How do you use boric acid for pest control? Here is a detailed guide to help you.

If you’ve faced a difficult pest problem in the past, you’re likely to have heard or come across boric acid as one of several ways to tackle insect pest issues.

Boric acid has several uses including being used as an effective pest control treatment.

BORIC ACID FOR PEST CONTROL

This article will be highlighting such uses and how to incorporate boric acid into your pest control strategy. Knowing how to apply and where to apply as well as the adoption of safety methods is crucial to achieving your desires of a pest-free home.

What more? We’ll also be listing some of the pests you can use boric acid on. So, without further waste of time, let’s discuss the uses of boric acid in pest control

What Is Boric Acid?

Before we delve further into details, it’s necessary to explain what boric acid is about. This is a naturally occurring compound found in plants as well as fruits. It takes the form of powder and is simply a combination of boron and water.

Is this readily available for personal use? It is! Boric acid is sold over the counter in most stores. So, what pests can be killed with boric acid? This is an important question that has generated a lot of confusion. The next point should explain better.

Borax: Stating the Facts!

There has been a lot of misconception about the pests boric acid can or can’t kill. Such back and forth is largely due to misinformation. Household pests that can be killed with boric acid include cockroaches and ants.

This may be surprising to you if you’ve always thought that you could do a lot more. Plus, there have been claims that boric acid may be used to control bed bugs, ticks, flies, lice, spiders, beetles, and a host of other common pests. That isn’t true at all.

How It Works

Boric acid will need to be ingested by pests if you’re to have real results. When it’s consumed, it serves as a poison and destroys the metabolism of insect pests. What more? Boric acid doesn’t only affect pest metabolism. It also weakens the exoskeletons of pests on contact.

With such an effect, you can use boric acid as bait. When pests come in contact with it, they return to their colonies. The good news is that it doesn’t act immediately when weakening its exoskeletons. So, pests return to their colony and spread it to others.

What follows is a situation where the entire colony is wiped out. With this result, you’re able to take back control of your surroundings by keeping insects at bay.

Making A Boric Acid Insecticide

If you need to take the fight against pests, you’ll need to be on the offensive. This includes making your boric acid insecticide. This isn’t used directly for pest control.

Instead, you’ll need to know just what’s needed and the measurements for a perfect formulation.

Tools needed include a container as well as protective gear such as safety glasses and an apron. Others are measurement devices, stirring tools, boric acid powder, water, and sugar. Making an ant trap involves mixing a teaspoon of boric acid with about 10 teaspoons of sugar.

Two cups of water are added to the mixture and stirred. You’ll need to get cardboard to pour out this mixture on. The cardboard is allowed to soak before placing such along the pathways or areas used or frequented by these pests.

Another alternative to cardboard is cotton balls. These are then soaked in the boric acid insecticide and placed along with the same spots as you’d have the cardboards.

The sugar included in your insecticide attracts pests to a feast. When they do, they end up taking the poison back to their colony. As stated earlier, such a situation results in the mass poisoning of the entire colony.

  • Using Boric Acid Directly

Another way to use boric acid for pest control is by applying it directly on surfaces as well as on the bodies of these pests. Carpets and rugs, as well as floors, can be targeted. Simply sprinkle boric acid on such surfaces and leave it to sit for as long as necessary.

Targeted surfaces may include crevices, along baseboards, cracks, floors, mats, and compartments. The focus here is to ensure that pests come in contact with this fine powder.

The application should be such that it isn’t visible to the naked eye. In other words, a fine layer of boric acid should be applied. Excess boric acid must be swept off. This still has the desired impact on targeted pests.

  • How Long Should Boric Acid Sit on Surfaces?

For boric acid to have its needed impact on pests, consider leaving for as long as 3 weeks. At the end of this period, thorough vacuuming should follow to clean off the residue left behind.

Is Boric Acid Safe For Humans And Pests?

Boric acid is largely seen as a non-toxic substance that won’t cause much harm to the user.

Nevertheless, it’s necessary to take certain precautionary measures. These range from keeping it out of reach of kids and pets. While it won’t cause poisoning, boric acid can cause a great deal of skin irritation.

What more? It could be corrosive to the eyes and must be kept at a safe distance; away from pets and kids. All forms of ingestion, except accidentally, must be avoided. When ingested, you may experience conditions such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and stomach aches.

Any cause of accidental ingestion or otherwise should be promptly reported to a health expert.

Treatment Frequency

How often should you use boric acid for pest control? This is a crucial question that needs the right answers.

To have a pest-free home, we recommend using boric acid at least 2 to 3 times a month. This should continue until there are no signs of pest activity.

Alternatives To The Use Of Boric Acid

Sometimes buying boric acid and using it for pest control may seem ineffective especially under the severe circumstance of pest infestation. If this represents your situation, you may want to seek expert help.

There are pest control services that are just a call away to give you the solutions you seek.

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