There are a great variety of means to combat insects; one cannot fail to mention the Mashenka chalk, which has been used since the 80s. Agrovit chalk is very cheap, but at the same time it has good effectiveness in the fight against cockroaches in apartments and other premises. What is its effectiveness and is it safe for people and animals during use? Let's take a closer look at all the pros and cons of this inexpensive insecticide.
Does Mashenka's chalk help against cockroaches?
Customer Reviews
Instructions
Characteristics and composition of cockroach crayons
The product is based on two components that complement each other. They have names: zeta-cypermethrin and deltamethrin. The substances have a toxic effect on animals and humans, so it is assigned a fourth toxicity level. Chalk and gypsum make up 95% of the product, which helps bind and maintain the integrity of the chalk. The pencil, which has a crayon-like appearance, is easy to use.
Advantages:
no pungent odor;
low toxic;
applies well to the surface and remains on it for a long time;
easy to remove, leaves no traces;
the components of the product do not accumulate in plants and fruits.
What does the drug contain?
This product contains only a few active substances, two of which are additional (gypsum and chalk):
- Zetacypermethrin. The product contains such a component only one hundredth of the total amount of the total volume. This insecticide is used for protection against parasites, as well as for spraying agricultural crops. The drug affects the nerve fibers in the organs of parasites. They serve as a kind of block for transmitting impulses. As a result, the bug becomes paralyzed and dies.
- Deltamethrin. There is not much of this substance in Mashenka’s composition - only 0.05%. If this component is used in a very small amount, then it does not pose a danger to pets and people.
These components belong to the group of pyrethroids, known for their effectiveness.
Due to the fact that this pencil contains chalk and plaster, the product is well fixed on surfaces. After it gets on the paws, a small amount of poison penetrates directly into the digestive tract with the help of the bug's proboscis.
The insecticide begins to function after it is absorbed into the insect's blood. Interestingly, if such a parasite accidentally comes into contact with another individual, the poison penetrates the body of this insect. Moreover, if there are also cockroaches living in the house, they will also die after exposure to Mashenka.
Review
“After bedbugs appeared in our country house, we decided not to spoil our summer, and coated all the walls, baseboards and doors with Mashenka. Fortunately, this remedy is not so expensive and has long proven itself. The pencil helped - we didn’t see a single live bug after a week of use. All we have to do is sweep these parasites into a dustpan and throw them out into the street.
Evgeniya, Nizhnevartovsk
On a note
It should be remembered that the substances included in this preparation are resistant to humidity and weathering. Therefore, a pencil applied to any area will be active for a long time. However, this product must be applied very carefully if there are animals or children in the apartment. It is best to draw Mashenka's lines behind the refrigerator and cabinets, where they cannot reach.
The principle of the influence of Mashenka chalk on insects
The components of the chalk are insecticides that exhibit their effects only upon contact, so the insect must touch it. When cockroaches need food or water, they cross the chalk line and smear themselves with the mixture.
It is imperative to draw continuous 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 affect it.
Substances that have a toxic effect penetrate inside the cockroach and destroy nerve impulses going to the muscles, which leads to paralysis and death. The composition stuck to the legs of the insects is carried into the nest, where the cockroach manages to run in and infect the rest of its fellows before it dies.
Massive damage to insects occurs within 5-6 days. You can notice that their number has decreased when their remains are on the floor. In many cases, insects can be removed within 2-4 weeks, re-treating every week.
Composition of Melka Mashenka
Special chalk from a Russian manufacturer contains aggressive insecticides that kill the pest. The components are completely harmless to humans in small doses.
Deltamerin and zeta-cypermethrin have a paralytic effect and damage the insect's food system. The pest gets dirty in the substance of the chalk, and the plaster additionally blocks the respiratory system. After such an integrated approach, cockroaches and ants have no chance, and you will notice a clear effect within five days!
Precautions when using chalk in an apartment
- Be sure to read the instructions for using the pencil, which are located on the packaging.
- When applying, be sure to ensure that the product does not get on the mucous membranes or in the respiratory tract.
- It is better to carry out processing of the room while wearing gloves.
- Make sure that the pencil does not fall into the hands of a child or the teeth of a pet.
