes into contact with an insect, its chitinous surface layer is damaged, and the diatomaceous earth begins to actively dehydrate the insect, leading to its death.
The practice of using an ecokiller shows that even in severely advanced cases, cockroaches can be gotten rid of in a couple of weeks. It is very important that the product is also effective against those insects that have developed resistance to chemical insecticides - karbofos, permethrin, etc. The resistance developed by insects to frequently used products is a very serious problem, which sometimes makes the fight against them very difficult. Diatomite is one of the few drugs that successfully solves this problem.
Important.
Ecokiller is a contact agent, which means that it can also be successfully used against insects that do not eat bait, for example, blood-sucking fleas and bedbugs. It is also effective against moths and garden pests.
An important advantage of ecokiller is that, unlike pyrethroid and organophosphorus compounds, it is absolutely safe for animals. Externally, the drug looks like ordinary chalk. If a child or animal accidentally gets dirty in it, there will be no negative consequences.
In general, most insecticidal dusts are universal against insects; as a rule, the area of their use is not limited to one type of arthropod.
Instructions for use of Thiuram
The drug is a toxic poison, so it should be used strictly according to the instructions, taking into account all precautions.
Preparation of the solution
Thiuram can be prepared in two effective ways:
- With egg yolk. Often the drug is mixed with fresh egg yolks, since the formed poisonous balls are considered very attractive to cockroaches, both in shape and smell. To do this, mix one package of poisonous powder into several egg yolks and mix well until a homogeneous thick paste. Small balls are made from this paste and placed throughout the apartment. The remaining mixture can be stirred a little with water and the resulting liquid can be used to lubricate cabinet doors, refrigerators, doors and ventilation slots.
- Dry powder. Thiuram can also be used in its existing form. The powder is gradually scattered in places where it is easier for cockroaches to find it, for example, near the stove or refrigerator.
Preparing the premises
Preparing the room before using the drug is very important for two reasons. Thiuram is dangerous for people and animals, so it should not come into contact with household items and food products.
It would be better to place all towels, bedding and clothing in plastic. Food and utensils can be wrapped in cling film.
It is advisable to thoroughly wash the room beforehand, and walk well behind cabinets, sofas and the refrigerator with a wet cloth.
Good to know! After the preparatory procedures, people, animals and other living creatures (fish, parrots and turtles are also included in this list) should be taken outside, away from the place of bullying. After this, you should close the windows and doors, treat the apartment with a solution or dry Thiuram and leave yourself.
Frontline M
This product produced in Belarus is a classic nerve-paralytic insecticide. Its two active elements, fipronil and methoprene, have an intestinal-contact effect against arthropods. It is enough for an insect to run over the powder, swallow it along with the bait or clean its legs, resulting in poisoning and inevitable death.
Reference.
Like other powder products, Frontline M is sometimes called powders or dusts. It is necessary to remember that the last name has nothing to do with the memorable DDT, and means only powder.
Phenaxin
Phenaxin is a complex preparation containing boric acid and the pyrethroid insecticide fenvalerate. The latter can penetrate the body both through the chitinous cover of the insect and its intestines, producing a paralytic effect.
One package contains 125 g of phenaxin, which is enough to treat a room of approximately 30 m2. The drug is very cheap, a sachet costs about 40 rubles.
Phenaxin is poured in places where insects are localized, and on the main paths by which they move - near the trash can, on the back walls of kitchen furniture and equipment, along baseboards, in places where plumbing pipes are inserted, etc.
Important.
It is necessary to distinguish Phenaxin, which is used to fight synanthropic insects (cockroaches, etc.), from Phenaxin Plus. The latter remedy is intended to combat mole crickets in vegetable gardens; it is in the form of granules rather than powder.
Review
We tried various means against cockroaches. For example, the Regent, who helped for a while, but not for long. We fought arthropods with some Chinese remedy, it works well, but we didn’t come across it anymore, they say it can only be bought in Moscow. The trouble is that in our apartment building it is very difficult to remove insects; they travel from apartment to apartment, and it is almost impossible to completely get rid of them. The last time we used phenaxin was a few weeks ago. Many cockroaches died, and while they have not appeared again, I hope they will not appear. The disadvantage of phenaxin is that it is very smelly; it is advisable to use it before leaving somewhere so as not to smell the smell.
Oksana, Voronezh
Release form
The poisonous agent is produced in the form of powder or granules. These can be packages from 15g to 1 kg. The toxic drug should be kept away from food, children, and pets.
Ekaterina, Novosibirsk region:
“We bought an apartment that had a lot of cockroaches. We decided not to get involved ourselves. They called in the professionals. They asked what product they use. They told Tiuram. I found it on the Internet, and it turns out that now you can use it yourself.”
“Face double” and “Super front”
Despite the similarity of names, these are different drugs in composition. “Super Fas” contains zeta-cypermethrin (1%) and thiamethoxam (4%), sold in two forms (tablets and powder), which dissolve in water.
Fas-Double contains esfenvalerate, zeta-cypermethrin (or simply zeta) and piperonyl butoxide. It looks like a powder of various light gray-brown shades.
