A quiet and peaceful night is what our person needs in order to feel rested, cheerful and full of energy in the morning. Sometimes it is difficult to achieve the desired result if you are constantly overwhelmed by a flock of buzzing insects. From warm spring to late autumn, mosquitoes, midges and other small arthropods do not allow you to sleep peacefully. It’s good that another human invention comes to the rescue - a repellent.
As the manufacturers assure, just 30 minutes of work and there will be no trace of insects left. But many people are concerned about other questions: are mosquito repellents harmful? How safe are they for human health? Now we will try to answer them.
Operating principle
The product is made in the form of flat rectangular strips of cardboard impregnated with the active substance. The plates are activated using special fumigator devices due to heating and evaporation of toxic impregnation.
The product retains its anti-mosquito effect for 8 hours, after which it changes color to white. The maximum area of the room covered by protective fumes is 20 m2.
The plates are produced in sets of 10 pieces, each of which is sealed in a sealed compartment. The product contains fragrances to give the product a pleasant aroma and insecticides:
- D-allethrin and its derivative esbiotrin. The substance paralyzes the nervous system of mosquitoes and leads to their death.
- DEET. A universal toxin that destroys most insect pests.
- Isopropanol An alcohol whose toxic effect exceeds that of ethanol. Along with the plates, it is part of aerosol sprays against mosquitoes.
- Prallethrin. A synthetic pyrethroid that instantly kills blood-sucking insects.
As additional components, natural repellents are added to the impregnation for the plates - extracts and essential oils of chamomile, cloves, eucalyptus and other plants that repel insects in the wild.
Insecticides for electrofumigators, which is better
Insecticides are liquid chemicals that are used to disinfect premises to kill insects such as mosquitoes and flies.
Those insecticides that enter the insect's body in a gaseous state are fumigants.
Among them are:
- Natural insecticides – peritrins. They are obtained from certain plants by extraction.
- Synthetic insecticides – pyrethroids. Pyrethroids are isolated from esters of various acids.
Natural fumigants are considered the safest for the human body. The use of artificial insecticides is widespread in industrial production.
Insecticidal liquids
Liquid for fumigator Among the components of liquids for fumigators, there are various combinations.
The main elements are considered to be:
- prallethrin;
- transfluthrin;
- citronella extract.
Advantages and disadvantages
Plates are considered one of the most popular mosquito control products due to the following benefits:
- Ease of use.
- Speed of action.
- Protects all people in the room.
- High efficiency.
- Long period of protection against insect bites.
- Low price.
- Compact and easy to transport.
The weak points of the insecticide in this form include:
- can only be used in rooms where electricity is connected;
- small radius of action - within one room;
- the need for constant ventilation of the room;
- The smell during fumigation seems unpleasant to some people;
- temporary limitation - you cannot leave the product working indoors continuously throughout the day;
- toxicity when the maximum concentration in the atmosphere is exceeded;
- insecticides contained in the plates are deadly to fish and reptiles.
Danger to the body
The product in the form of plates is not a dangerous product, but it is used with caution in areas where people live and rest:
- people with individual intolerance to the components of the insecticidal preparation;
- children under 3 years old;
- women during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases;
- asthmatics and allergy sufferers.
Increased concentrations of insecticides in the air lead to side effects:
- headache;
- dizziness;
- nausea;
- increased salivation;
- sore throat;
- difficulty breathing and swelling of the nasopharynx;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes;
- allergic dermatitis.
If any of the symptoms persist for 24 hours even after eliminating the source of the toxins, the affected person is referred to a doctor.
Rules of application
To activate the mosquito killer, you need to take the following steps:
- Open the packaging of the plates, remove one of them without violating the tightness of the packaging of the others.
- Insert the product into the special groove of the fumigator with the metallized side down. In most models of devices, the recess for the plate is horizontal, but there are devices where the body rotates for ease of installation.
- Plug in the electric fumigator.
Before using the product, you must carefully read the instructions for use and check the expiration date.
The plates will kill mosquitoes, but will not cause harm to human health if the following recommendations for use are followed:
- The fumigator with insecticide must not be placed in close proximity (closer than 1.5 m) to beds, sofas and resting places for people and pets.
- The product may only be activated in a ventilated area.
- The effect of insecticides is enhanced if the fumigator is positioned in the direction of air flow (near an open window).
- It is not recommended to block the operating device with pieces of furniture or curtains, since such actions reduce the efficiency of processing.
- You can add a mosquito repellent effect to the insecticidal effect by dropping 2 drops of essential oil of clove, lavender, anise or citronella onto the plate in the switched on fumigator.
- It is advisable to plug in the plate fumigator 30–40 minutes before bedtime.
Secret of success
How mosquito repellent tablets work can be found in the instructions that come with the product. They are impregnated with special substances that repel insects or kill them. The active ingredients are synthetic and natural insecticides. The latter are used in products for children under 5 years of age.
- Allethrin or esbiotrin, prallethrin and its analogues are synthetic insecticides that affect the functioning of the nervous system and muscles. They enter the air when heated, the strength of the action depends on the concentration. Mosquitoes initially become hyperactive, then their movements slow down, muscle paralysis and death occur.