Rules for using Mashenka: how to remove cockroaches
It is not difficult to use Mashenka. The main task is to apply chalk to the places most frequently visited by cockroaches (these places are briefly described in the instructions for using the pencil, right on the packaging).
So what you need to do:
- Draw chalk lines on the baseboards and back surfaces of the furniture, preferably along the entire perimeter of the back wall (it is especially important to do this in the kitchen);
- Draw a pencil around the perimeter of the trash can and then place it only inside this circle;
- Make a continuous line around the perimeter of the sink, possibly from the bottom. As practice shows, in the average apartment it is from the sink that cockroaches mainly drink water;
- Outline the openings of all ventilation ducts around the perimeter (since individual cockroaches may well come to you from your neighbors);
- Draw a chalk outline around the perimeter of the table legs (so that when cockroaches climb onto the table, they will certainly run along the chalk strip).
The stripes themselves need to be drawn thicker - 10-15 mm. Considering that this chalk against cockroaches is inexpensive and you can buy it everywhere, it is better not to save money here.
The longer Mashenka stays on the treated surfaces, the more cockroaches she will destroy. Therefore, you should not wash it off.
“But at the dacha we didn’t become perverted and just covered everything with Mashenka’s pencil. You can buy it from us everywhere, one chalk costs 25 rubles. We bought four of them, thoroughly painted all the cabinets in the back, painted on the baseboards, under the rugs. And what do you think? It helped! There are almost no cockroaches left at all. Maybe sometimes we’ll meet you somewhere, but it’s no longer like before, when they were constantly running in crowds.”
Ksenia, Tomsk
Meanwhile, it is worth keeping in mind that the most effective way to use Mashenka’s pencil against cockroaches today is to use it in parallel with additional means (especially in advanced cases). If there are a lot of cockroaches in the room, then it is highly advisable to combine chalk with the use of insecticidal gels, as well as aerosol preparations. Modern microencapsulated insecticidal preparations, sold in the form of concentrates for dilution and subsequent spraying from a regular household spray bottle, also have a good effect.
With this approach, the majority of cockroaches die precisely when the room is treated with an aerosol (or spray), and the chalk and gel already finish off the survivors and, which is very important, do not allow new pests to breed if they sometimes enter the apartment from neighbors.
How to use Mashenka chalk to kill cockroaches?
Using Mashenka chalk against cockroaches is not at all difficult, the main thing is to treat all the places that cockroaches visit, this is written in detail in the instructions. One chalk is enough to cover 25-30 square meters of space. The effectiveness of the product remains for seven days after application; after this period of time, re-treat in accordance with the instructions.
How to treat a room:
- draw pencil lines on the baseboards and back surfaces of the furniture; this must be done in the kitchen and around its perimeter;
- draw a circle around the garbage can with chalk and place it exclusively in this place; cockroaches like to climb in the garbage at night;
- draw a continuous line around the sink, even from below, because cockroaches often drink water from it;
- outline ventilation openings around the perimeter, because individual instances can come into the apartment from neighbors or from the basement;
- draw lines along the entire length of the furniture legs so that when climbing up, the cockroaches must cross the drawn stripes.
It is better to draw bold lines (10-15mm), this will achieve greater efficiency. Do not skimp on the product when applying, because the price of chalk is so low that anyone can buy it, and it is sold almost everywhere. However, if there are children and animals in the house, then it is better not to risk sketching all the furniture, but to limit yourself to processing hard-to-reach places.
The number of cockroaches that die depends on the length of time the product remains on the treated surfaces.
For greater effect, together with a pencil, you can use special aerosols that destroy most insects, and a chalk will help destroy survivors or newcomers.
An important property of chalk: it prevents the reproduction of new cockroaches if they enter the home from neighbors. Just outline all possible sources of penetration.
How to properly use crayons against cockroaches
You can use a cockroach pencil in different ways:
- Clean up and thoroughly wipe away any dirt from the area where the lines will be drawn.
