What are bed bug chalks? What are they, how do they work, how to use? Is there a danger for animals and children?

What are bed bug chalks? How do they act on insects? How to work with them correctly? Precautionary measures. The assortment on the domestic market includes Mashenka, Tornado and others. Which chalk should you choose? If bedbugs appear in your home, you need to act immediately. Instantly spreading throughout the apartment, insects interfere with sleep, feed on blood, become a source of disease, and emit a characteristic odor. There are many products on sale that kill unfortunate parasites, among which are crayons.

Types of crayons against bedbugs

Chalk against bed bugs and other harmful insects in the house became popular in the Soviet Union. In appearance it resembles a piece of ordinary school chalk. Despite the fact that bed bug chalks have been used for a very long time, reviews of the insecticide are still good these days. There are wax and chalky poisonous crayons to combat bloodsuckers. In the first case, in addition to the chemical substance, the product contains paraffin and wax, and in the second, chalk or gypsum is added. These are binding elements due to which toxic components are retained on surfaces.

Don't decent people get bedbugs?

Bed bugs hiding in the sofa

The faster the war against bedbugs begins, the faster they are defeated. Many people are convinced that these insects cannot live in a clean city apartment, which is cleaned at least twice a week. In fact, there are a thousand ways to introduce bedbugs into a sparkling clean house! How to get rid of bedbugs that are infested in the sofa

Are there large numbers of very disadvantaged citizens (alcoholics, drug addicts, gypsies) living in your neighborhood? The last time the entrance was thoroughly cleaned and renovated was about ten years ago? Is the garbage taken out almost once a month? Do you like to buy antiques and put them in order? Do you often visit second-hand bookstores? Do you own a long-haired pet? Do you constantly go on business trips and spend the night in cheap hotels? Did you buy a sofa from resellers and find biting parasites in it? Mashenka's chalk will save you from all such cases! The price of chalk, on average, is only 15 rubles in stores in Russian cities.

Bed bugs are blood-sucking guerrillas

Bugs in an old sofa

Bed bugs (Bed bug or house bug - you need to know the enemy by sight), as well as mosquitoes, feed on the fresh blood of people and warm-blooded animals. But if mosquitoes announce their appearance with an annoying squeak, then bedbugs hunt silently. During the day they sleep in secluded places, and at night they attack their victims. Knowing the habits of bedbugs will help you choose the right strategy for their destruction.

Bedbug shelters can include:

• Cracks and crevices in wooden furniture

• Raised edges of wallpaper

• Plastic and wooden skirting boards

• In the spines of old books

• Bed linen, down pillows and blankets, woolen blankets

• Closed housings of electronic devices (especially in system units, microwave ovens, hoods, air conditioners)

The Mashenka pencil against bedbugs is quite effective, since insects prefer to accumulate in groups in dark places, where they lay larvae and leave noticeable dark spots with their excrement. The mechanism of action of the pencil takes into account the lifespan of bedbugs and the mechanism of their rapid infection.

Bed bugs can survive for about a year even in conditions with minimal food. Under unfavorable conditions they can:

• fall into suspended animation, which increases the overall lifespan of the individual
• begin to migrate through ventilation ducts, as well as the walls of the house
• mutate under the influence of aggressive chemical poisons aimed at instantly killing adults (larvae instantly adapt to most types of aerosols and liquids for bedbugs).

bedbugs prefer untreated wood

Bed bug chalk has a radically different mechanism of action on these insects. The product acts in such a way that the infected individual is instantly paralyzed. And toxic substances can quickly slow down all life processes in the larvae and destroy them before the formation of mutation.

Composition of chalk

The pyrethroid group of pesticides makes up the main content of chalks against bed bugs. These are toxic substances for bloodsuckers and more or less harmless to humans. These include cypermethrin, fipronil, deltamethrin, which have a contact effect on insects. Cyprometrin is enhanced by the influence of other components and in tandem they effectively fight bedbugs. Cypermethrin has a destructive effect on the nervous system of the bug - disruptions occur in the parasite's nerve impulses, which leads to paralysis of the insect and its death. The larvae also do not survive under the influence of the chemical.

How effective is the “Mashenka” chalk?

The development of insect chalks began during the Soviet Union. The products were extremely popular because they made it possible to quickly get rid of pests on our own. The chalk is easy to use, it does not leave a strong odor and has a detrimental effect on insects.