- The composition of children's plates includes pyrethrum - a derivative of a special type of Caucasian chamomile. The drug blocks the transmission of nerve impulses, paralyzes, and causes death.
Mosquito tablets
The plates begin to act 5 minutes after turning on the fumigator. The tablets work even in a room with open windows. In nature, the radius of protection against mosquitoes is 1-5 m. Popular brands:
- Mosquitall;
- Raid;
- Raptor;
- Nekusayka (children's Raptor);
- Komaroff;
- Killer;
- Clean house;
- Picnic Family.
Proven means
Popular plates on the repellent market that have proven their effectiveness:
- Raptor. Plates made in Italy with an active substance called ethoc (prallethrin).
- Raptor Nekusayka. The product is intended for use in children's rooms, since it is based on a natural insecticide - pyrethrum (Dalmatian chamomile flowers). It begins to have a toxic effect on mosquitoes within 10–15 minutes after being plugged into the network. May be used in a ventilated area overnight.
- Raid. The plates are available in variations: without fragrance, with the aroma of eucalyptus and pine needles. Valid for up to 8 hours.
- Moskitol. The esbiotrin-based product is odorless and destroys the first individuals of blood-sucking insects 10–12 minutes after activation. It works continuously for 10 hours, but 60–90 minutes are enough to completely clean a ventilated area from pests. The substance causes an allergic reaction, so it is used with caution.
- Picnic. The Family and Baby series fumigator kits differ in the concentration of the insecticidal agent. The composition also includes chamomile extracts, citronella and tea tree oil.
Varieties by type of active ingredient
Such protection plates against blood-sucking insects may vary depending on the chemical composition used in their manufacture. Let's look at the most common options.
Esbiotrin
This component is often contained in impregnation. It is a potent insecticidal substance that kills mosquitoes. This element has the appearance of a viscous and oily substance of orange-brown color. Esbiotrin has a mild or even slightly aromatic odor.
The plates are impregnated with a chemical composition in such proportions as not to harm a person and his health, so these products are absolutely safe for people. This component allows you to infect the nervous system of flying and crawling pests, as a result of which their nerve conduction and muscular actions are significantly impaired, all of which leads to their death.
Prallethrin
This plate treatment substance is a synthetic insecticide. It allows you to quickly destroy harmful insects. Sometimes it is also used to control house flies. Prallethrin is a rather viscous liquid that has an orange color and a slight characteristic odor.
DEET
This active substance against mosquitoes has an effect on the body of parasites, repels and kills not only mosquitoes, horseflies, fleas, but also small harmful animals. Pure DEET is never used as a means of protecting against parasites. It is always diluted with other additional components.
Flavors and botanical extracts
These substances are not intended to destroy blood-sucking parasites, but only to impart a slight aroma to the impregnation. After all, many chemical compounds that are used to process plates have quite specific odors.
Insecticides have a variety of odors. Some smell too unpleasant, while others are able to fill the entire room with the aroma of citruses, tea tree, and various herbs. But aromatic additional components can also cause an undesirable allergic reaction in the human body, so the most popular are products that have no odor at all. Remember that some varieties acquire an unpleasant odor after smoldering is complete, which can easily cause nausea and headaches in humans.
How to use plates without a fumigator
In cases where there are mosquito repellent plates, but the fumigator is broken or missing, proceed as follows:
- Place the product with the metallized side (if provided for by the design of the plate) on a hot surface. For such purposes, an iron, a central heating radiator, or an incandescent lamp are suitable.
- If the repellent is to be used outdoors, then the plate is set on fire and extinguished so that smoldering occurs, but there is no flame. This method is not used indoors due to the high toxicity of the product when burned.
Mosquito repellent plates are an effective remedy that instantly destroys annoying insects indoors, repelling pests for a long time. When interacting with such a product, you should follow the rules for handling insecticides.
If you use a fumigator with plates strictly according to the instructions, then a person will not have any health problems, just as bites from bloodsuckers will not appear.
Is mosquito fumigator harmful to humans and pets?
As mentioned earlier, the main effect of a fumigator is to heat and distribute mosquito “poison” particles through the air. Of course, the issue of harm to others is quite stark.
Thus, according to experts, poison solutions for mosquitoes are low-toxic and do not in any way affect warm-blooded creatures, including small domestic animals.
That is, the composition at the chemical level is completely safe for humans and other residents in the room.
Which is better: plates or liquid?
In fact, both types of mosquito protection are analogues of each other. Cardboard plates are soaked in the same liquid, as if dosing the time of use.
As manufacturers indicate in advertising, one plate should be used for one night. If you compare the duration of action of the liquid and the number of plates required for the same period of time, then the option with liquid will be more profitable.
In addition, companies selling bottles of liquid offer more reliable “heads”, heating elements that are inserted into an outlet.
What else can you do to protect yourself from mosquitoes?
By and large, fumigator and various liquids are only temporary measures. In addition, the “poison” does not affect all types of mosquitoes. Some of them remain indoors.
A high-quality option is to install mosquito nets. In addition to protecting against squeaks, they will prevent cigarette butts thrown from higher floors from entering. Which, by the way, is incredibly important in modern apartment buildings.
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