- Draw dense lines up to one and a half centimeters wide, crossing the expected paths of cockroaches: along the perimeter of the entire living space on the floor along the baseboards;
- cabinets and shelves with food supplies in the kitchen, as well as mezzanines;
- walls and floor around the slab;
- draw a circle around the place where the trash can is located at a short distance from it;
- batteries and walls behind them;
- areas around the sink, toilet, bathtub and kitchen sink;
- the reverse side of hanging paintings, as well as pieces of furniture on the side adjacent to the wall;
- the perimeter of all walls and ceilings in the apartment.
- landings and flights;
This treatment can guarantee the best effect in killing cockroaches in the apartment. It makes sense to unite with your neighbors and all at the same time take measures to eliminate the problem in all apartments of the building in order to avoid the reappearance of cockroaches.
You can calculate the number of crayons based on one package for processing one room from 20 to 30 m2.
The effectiveness of chalk in the fight against bedbugs
The pencil helps in killing bedbugs if they have appeared in the apartment relatively recently and have not had time to lay eggs.
Before using it, prepare the room:
- wet cleaning is done;
- furniture is moved away from the walls to find possible habitats of bedbugs near the baseboard;
- all items from the closets are washed due to the possible presence of bedbug eggs in them;
- if things cannot be washed, then they are treated with steam or taken out into the cold;
- all carpets are dry cleaned;
- upholstered furniture (sofas, armchairs) are dismantled down to the wooden frame.
You can use bedbug repellent:
- Like a pencil. Draw them on surfaces: cabinets, backs of sofas and beds, back surfaces of paintings and photographs, sockets, door jambs, window sills and windows.
- Like powder. Mashenka chalk crumbles well and can be used to fill cracks behind baseboards and folds of upholstered furniture. The only drawback: if you pour it on the floor, drafts can cause the powder to rise into the air.
- Like a solution. The chalk is dissolved in water until it becomes creamy and all the cracks are filled with a brush and the surfaces are treated.
After treatment, be sure to ventilate the room and do a thorough cleaning after 2 weeks.
Analogue of Mashenka - Chinese pencil for cockroaches
The Chinese cockroach pencil is one of the simplest and most accessible means used to combat insects in the USSR. It was he who formed the basis for the production of domestic pencils. It was more effective than Soviet chalk due to a higher concentration of chemicals. Now Chinese crayons are also sold, but their effectiveness is similar to our “Mashenka”. Where to buy such a pencil against cockroaches? You can purchase it in online stores, in specialized stores or on the market.
A Chinese pencil affects cockroaches in exactly the same way as a Russian one. When an insect comes into contact with the product, it experiences itching and other unpleasant sensations, which subsequently lead to death.
The method of application is identical: it is used to treat the necessary surfaces around the perimeter and draw continuous lines so that insects are sure to come into contact with the product.
The validity period of the Chinese pencil is limited to 7 days, like Mashenka, so after this period the surfaces need to be re-treated.
Chalk Mashenka from ants
Mashenka's pencil is best used as an additional tool in the fight against ants, together with ant gels (Raptor, Great Warrior, etc.). An effective method would be to draw solid lines in places where they constantly move into the anthill.
If you find such trails, be sure to draw along them with a pencil. You can grind the chalk and sprinkle the resulting powder near baseboards and other places. The entire process must be carried out with gloves and safety precautions.
The manufacturer reports that the substance retains its properties for a week, and it is better to re-treat surfaces after 7-10 days.
Application
Pencil Mashenka for fighting ants
Pencil Mashenka for ants does not contain bait, so you need to apply chalk directly to the ant paths. To do this, simply open the package and draw a stripe on the path with chalk.
On a note!
Before using the drug, you should protect your hands with rubber gloves and keep children and pets away.
The ant repellent Mashenka can be used in two more ways:
- The insecticide is dissolved in a bucket of water. The resulting solution is used to treat the floors in the apartment or fill the anthill.
- The pencil is crushed and poured into cracks and other hard-to-reach places.
After working with chalk Mashenka, you need to wash your hands and face with laundry soap.