Why are modern people skeptical about such a simple and useful remedy? Technological progress and rapid computerization have led to the formation of the idea: “Everything that is new is good.” As a result, old, proven means are no longer used, although they are very effective and inexpensive. If you are thinking about whether to buy Mashenka chalk, people’s reviews will help you realize the simple truth: “Proven products give the expected results.”

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Advantages of crayons against bedbugs:

• low cost along with a visible effect,
• no pungent odor,
• ease of use,
• long-term effect on bedbugs,
• harmless to people and pets.

Flaws:

• suitable for treatment in case of minor infestation of the premises with bedbugs,
• prolonged onset of a positive result,
• the ability of insects to adapt to the action of an insecticide.

If bloodsuckers have largely attacked your home, then crayons are powerless here. You will have to resort to more powerful means of disinsection of the premises.

Mechanism of action on bedbugs

How does Mashenka's chalk work on bedbugs? Active substances penetrate the body with the help of paws and chitinous shell. Well, after that, strong components block the transmission of nerve impulses to the muscles of the insect, thereby causing paralysis and, as a consequence, inevitable death.

Many consumers who are convinced of the effectiveness of the drug say that they should not expect an immediate effect. The insect dies slowly, about 3-5 days after contact with poisonous chalk.

Note: once the bug comes into contact with chalk, it becomes infected. Thus, he can infect his relatives, which will lead to their death even without contact with the strip drawn in pencil.

How to use the product correctly?

Crayons against bedbugs are used in different ways. It all depends on how infested the house is with parasites. If there are a lot of nests, then the best way would be to use chalk in a complex manner using all the methods listed below at the same time.

Grated chalk is dissolved in water, placed in a spray bottle or flower sprayer, and the habitats of bloodsuckers are generously treated. It is better not to water fabric surfaces and wallpaper with the solution, so as not to leave stains, and all other objects from which liquids can be easily washed off should be thoroughly sprayed. Carpet products are also sprayed with a solution, and then washed with powder and dried in the sun. You can prepare a viscous mixture of grated chalk and water, and use it to fill the cracks in floors, walls, and baseboards.

Rubbed to a powdery state, chalk is used to treat cracks, closed spaces and objects that do not tolerate moisture. These include: various horizontal surfaces, books, magazines, equipment. After the bedbugs die, the powder is removed using a powerful vacuum cleaner.

Using crayons, draw solid lines literally everywhere where bedbugs live and their possible escape routes. Approaches to beds, sofas, wardrobes and these pieces of furniture themselves must be well treated, as well as places from where bedbugs can enter the apartment. Particular attention should be paid to wooden surfaces. Bed bugs love them very much.

How to use Mashenka pencil

You can use chalk in three different ways:

1. Draw stripes. The simplest method is to draw lines in Mashenka’s chalk in the habitats of bedbugs. Their width should be 3 cm.
2. Grind the pencil to dust and pour it into hard-to-reach places - baseboard crevices, the inside of upholstered furniture, etc. This option is considered unsafe due to the likelihood of inhaling toxic dust.
3. Preparation of the solution. The chalk must first be crushed, and then water must be added until a liquid slurry forms. The resulting substance is applied with a brush.

The effectiveness of the drug does not change depending on the method of treating the room. One package of pencil is enough for 30 square meters. m of surface. You can buy it at a hardware store or at a point specializing in preparations for gardeners and gardeners. The cost depends on the manufacturer.

Attention. If there are a large number of insects in the apartment, then one chalk will not be enough. You should invite exterminators or spray them yourself with organophosphorus insecticides.

Algorithm for applying insecticide

Treatment should be carried out in places where insects hide. To get to the baseboards, you need to move the furniture. A line is drawn with chalk along the entire perimeter of the room, top and bottom. If there are cracks, they are given special attention. It is better to treat the cracks with a liquid solution applied with a brush. The habitats of parasites are:

• backside of carpets;
• chest of drawers and lower parts of furniture;
• peeling wallpaper;
• the back of mirrors, paintings and other decorative items on the walls;
• bed frame;
• back side of the mattress.

The insecticidal pencil is applied in stripes to all of the listed surfaces. Mashenka chalk against bedbugs should not be held with bare hands. After opening, the packaging is not thrown away, but is folded over, releasing the edge of the bar. You need to hold it by the part remaining in the film.

Attention. To store crayons, choose dark places to prevent exposure of the preparation to sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation destroys its active components. The insecticide should be kept separate from food products, in places where children cannot reach.

