Lucky is the person who has never encountered cockroaches, because they appear out of nowhere and are incredibly difficult to get rid of, even if your home is clean and tidy. What's so dangerous about these insects? They carry worms and many diseases, as they crawl everywhere and collect bacteria from everywhere on their chitinous covering. Cockroaches can also bite people and even gnaw at the corners of the lips (especially in small children), which can cause allergies, at the very least. Therefore, cockroaches should be exterminated as soon as you notice them. These creatures quickly become accustomed to many chemicals (such as dichlorvos), and no matter how much you treat them, it won't work. And there are many substances and preparations to which cockroaches don't react at all. But what about fog—cold or hot?
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What is cockroach fog?
You can only treat easily accessible areas: tabletops, cabinets, baseboards, and around vents. You won't be able to treat cracks and holes in walls, between walls, or floors, which is where cockroaches live. They can sometimes be found in appliances where food particles can accumulate (such as microwaves). You also won't be able to treat anything inside the appliance itself. The only substance that can penetrate literally anywhere without causing damage is steam.
Steam is the only substance that does not damage any surfaces.
A powerful generator uses heat and steam from a special liquid containing a high concentration of insecticides to create and atomize vapor. The tiny particles penetrate every corner and settle on the most remote surfaces, leaving insects no chance to survive.
A powerful generator converts liquid into vapor in seconds.
The liquid contains only water and low-toxic insecticides, which are absolutely harmless to both people and pets.
The advantages of this product over others are:
- penetration into the most remote corners of the premises;
- immediate effect on adults and their clutches;
- the ability to destroy insects (not just cockroaches) in one go;
- safety for people and animals;
There are two varieties of this technique: cold and hot.
Cold fog
In this method, the generator breaks the liquid into tiny particles, which are ejected into the air under pressure. The resulting vapor temperature does not exceed room temperature, allowing the droplets to remain suspended in the air for 3-4 hours after treatment. Initially, they rise, then slowly begin to settle, filling the entire space.
Fog penetrates into all sorts of cracks
The concentration of insecticides is so high that it can kill a young cockroach when the steam comes into contact with the insect, and an older individual will become infected and, upon close contact with its relatives, will transmit the insecticides to them, as a result of which the entire colony will be dead within a few minutes.
Regular aerosol sprays won't kill cockroaches under wallpaper.
Liquid droplets do not damage any surfaces—not textiles, not wood, not even electronics—so it can be safely used indoors. Because it uses a low-toxicity insecticide, albeit at a high concentration, and the vapor temperature does not exceed the ambient temperature, cold fog can be used against a variety of pests in the garden.
In addition to killing insects, cold fog prevents mold growth and kills existing fungi thanks to the high concentration of insecticide.
For greater effectiveness, it is advisable not to ventilate the room for 3-4 hours after fogging.
Hot fog
A powerful generator heats a liquid containing insecticides to 70 degrees Celsius, then expels it into the air under pressure. At high enough temperatures, many substances, like water, turn into vapor, so this method can be used to control insects using various denser substances than water. The vapor is dense, and as it cools, it turns into a fog that spreads and fills every crevice and nook.
Hot fog is best used for warehouses and industrial premises.
Heated reagents instantly kill even adult cockroaches, not to mention juveniles and eggs. Cockroaches have a very strong chitinous shell, which is not easily damaged even by a slipper, but hot particles penetrate this shell and kill the insect.
Upon contact with a surface, the steam creates an invisible and undetectable film that is toxic to all insects and kills them upon first contact. This film lasts for a very long time and is difficult to wash off even with water, making it a reliable pest-proof solution. However, heated reagents can damage plants, so hot fog is only suitable for indoor use.
Like cold fog, the hot method is excellent at killing mold and mildew and preventing their reappearance.
Steam with insecticides can destroy even mold.
For greater effectiveness, it is not recommended to ventilate the room for 2 hours after treatment.
