Odourless
Well, if you try really hard you can detect a faint smell, but mostly, yes! It is indeed odourless. So odourless in fact that unless you hear it's faint sound, you wouldn't notice it was there at all. The other night it was close to bedtime, the TV was off, and all was quiet and calm in the BC house. Until Monkey Boy ran into the kitchen, looking very concerned.
Monkey Boy: Mum! Mum there is someone in the backyard! He's calling me to go out there! I don't want to go out in the dark! Who is it?
Me: Really? Are you sure? How do you know? Did you hear him?
Monkey Boy: YES! LISTEN! THERE HE IS! I CAN HEAR HIM GO PSST!!!!
Raid Automatic Odourless Insect Control: Psst.
Timer Settings
The Raid unit goes off every 15 minutes, and you can set it for either 12 hours or 24 hours. This means that if you only need protection from say, mosquitoes, then set it to go off just before dusk and it will turn itself off 12 hours later. Or if you are at work all day, there is no point having it on until you come home. This means that you are only using it while you need it, and therefore saving money.
Natural Ingredient
Raid Automatic contains Pyrethrins, a natural insecticide derived from a type of Chrysanthemum Daisy. So that's comforting. I'm all for natural ingredients as long as they work, and this is working pretty well for me. Despite having open doors we've had no mosquitoes in the house since I turned it on, and it has cut down on flies considerably. We still get the odd large bush fly, but I think they probably need a taser gun. It is supposed to work on all flying and crawling insects, and for the record, I've seen no ants or cockroaches in the house at all during this trial.
Longest Lasting
I can't speak for the competition, but Raid claim that their Automatic Odourless Insect Control lasts for 105 days when on the 12 hour setting. Which is practically the entire summer! This is fantastic for a product that is set and forget, because hey - you really can set it then forget about it.
Decorative and Discreet Design
The Raid unit comes in a largish off white canister, about the same size as a litre of milk, that does tend to fade into the background. It's kind of the same colour as ceiling white, so if you have it up high then it will fade out of your vision and will not stick out at all. personally I would like something a bit more decorative, but that is my taste - I am certainly not known for minimalism!
I have 2 Raid Automatic Odourless Insect Control units to give away! Just leave a comment telling me your worst insect encounter to be in for a chance to win. Winners will be announced next Tuesday 5th November 2013 right here on this blog, but make sure you leave an email address so I don't have to hunt you down. This competition is open to Australian residents only.
So tell me, everyone has an insect horror story. Was it a giant spider? A swarm of wasps? A particularly nasty ladybird? Share!
xx