Keeping insect home invaders away - sans the unpleasant odor

MANILA, Philippines - A home that is safe for the entire family, especially when there are children in the household, is a must for all parents. But what do you do about the harmful pests that even the cleanest, safest house must deal with? Mosquitoes and cockroaches inevitably launch a “home invasion” every now and then — here’s what you can do to keep them away.

Dealing with invaders

Without you knowing it, your house may already be infested with cockroaches and mosquitoes. You may not see a lot of these cockroaches because they prefer to hide in dark, hidden spaces in your house — but seeing just one cockroach means there are already dozens hiding in your home. 

More than just being gross and creepy, cockroaches deliver painful bites and carry bacteria that cause food poisoning and other diseases, and they even trigger asthma attacks.

Mosquitoes are also a health hazard. Mosquito bites may transmit viruses that are harmful and even potentially fatal to humans — including viruses that cause malaria, various types of encephalitis (brain inflammation), and the dreaded dengue virus, which kills up to hundreds of people every year.

The very first line of defense when this pest home invasion has already happened is to use insecticide sprays. We must choose an insecticide spray that is not only effective but also protects the family’s well-being and comfort.

One such insecticide spray is Advanced Aerosol Multi-Insect Killer. It contains an advanced formulation that is 100 percent effective against mosquitoes and cockroaches but is also 100 percent odorless. It is the only aerosol insect killer in the Philippines formulated by Bayer CropScience.

Other brands of aerosol insect sprays leave a strong, unpleasant and irritating odor hours after they are used. This discourages many families from using such insecticide sprays — as a result, they deprive themselves of effective protection from mosquitoes and cockroaches.

Effectiveness: Not odor dependent

Some people think that the stronger and more unpleasant smell an insecticide spray has, the more effective it is. That’s simply not true. An insecticide spray is effective depending on its active ingredient. The smell, on the other hand, comes from whatever solvent is used to mix with the active ingredient.

The irritating smell in other insecticide spray brands comes from kerosene, which is a commonly used solvent. The odor from kerosene-based sprays lingers in the home for hours. 

Advanced Aerosol Multi-Insect Killer does not use kerosene as solvent. It is the only aerosol insect killer in the market today with an advanced oil-based formulation that guarantees 100 percent knockdown of mosquitoes and cockroaches, and is 100 percent odorless as well.

For those who want effective protection against common household insect pests like cockroaches and mosquitoes, without any lingering, irritating smell, Advanced Aerosol Multi-Insect Killer is the best alternative.

Use insecticide sprays properly

All aerosol insect sprays are powerful insecticides — so using them properly is most important for you and your family’s safety. Always follow the instructions on the proper and safe use of aerosol insecticides as printed on their labels.

Before using an aerosol insecticide spray, residents must leave the area that is to be sprayed. After spraying is done, keep windows and doors closed for at least 30 minutes. All residents must stay outside the premises during this period. After residents return to the area, all doors and windows must be opened for proper ventilation and aeration. Read the label for more detailed instructions.

Advanced Aerosol Multi-Insect Killer leaves no lingering unpleasant odor, so residents are able to resume normal household activities more comfortably.

Prevention

Once aerosol insect spray is used, there will be lesser cockroaches, and mosquitoes in the house. While this reduces a family’s exposure to serious insect-borne diseases like dengue, and protects them from bites and stings, preventing a resurgence of this pest home invasion must still be done.

The most important step is cleanliness. Cockroaches are attracted to homes that are dirty because they feed on crumbs of food, water spills, trash, and even paper, cardboard, glue, paste and other starchy materials that are left lying around. On the other hand, mosquitoes love to breed in stagnant water in uncovered containers in the garden, the garage, etc.

Always throw away junk — any junk you keep in the house provides hiding places and even food for cockroaches. Keep garbage cans tightly covered. Keep surfaces free of food crumbs and wipe off spills of water, juice, soft drinks, etc. as these are food for cockroaches. Throw away stagnant water in and around your house so mosquitoes don’t breed in them.

“Home is where you raise your family and take your much-needed rest after a hard day’s work. This is why keeping your home free from the infestation of mosquitoes, flies, cockroaches and other insects is very important,” says Mari-Gail Lasam-Cruz, marketing manager of Neumann & Mueller Philippines Inc., exclusive distributor and marketer of Advanced Aerosol.