Comparison of cold and hot fog treatment
Cold and hot fog differ greatly in many characteristics, although they achieve the same result with equal success.
Exposure time
The concentration of insecticides in both methods is very high, so insects are destroyed in approximately the same amount of time, but cold steam takes almost twice as long to fill all the cracks and corners.
Efficiency
In both cases, the insecticides somehow enter the pest's body and kill it. If the insect is an adult, its chitinous covering is very difficult to penetrate, but it becomes a good vector of the poison, infecting all other insects it comes into contact with, thus accelerating the destruction of the colony. Both methods are equally effective against cockroaches and other insects, as well as mold, fungus, and viruses.
Steam with insecticide will kill even many strains of viruses.
Long-term protection
Cold steam settles on surfaces and remains there for a very long time. It doesn't create a protective film like hot fog, but it leaves insecticide droplets on surfaces, which are sufficient to kill unwanted guests even weeks after treatment.
Hot fog creates a protective, permanent film that also contains insecticides that kill the pest upon contact. Therefore, both methods are effective for a long time after treatment.
Cost of processing
The cost of cold fog treatment is 2-2.5 times lower than the cost of hot fog, which pest control companies attribute to the fact that cold fog treatment is less effective than hot fog, although experience shows that the result is absolutely the same.
Another advantage of cold treatment is that it can be used to destroy garden and vegetable pests.
Preparing an apartment for disinfection
Preparing the premises is a very important stage, since the safety of people and animals largely depends on it.
A few hours before cleaning the premises, it is necessary to wet clean the entire apartment, and also take into account the specific preparation of each room separately:
- Kitchen: All food must be covered and put away in the refrigerator, all dishes must be put away; if you have pets, their food and dishes must also be put away;
- bathroom: it is sufficient to remove all personal hygiene products unless their complete replacement is planned after treatment;
- living rooms: it is necessary to move all furniture away from the walls, remove bed linen, and turn over mattresses;
During pest control, remove all people and pets from the apartment. If you have an aquarium, close it tightly and unplug it.
The aquarium must be closed and disconnected from the power supply during disinfestation.
Actions after disinfestation
After treating the living space, 2-3 hours should pass, after which you can return to the apartment and ventilate all the rooms. If you have small children, elderly people, pregnant women or pets, they should return to the apartment only after you have put everything in order.
The most basic steps are to wipe all surfaces with a damp cloth, move furniture back against the walls, and wash all dishes, including those of your pets. If you have an aquarium, don't forget to open it and turn on the power.
How effective and safe is fog?
The fog penetrates the most remote corners of the apartment, settles on all surfaces, and upon contact with the insect, it is ingested. The concentration of poison is quite high, so the pests' chances of survival are very slim. They will survive for a few hours at most, during which time one insecticide-infected individual will come into contact with several more, which in turn will come into contact with several more—and thus the poison will spread throughout the entire colony, killing it. Don't expect the fog to be effective immediately, as cockroaches are among the most resistant insects to various poisons and chemicals, but the insecticides, accumulating in the body, will eventually kill each one.
Insecticides in large quantities will kill even an adult insect.
Fogging is a safe method only when used by a professional who knows which insecticides and in what proportions should be used to achieve maximum results without harming people or animals. It is impossible to calculate all of this on your own and you can make a mistake, which will lead to very serious consequences.
Cockroaches are a major problem for humans because they are extremely difficult to kill, reproduce faster than rabbits, and adapt even more quickly to new poisons, passing on their "immunity" to future generations. They carry a large number of bacteria and microorganisms, which they pick up wherever they crawl, and they can penetrate any crack. Therefore, they must be exterminated mercilessly and immediately, as soon as even one is spotted. Even if a cockroach or two simply stumbled into your home by mistake, treating the premises will be preventative, and no one will bother you in the future. Don't skimp on your health and safety by purchasing ineffective products, which are often toxic to humans. Use highly effective modern technologies. Yes, they are more expensive, but they don't need to be used every month, and their results are many times greater.
