Name: カビキラー / Kabi Kiraa/ Mold Killer
カビキラーマイルド/ Kabi Killer Mild.
Directions: Spray on moldy area and leave for
5 minutes, then wipe down with a wet
cloth/sheet or wash away with water.
Useful in: the bathroom/toilet/kitchen
(be advised to thoroughly wash the
substance away when using it in the
kitchen. Also have two separate sprays
for the kitchen and bathroom/toilet areas).
Price: ¥548
Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,
most convenience stores.
Name: 重曹クリーナー/ Juusou Kuriinaa/Sodium
Bicarbonate Cleaner.
Directions: Spray where you want to clean and
use either a damp cloth or a scrubbing brush to
clean. Rinse it off with water.
Useful in: the bathroom/toilet/kitchen (be
advised to have two separate sprays for the
kitchen and bathroom/toilet areas. The labels say
it’s safe to use on your dishes. That’s totally up to
you.)
Price: ¥507
Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,
most convenience stores.
Name: フロアワイプ or ウエットシート/
furoawaipu and uettoshi-to/ floor wipe and wet
sheet.
Directions: Get a wet sheet and wrap it around
the underside of the floor wipe and then pinching
the four corners into the holes provided. Once
attached, use as you would a normal mop.
Useful on: wooden or vinyl floors. (Not
recommended for use on tatami or carpets).
Price: ¥100+
Available at: Drug stores, some supermarkets,
department stores, ¥100 stores
Name: パイプユニッシュ/paipu yunisshyu/
drain/pipe cleaner.
Directions: Pour the liquid or place the tablets
inside the drain and leave for 15-30
minutes (or longer if you feel it’s necessary).
Afterwards turn your taps on to clear the drains. If
the water still doesn’t go down your drain
smoothly, repeat the process.
Useful for: the bathroom sink/ the shower and
bath drains/ the kitchen sink.
Price: ¥410
Available at: Drug stores, most supermarkets,
some convenience stores.
Name: ファブリーズ/ faburi-zu/ Febreze
Directions: Spray it, from a distance of 20-30cm
(8-11 inches), on to fabrics that need deodorizing
(clothes, couches, futons etc.) or use it as an air
freshener and spray in a room (be advised to have
some sort of breeze or ventilation in the room, to
ensure the best results).
Price: ¥298
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores, department stores.
Name: 除湿剤 / joshitsuzai or
湿気取り / shikketori to dehumidify and absorb
moisture.
Directions: Remove the plastic lid, then peel off
the first seal below the lid. Replace the plastic lid
and put the moisture absorber in places such as
kitchen cupboards, closets, etc. Will last about 3
months before needing to be replaced.
Price: ¥180-300
Available at: Supermarkets, drug stores
Name: 蟻/ あり/ ari / ant
They are not dangerous, but rather annoying,
when they get into your pantry or
apartment/house.
Mostly tenants living on the first floor may
experience encounters with ants, more so than
those living on the higher levels, however it
doesn’t seem to be a common occurrence.
Seasons most active: Spring/Summer/Autumn
Name:あしだかくも/ハンツマンスパイダ
ashidakakumo/hantsumansupaida/huntsman
spider
These spiders are not harmful (although a bite
would hurt/may swell). They’re incredibly fast.
They eat the other insect pests, which could be a
good reason to keep them around.
Mostly tenants who have lived on the lower floors
have had encounters with these speedy crawlers,
however, they’re great climbers, they may appear
when/where least expected.
Action: keeping a clean apartment/house, to
ensure no visit from other insects occur, may help
prevent an in-house encounter.
with a huntsman spider.
Name: ダニ/dani/tatami bugs
Tiny mites that live in your tatami mats. Their
bites are small, red, and itchy and always come in
pairs since they bite twice in a row. Most people
get these bites on skin exposed while
sleeping—frequently around the ankles, wrists,
elbows, and neck.
Action: Keep tatami clean by wiping up crumbs
or spills immediately, and by regularly
vacuuming.
Name: ゴキブリ/ gokiburi/ cockroach
Not dangerous, but if they’re around, it isn’t a
good sign (in particular, to the state of cleanliness
of your apartment/house). Besides, nobody
wants to live with cockroaches.
Tenants living in the lower levels of apartment
blocks/houses tend to have encounters with
cockroaches.
Name: 蚊/ か/ ka/ mosquito
Extremely irritating, in so many ways.