Bedbugs live in bedding and curtains. These household items are not treated with chemical pencil. It is enough to wash them in hot water; the ectoparasites die at 500 C. After 4 weeks, the pencil loses its properties. The remaining lines are washed off with a soda-soap solution - 30 g of soda per 1 liter of water.

Security measures

To protect yourself from exposure to chemicals, it is recommended to wear rubber gloves before treating the room. If you plan to crush chalk and dust crevices, you must wear a respirator. The protective agent will protect against insecticidal substances entering the respiratory organs. After finishing work, be sure to wash your hands and face with soap and water. If the product gets into the eye, it must be rinsed with water or a solution of baking soda.

Preventive measures

Mashenka's bedbug chalk can be used to prevent the appearance of parasites. If there are suspicions about the presence of harmful insects in your neighbors, it is worth applying stripes in places of possible penetration. Dangerous areas include:

• window frames;
• Entrance door;
• cracks in sewer and water pipes;
• sockets between apartments;
• vestibule door;
• ventilation grilles in the kitchen and toilet.

The listed places are outlined with chalk around the perimeter. The insecticide will not allow the spread of parasites that are colonizing a new territory. For prevention, it is not necessary to draw wide stripes; 1 cm is enough. Protective lines remain effective for up to four weeks. Then they are washed off. If necessary, draw new stripes.

Preparatory stage of processing

Before treating your apartment with chalk against bedbugs, you need to perform several mandatory measures:

• do wet cleaning, thoroughly vacuuming all rooms to get rid of bedbug eggs as much as possible;
• free walls and baseboards from furniture and equipment;
• empty the house of all its inhabitants for a few days;
• isolate food and utensils;
• wash clothes, bedding, all household textiles in hot water and take them outside to air;
• treat mattresses with hot steam.

Procedure

Wear gloves when drawing barrier stripes with chalk. If you decide to work with a spray bottle or dry powder made from chalk, you should also wear a respirator.

The following are subject to insecticide treatment:

• the entire perimeter of the rooms along the baseboard;
• space on the floors under furniture and carpets;
• furniture on all sides and inside;
• shelves with books;
• places where the wallpaper is coming off the walls;
• objects located on the walls, from the front and back sides;
• cracks and secluded places in the house;
• windows, window sills, radiators, door jambs;
• ventilation vents.

After such a thorough treatment of the bedbug-infested apartment, you need to leave it for a day. When you return, you should wash objects and surfaces with which you constantly come into contact with soap and water. Everything that does not need to be touched should remain as is – treated with chalk for another 10 days. The residual effect of the chalk chemicals on insects will still remain. After 4-6 weeks, general cleaning with a soap and soda solution will be required.

After the specified period, the bedbug eggs present at the time of the first chalk treatment will hatch into larvae. All of the above will need to be re-coated with insecticide. In a few days, the bedbug population will completely die.

Recommendations for using the drug: how to apply it

The drug will work better if used correctly. So, poisonous components do not cover all surfaces, so you need to use a cockroach pencil as effectively as possible.

Draw lines on the back of the cabinets and on the baseboards, in all hard-to-reach places

Cockroaches are most often found on the back walls of wall cabinets. It is convenient for them to be here, which is due to the rough surface of the wood-based material. They also draw lines on the baseboards or nearby - in straight stripes.

Lines drawn in chalk Mashenka

Draw a circle around the trash can

The main and inexhaustible source of food (garbage bin) for insects is bait. This means they draw a circle around it. If you study the question of how Malok Mashenka acts on cockroaches, it will become clear that the drug does not contain an attractant.

Empty the trash can and draw a circle around it

Draw lines around sockets and switches, behind radiators and water pipes

Treat areas where cockroaches enter the apartment:

• pipes;
• sockets;
• cracks on the floor.

Draw lines along the outlets - places where cockroaches can come

Draw lines on window slopes and door jambs

If the mustachioed denizens cannot find more suitable ways to enter the facility, they make their way through windows and doors. Here, not only open doors are suitable for them, but also cracks. Apply cockroach chalk around the perimeter of the door and window blocks.

Door hinges are one of the favorite places for parasites

Remove all dishes from around the sink and draw a Mashenka line around its perimeter

The kitchen sink and bathroom sink are sources of liquid that cockroaches need to survive even more than food. But longhorned beetles also find food here – on dirty dishes. The sink needs to be cleaned.