Customer reviews about chalk "Mashenka"
Below are reviews from those who have already used Mashenka chalk against cockroaches. Is everyone happy with the result? Let's see…
We have a bad entrance - cockroaches are scattering from several apartments all over the entrance. We tried a lot of different poisons, but none helped to get rid of these creatures 100%, after a while they appeared again, and you don’t want to breathe chemicals with a small child. Out of desperation, we collected 5 crayons and used them to cover the entire apartment, all the furniture, baseboards, shelves and cabinets. Two “Mashenka silver” crayons were enough. Now we only find dead cockroaches; we no longer have live ones. It turned out to be simple - upon entering the room, the insect becomes infected from the crayon line and runs away. It does not have time to reproduce and dies, and infects others. So as a preventive measure, chalk is a very good remedy.
Previously, I remember they used to smear this chalk in cabinets to prevent insects from appearing. Now there are so many modern means, but such cheap and effective ones have not yet been invented. For just 25 rubles you can paint your entire house and protect it from cockroaches. That's exactly what I did. At the same time I sprayed it with dichlorvos. There have been no cockroaches for over a year now, I draw new stripes every month. The old ones can be easily wiped off, the main thing is to wear gloves.
Reviews on the use of Mashenka chalk against bedbugs
Marina, Russia
As the weather warmed up, we arrived at the dacha and discovered bedbugs. We didn’t buy any new products, but decided to resort to the old, proven Mashenka chalk. A week before the vacation, they covered all the rooms with it. The two weeks of rest passed quietly. Only mosquitoes bit us.
Alexandra, Samara
“If there are bugs, expect trouble,” says popular wisdom. The appearance of bedbugs in the house can be compared to a natural disaster. They instantly spread, multiply quickly, mercilessly bite everyone in the household and spread dangerous diseases! Chalk Mashenka for bedbugs is the first remedy that you should resort to when these pests appear! Proper use guarantees rapid removal of pests and protects the home from the possibility of re-infestation.
Conclusion: is it possible to remove cockroaches using chalk?
Having considered the general aspects of using a pencil, we can give an overview of the positive and negative aspects of its use.
Mashenka's chalk is unlikely to help get rid of cockroaches in the apartment once and for all. As time passes, the effect of the drug disappears and new cockroaches can freely settle in your home. If you know your neighbors have persistent cockroaches, renew the chalk strips every week. It’s better to remove insects from the entire entrance at the same time, using more powerful preparations or with the help of the sanitary and epidemiological station.
Pros:
Ease of use
Low price
No smell
Low toxicity
The chalk is convenient to use due to its release form. They can be used to apply continuous lines or process surfaces in hard-to-reach places. Compared to other means (aerosols, powders), using a pencil does not require additional preparation of the room and the use of special skills and knowledge.
The low cost (about 20 rubles ) and the effectiveness of the product, according to customer reviews, have led it to wide popularity among analogues. Chalk Mashenka allows you to destroy various insects, which confirms the length of its presence on the insecticide market.
The absence of odor makes it possible to treat the apartment with the residents present in it.
Protecting your apartment with chalk
Taking into account the above, Mashenka chalk is a fairly effective means of preventing cockroaches from entering a room from the outside. It is quite obvious that for this, in chalk it is necessary to carefully outline around the perimeter all possible places where insects can enter the room - window slopes (if the windows are often kept open), entrance door slopes, ventilation openings. And sometimes also sockets and water supply pipes - although it is often easier to seal the cracks there with alabaster or polyurethane foam.
When used in this way, insecticidal chalk performs a so-called barrier protective function.
: in order for a cockroach to be able to enter the protected premises from the outside, it will have to overcome a kind of barrier in the form of a chalk line. And this is deadly for insects, and most individuals will soon die after crossing such a line.
By the way, even if you managed to get rid of the cockroaches completely and they seem to have been gone for a long time, it is useful to draw stripes on the back walls of the furniture as a preventive measure. There will be no harm from this, and an additional protection factor will not hurt.
“As soon as we completed the renovation, we immediately poisoned the cockroaches in the apartment so that we could move into it without roommates. We used Karbofos and, of course, had to endure the terrible smell. And then they simply anointed the floors and bedside tables in the back under the walls with Mashenka. It’s inexpensive, it’s easy to buy, but now even if some cockroaches come from neighbors, they don’t live in our apartment for more than a few days.”
Anna, Kharkov