A one percent solution is prepared from “Super Fas”, which is sprayed in places where insects move and are localized. Consumption per 1 m2 is 50-100 ml.
“Fas-double” is used in powder form. Sprinkle it on the surfaces on which cockroaches move. Consumption – 2 g/1 m2.
The principle of action of these drugs is the same - disruption of neuromuscular conduction with paralysis and death of insects. Insecticides can penetrate into the body of cockroaches both through the surface of the body and through the intestinal tract.
The price of both drugs is approximately the same. One 10-gram package of “Super Pack” costs about 80 rubles. A 125-gram package of “Fas-double” costs about the same (about 70 rubles).
Review
My neighbors and I are unlucky; there are alcoholics living downstairs who have raised a lot of cockroaches. For 5 years we couldn’t do anything about them (the cockroaches). We used all sorts of means - aerosols, crayons, gels. We destroy them, they seem to have disappeared, but then they appear again and instantly multiply. Most likely, they migrate from the lower apartment. The neighbors on the landing have the same situation with cockroaches as ours, that is, it’s bad. But we recently found an effective remedy - Fas powder. This is a universal drug that helps not only against cockroaches, but also Colorado potato beetles and other garden pests. I don’t know about the rest, but it works very well against cockroaches. We carried out just one treatment, the cockroaches disappeared, and still do not appear (pah-pah-pah).
Oksana, Perm
Security measures
Even low-toxic drugs require maximum protection, since different people have different sensitivities, allergic reactions to the most harmless components are possible, plus there is always a cumulative effect.
Algorithm for the safe use of powder insecticides:
- Protect living organisms (take children and pets out of the building, cover aquariums, take plants out onto the balcony, hide bedding or cages).
- Prepare the premises for processing (put all food and drinks in sealed containers or inside furniture, hide dishes, move furniture and equipment, roll up carpets).
- Clear the apartment of debris (vacuum cleaner, broom, sealed bags) and food debris, drops of water.
- Protect yourself (glasses, disposable latex or nitrile gloves, mask, or better yet, a respirator). Clothing should be such that there are no bare surfaces (legs, arms).
- Start treating the room using “Super Fas” cockroach powder or similar.
- Leave the room for 12-24 hours (close all doors and windows hermetically).
- After working with poisons, especially such as “Tire Powder for Cockroaches,” wash all clothes and throw away gloves. Wash your hands and face generously with water and laundry soap. Wipe off any remaining water.
- After the treatment period, open windows and doors, wash treated surfaces using protective equipment. Use a soda solution, followed by clean water. Wash all rags, washcloths or rags after use.
Clean house
“Clean House” is available in powder form, which contains two active substances - the repellent cypermethrin, which is effective against many insects, and tetramethrin, an insecticide from the pyrethroid class. The latter has a nerve-paralytic effect, and in addition to cockroaches, it acts against various ectoparasites.
The product is used similarly to other insecticides in powder form and is very effective. After just two days, a lot of dead cockroaches appear on the floor. The product also helps against fleas, ants, silverfish, wood lice and even bedbugs, if used correctly, i.e. strictly according to the instructions.
Review of effective remedies
Effective dusts:
- Tornado.
- Ecokiller.
- Phenaxin.
- Absolute-dust.
- Clean house.
The quality of treatment depends not only on the population size of synanthropic insects, but also on resistance to certain types of insecticides. Owners often note that a powerful remedy has little effect on cockroaches that have adapted to the influence of the components of a particular drug. If resistance is detected in pests, you need to replace the insecticide with another one and check how the insects react to the new composition. It is advisable to choose agents to which resistance rarely develops.
Pyrethrum
Pyrethrum is a very well-known, long-used natural remedy. It is finely ground Dalmatian chamomile. This plant contains natural insecticides of the pyrethrin group, which were the predecessors of modern synthetic pyrethroids. Pyrethrum is also known as Persian powder.
Pyrethrins are considered less effective than synthetic pyrethroids, which are very potent nerve agents for insects. But due to their naturalness, they are much safer than pyrethroids. In addition to cockroaches, ants and other relatively harmless insects, with the help of pyrethrum you can fight blood-sucking ectoparasites - fleas, ticks, bedbugs. A package of pyrethrum weighing 300 g costs approximately 500 rubles.
The bulk of insecticidal powders sold are similar to each other both in composition and method of application. In addition to those mentioned above, there is also biocyfen (with fenthion and cypermethrin as active ingredients), “Green House”, “Khalek” and some other products containing pyrethroids with their enteric contact action.
How to get rid of cockroaches forever
To prevent cockroaches from infesting your home, you must maintain cleanliness. Carry out regular wet cleaning using high-quality products - these are the main enemies of insects. If the pest invasion of an apartment building has already begun, but your apartment is still being avoided, then preventive measures are necessary. Increase the frequency of wet cleaning, install a mosquito net on ventilation, check the insulation of pipes.
Also, for prevention, you can purchase special electronic repellers - these are very high-quality products in the apartment. They are small devices powered by the network. They operate in the ultrasonic range, so you won't hear them (but pets may). Cockroaches try to stay away from the source of such sound, so with the help of such a device you can protect your home from uninvited mustachioed guests.