Don't forget to treat around the sink

Draw double lines at least 1.5 cm wide all ventilation passages

Ventilation ducts are the main way mustachioed pests move between apartments. This means that you need to process the walls around the perimeter of these holes. Moreover, double wide lines should be drawn, which will make the processing method more dangerous for the mustachioed ones.

Run a chalk along the vent cover and inside the vent ducts

Draw small circles around the legs of the table and chairs

Cockroaches fall from the floor onto the tables. Knowing this feature, you can draw lines forming circles around the legs of the furniture. The wider the stripes, the better.

Cockroaches often walk near the legs of the chair, as there are uncollected crumbs there.

Features of the drug

The specificity of chalk is that it does not instantly kill bedbugs. After its use in the apartment, it is in the path of movement of insects. When the bloodsucker comes into contact with the substance of the chalk, it begins to eat into its integument, gradually poisoning the individual. The essence of the action of the chalk is the viral spread of the chemical among the bedbugs in contact with each other.

One chalk is enough to process 20-30 square meters of space. Lines should be drawn up to 4 cm wide.

Do crayons help against bedbugs? Judge for yourself - in the first week after treating a house with an insecticide, most of the bloodsuckers die. Then, thanks to a chain reaction of infecting each other, the remaining population of insects, along with their larvae, die in about 2 weeks.

Components of Mashenka pencil

Chalk Mashenka is a product that is used to kill insects and prevent their appearance. The product has low toxicity and does not have a specific odor. In appearance, the drug is similar to an ordinary block of chalk. It contains active and auxiliary substances:

• Zeta-cypermethrin – 0.1%, a pyrethroid compound used to control harmful insects. It has a neuroparalytic effect on bedbugs. Not addictive.
• Deltamethrin – 0.05%, highly effective insecticide. Its action is designed for sucking and gnawing insects. When bedbugs enter the body through contact or intestinal routes, their coordination is disrupted. Causes paralysis and death. The toxic compound enhances the effect of zeta-cypermethrin.
• Chalk and gypsum are auxiliary components that allow you to apply the active substance to the surface to be treated.

The pencil is packaged in a plastic film bag. The weight of the chalk is 20 g. It can be stored in a wide temperature range from -30 to +400 C.

Assortment presented in stores

The insecticide “Mashenka” has been isolated from inexpensive and effective crayons against bedbugs. This chalk is the least toxic to people and animals. By treating surfaces in your home with it, you and your family won’t have to leave your home for a long time. Chalk has no odor and has a poisonous effect on bedbugs for a long time.

Chalk against bedbugs "Clean House" is not toxic to warm-blooded animals. They need to paint wide stripes with a thick layer. Enough for 20 square meters of room. The chalk is odorless. Retains its toxic effect on insects for 5 weeks.

Titanic insecticide is the longest-lasting chalk in existence. This is an economical product that retains its properties for several months. Such features of chalk are due to its composition. Fipronil and cypermethrin are the main components of the chalk. They do not harm human health or pets and have no odor.

Chalk against bedbugs "Brownie" is effective for 2.5-3 weeks. Its advanced formula allows it to be resistant to ultraviolet rays. It is not advisable for children to be present in the apartment while processing chalk.

“Tornado” - chalk against bedbugs has poisonous properties for 2 months. This insecticide can treat up to 40 square meters of housing. Chalk is a powerful nerve agent for bed bugs.

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

• Low cost;
• Ease of use;
• No smell;
• Minimal toxicity;
• Safe for people and animals;
• Public availability.

Minuses:

• Lack of a single manufacturer. The presence of demand for the product has led to the fact that various manufacturers produce chalk under the Mashenka brand without caring about its quality. The packaging and color of the pencil itself can vary greatly, not to mention its insecticidal properties.

How to choose correctly?

Before you buy bed bug chalk, read what is written on the package. They must have a contact action. This is what is written on it. If it states that the insecticide has “intestinal” properties, then do not count on the desired effect from the drug. Bedbugs do not eat the contents of the chalk - they feed exclusively on blood.

The market today is overflowing with a wide range of crayons made in Russia and abroad. Before buying any chalk, be sure to read everything that is written on its packaging: who the manufacturer is, whether there is a certificate for the sale of chemicals, expiration date, precautions, composition. It is not recommended to buy crayons with a label in a foreign language. They are presented as analogues of domestic manufacturers.