Not a friendly. Would be best to try keep these out
of your apartment/house. They have the
annoying ability to sneak into any apartment on
any level or anywhere in a house, also.
Name: 雀蜂/スズメバチ/suzumebachi/
Japanese giant hornet
Is large and can be very aggressive. Has a potent
venom, and a sting is very painful and may
require hospitalization. Be very careful if you have
an allergy to beestings, as this little monster’s
venom can also cause anaphylactic shock in
some.
Name: 百足/ ムカデ/ Mukade/ Centipede
Pretty dangerous. They have a venomous bite
that causes extreme swelling and severe pain. DO
NOT handle them. They are fast and aggressive,
so if you MUST deal with them, please be very
careful or recruit experienced people for help.
Action: Sprays alone won’t be enough. They can
freeze the centipede, so you can remove it.
The best ways to kill them are by boiling, burning
or using substances that are toxic to both the
centipede and yourself.
If you crush a centipede, you’re most likely going
to be sending an invitation for more to come, via
the pheromones that will be released by the body.
Name: ショウジョウバエ/ shyoujyoubae/
fruit flies
Harmless, but not good co-inhabitants to have.
They breed quickly, despite having a short life
span. So getting rid of them sooner, rather than
later is a good idea. They are able to reach places
both close to the ground and high up near the
heavens.
Name: 蛇/ ヘビ/ hebi/ snake
As a general rule, try to stay away from areas that
are known to be infested with snakes, especially
as Japan is home to a few venomous snakes.
Snakes are usually found in fields, forests, near
(or in) water, on trees and especially in rural
areas.
Name: アリの巣コロリ/ ari no su korori/Ant hill
destroyer.
Directions: open the packet and leave it about
for the ants, who confuse it for food, to grab and
take back to their hill. They will poison their
colony over a day or two.
Price: ¥499
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores.
Name: コンバット/konbatto/ combat
Directions: Leave it out in the room or area
where the roaches are.
Price: ¥579
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores.
Name: コバエがホイホイ/kobae ga hoihoi/
Fly trap.
Directions: remove the seal and set it in the
rooms that have the flies. They should be
attracted to the scent and die there.
Price: ¥718
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets, some
convenience stores.
Name: ムシガード虫よけリン/mushi ga-do/mushi
yoke ringu/ Insect guard ring.
Directions: unwrap and put around your wrist
or ankle.
Price: ¥590
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores, ¥100 stores
Name:蚊取線/かとりせんこ/
katorisenkou/Mosquito coils
Directions: light up one end of the coil and leave
it outside, maybe closer to an entrance to your
house, so as to keep them out.
Price: ¥933
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores
Name: 虫よけネット/mushi yoke netto/Insect
repellent net
Directions: Peel off the sticker, sealing the
scented part, then leave it to hang somewhere
near an opening to your home.
Price: ¥705
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores, ¥100 stores
Name: おすだけノーマット/osu dake no-matto/
One spray a day insect repellent
Directions: Once a day spray this around your
home.
Price: ¥718
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores
Name: ヘビ忌避/ hebi kihi/snake repellent
Directions: If a snake is in near proximity to you,
scatter the powder around you or towards where
the snake is, as you retreat.
Price: ¥100+
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience stores, ¥100 stores
Name: 凍殺ジェット/ tousatsu jetto/ freezing bug
spray
Directions: Hold the can as close to the insect as
you can get it without scaring it off and spray.
Some sprays only freeze, others can also kill
(pictured).
Price: ¥669
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets,
convenience store
Name: 虫コロリアース/ mushi korori a-su/Insect
poison.
Directions: this poison comes in different forms.
Use it outside and not inside your house. Powder
or spray the poison around the outside of your
home or on your balcony, but be sure that it’s not
in places where you will be standing, touching
things etc as it is very toxic for
us also.
Price: ¥538+
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets, some
convenience stores.
Name: ダニアース/dani-aasu/anti-mite spray
Directions: The bug-spray comes with a needle
that inserts into the tatami. Insert the needle into
6 places in each individual mat and spray for
15-20 seconds.
Price: ¥1000+
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets
Name: ダニよけハーブ/dani-yoke haabu/
dani repellent “air freshener”
Directions: Place in your closet and/or tatami
rooms. Can buy 30-day and 60-day types.
Price: ¥550+
Available at: Drug stores, supermarkets