The small insects that are often found among books are not mites at all, but microscopic parasites called psocoptera; they are creatures that are attracted to places rich in humidity and love to feed on mold. Although they resemble lice, they do not belong to this class of insects; However, there are methods you can use to get rid of these parasites and the key is to control the humidity in your home or office.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Killing the Psocoptera
Step 1. Recognize an infestation
Before trying to get rid of these insects, also commonly called bookbinders, you need to make sure that they are psocoptera; otherwise, your attempts may not work. You can recognize them by their appearance and by evaluating the place where you find them.
- They are small creatures, with a length between 1 and 2 mm; the body mainly consists of the abdomen.
- They can have different colors, from transparent to white and from gray to brown.
- Psocoptera live indoors and do not have wings but have a relatively large mouth.
- Since they feed on mold, they mostly live in hot and humid environments, such as near books, paper, under wallpaper, in pantries, in open food and cereal containers.
Step 2. Remove the haunted items
One of the best ways to rid your home or other environments of these pests is to throw out things that have been colonized, such as books, boxes, piles of paper, and food.
- Throw away any contaminated food you can find, such as old cereal boxes, bags of flour or grains that aren't hermetically sealed.
- To kill psocoptera on an item you don't want to throw away, seal it in a plastic bag and place it in the freezer for a day or two. afterwards, take it out of the freezer and clean it with a vacuum cleaner to remove dead parasites.
Step 3. Eliminate mold in the house
Bookbinders love to eat molds themselves, and removing their primary source of sustenance is the best way to get rid of them. Mold is not healthy for humans, so you must remove it both for the good of the family and to manage the infestation.
- Mold spores develop where there is moisture, such as on food, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, in the laundry room, and in items made of paper.
- When you notice her around the house, kill her by scrubbing the area with bleach, vinegar, or borax.
- There are objects, such as paper and books, which cannot be thoroughly disinfected without destroying them. Throw away any moldy items that cannot be cleaned.
Step 4. Turn on a dehumidifier
Since the survival of these creatures depends on humidity, reducing the rate inside the environments can kill the insects. Place some dehumidifiers especially in rooms that tend to get wet more, such as bathrooms and cellars; turn them on to dry the air in the rooms.
- To kill psocoptera, you need to keep the humidity below 50%; use a hygrometer to monitor this value.
- Remember to empty the dehumidifier tank every time it fills up.
Step 5. Eliminate spilled water
In the house there could be several sources of stagnant water that favor the proliferation of molds; by removing them, you stop the development of the main food resource of insects. To dry and prevent standing water in the house:
- Repair all leaks and damaged pipes;
- Place removable saucers under the houseplant pots to collect excess water;
- Clean up immediately when you pour liquid;
- Put mats in front of the shower and bathtub;
Step 6. Improve ventilation
Another method of eliminating moisture and preventing mold growth is to improve air circulation inside the house. For best results, you should open windows whenever possible or turn on ceiling fans.
- Ventilation is especially important in areas susceptible to moisture, such as the basement, attic and bathroom.
- All bathrooms should be equipped with a suction fan to remove moisture when using the shower or bathtub.
Step 7. Use insecticides as a last resort
Bookbinders do not sting, do not transmit infectious diseases, and do not truly destroy wood, paper or other materials; for this reason, insecticides are generally not necessary, especially since infestations can be managed by reducing humidity and increasing air circulation. However, if you are faced with a large colony of insects that have "stolen" your books, you can give the chemicals a try.
- For infestations that affect the entire home, spray the product in every point where you have seen a parasite, in all rooms and damp environments, along the foundations, around the window frames and door jambs, in the cracks and in the joints of the bookcase and pantries.
- You can use insecticides that contain diatomaceous earth, pyrethrin and microencapsulated lambda-cyhalothrin.
Part 2 of 3: Clean up after the Infestation
Step 1. Vacuum
After reducing humidity, eliminating mold, and improving ventilation, there are probably several dead bookbingers in the house. To get rid of it, simply clean the surfaces with a vacuum cleaner; use a fine-tipped accessory and brush to reach every crevice these insects lived in.
- If the infestation has affected the books, remove all volumes from the shelves, then vacuum the covers, bindings and pages.
- If you don't have this appliance, dust off the furniture, shelves, other surfaces and then sweep the floors carefully.
Step 2. Scrub the areas where the book pickers were present
When you have removed all the books from the shelves, clean them with your favorite household cleaner; if the bugs were in the kitchen, remove all food from the cabinets and clean out the pantry with a multipurpose product.
Wait for all surfaces to dry completely for several hours before putting items back in place
Step 3. Throw away any paper objects you don't need
These items can easily become covered with mold, especially if they are stored in very humid environments. To make sure that you have completely gotten rid of insects and their possible food source, throw away anything that is susceptible to mold and that you must not use.
Products made of paper include printer reams, writing paper, letters, books, newspapers and old paper, even boxes and cartons
Part 3 of 3: Preventing a Psocoptera Infestation
Step 1. Store the books and boxes properly
To prevent these objects from becoming covered with mold, store them in a dry environment; you should also keep them off the floor whenever possible.
- Books should always be kept on shelves, rather than piled on the floor.
- If you have a lot of items stored in boxes, place these on shelves whenever possible or build platforms to prevent them from being in direct contact with the floor.
Step 2. Clean water stains immediately and when you pour liquid
A little water spilled on the floor may seem like a minor problem, but it can actually encourage the development of mold when it is in the right environment, especially if this "accident" happens often. You should clean up right away:
- A spilled drink;
- The water that comes out of the sink when you wash the dishes;
- The drops that remain on the floor when you get out of the shower or bathtub;
- When you spot a leak or a broken pipe.
Step 3. Store food in airtight containers
These parasites don't really eat the food, but they feed on the mold and fungi that grow on it. To prevent food from spoiling and developing a bookbeat infestation, transfer all dry products to airtight containers after opening the original packaging. Particularly:
- The bread;
- Breakfast cereals;
- Legumes and grains;
- Flours, sugar and other ingredients for baked goods;
- The cookies and crackers.
Step 4. Check the humidity and ventilation levels of closed rooms
Even after you have eradicated a psocoptera infestation, you should manage the humidity in your home to avoid mold growth and the return of insects.
- Leave the dehumidifier on throughout the year in the most humid rooms.
- Open windows as often as possible and use fans to improve air circulation.
