How Does Boric Acid Kill Roaches? (Does It Work, Is It Effective?)

February 27, 2019February 28, 2020

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If You Want To Kill Roaches Boric Acid Is Safe and Effective

“How does boric acid kill roaches?”, is a popular question that needs answering. If you see one roach running around your house it likely means there are hundreds more hidden and out of sight. Whenever you see roach it’s important that you act right away to get the situation under control. If not you could find yourself living in a home that is infested with the common house roach.

Trust me when I say, you do not want the problem of having to deal with a house full of roaches. By the time it gets to this point your house is really unsafe. Cockroaches will be crawling around everywhere in your kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, living room, and all throughout the house. They will be scurrying about contaminating your food and spreading disease all over your house in places you touch every day. When you touch the contaminated areas germs could be transferred to your mouth making you sick.

So how do you deal with the American house roach?

You have two options You can do it yourself or you can call a professional roach exterminator. If you prefer to take care of the cockroaches yourself one of the best options you can use is boric-acid. There are many ways to kill roaches, but I have found boric acid to be one of the most efficient methods to get rid of a cockroach infestation. We have the answer if you want to know exactly how does boric-acid kill roaches.

What Is Boric Acid?

Boric Acid, BA for short is considered by many to be the simplest all-natural cockroach killer. BA was first introduced in the United States in 1948 as a household solution for dealing with cockroaches. However, it has been used throughout the world for centuries. Unlikely many commercial pesticides and insecticides that lose their effectiveness, BA is just as efficient today as it was when it was first introduced in 1948.

Cockroaches have not developed any resistance to BA so if you put it to work it should get the job done. Derived from boron, boric-acid is a naturally occurring compound made of boron, oxygen, and hydrogen. In the most basic form, BA is a white tasteless and odorless powdery substance.

If taken in large enough doses this all-natural solution is not safe for children and pets. Therefore, when using BA do not place it where children or pets will come in contact with it. Although there is some health risk to consider when using boric acid around kids and pets, it is safer and less toxic when compared to other insecticides and pesticides. BA is produced and sold in various forms to meet all pest control needs including bait stations, dust, granules, liquids, pellets, powders, and tablets.

How to Kill Roaches With Boric Acid

A safe and efficient way to deal with cockroaches is boric-acid. Hands down, this is one of my most favorite ways to tackle any problem I have with a roach infestation. I have used this for many years and it works every time without fail. Before we get into the deals of how to use the BA I want to say a little bit about safety.

When working with this chemical you should always wear protective gear like gloves, masks, and eye protection. This will prevent you from ingesting or inhaling a large enough quantity to make you sick. As with any other pest control treatments BA should not be used in a manner that is unsafe to children and pets. So keep the product away and out of reach from the little one.

Now how exactly do you go about using boric acid?

BA is easy to apply. All you have to do is sprinkle the powder in areas where you have seen roaches crawling around. I have seen the best results when applying boric-acid in my kitchen cabinets, drawers, on countertops, underneath sinks, and on the floor behind the stove and refrigerator. You might want to try these areas too.

It’s best to sprinkle the BA just before nightfall and leave it out until the next morning. At night be sure to turn off all the lights in your home so the cockroaches will safe enough to come out. They will come out, walk all around and through the boric powder. The affected house roach will carry this powder back to other roaches who will die also.

The next morning it is best to vacuum up the boric acid and wipe all surfaces where you have applied the powder. To wipe just use a wet rag soaked in a vinegar and dish soap solution. If your home is heavily infested you might have to repeat this process for several nights in a row until your roach problem is eradicated.

How Does It Kill Cockroaches?

Now that you know how to place boric acid throughout your house you need to understand how the chemical does its job. Again you spread BA in places where roaches have been seen. The roaches crawl through the powdered substance and it gets all over their bodies, sticking to antennas, legs, etc. The boric acid is later ingested as they clean themselves, this causes stomach poisoning resulting in death.

Cockroaches are cannibals who eat their dead. So when they eat other roaches that have died from boric acid they end up poisoning themselves and the cycle continues until roaches are eliminated.

What Do You Mix With Boric Acid To Kill Roaches?

When used as a standalone pest treatment boric acid works wonders. However, over the years I have found more effective ways to use BA for even better results. By adding BA to a few other simple ingredients you can get even more amazing results. Mixing multiple ingredients together to form super baits will get you the results you need.

Boric Acid Mistakes

Although boric acid is a highly effective bait you must know it is not full-proof. There are some mistakes you can make which will cause treatments to be less effective.

The 3 mistakes we most commonly see that ruin your results include:

Using too much BA
Applying powder in the wrong places
Giving up to early

Mistake #1 – Using too much boric acid

When using boric acid you should err on the side of using too little as opposed to too much BA. If you go crazy and place down too much at one time the cockroaches will walk around and avoid this stuff. So for the best results, you should apply a light coat of boric acid in areas where roaches are expected to be. I’d also like to add that boric acid is best when dry so do not add any water. If mixed with water boric acid will not kill as intended.

Mistake #2 – Spreading powder in the wrong places

Cockroaches will not go out of their way looking for boric-acid, therefore it’s important that you do not randomly place your powder. This would be ineffective and not a good use of your time. Only place the powder in high traffic locations you have seen roach activity. In cracks and crevices; and around walls, window sills, and baseboards are ideal spots.

Mistake #3 – Giving up too early

Although boric acid is one of the most impactful roach killers, its effects are not instant. BA does not kill instantly or on-contact like other fast-acting pesticides or roach sprays. That said, you must be prepared to keep placing out boric acid bait stations until the job is done to your satisfaction. This can take a few weeks to a month at the most.

Best Way To Kill Roaches With Boric Acid

By now you know and will likely agree when I say boric acid can be the most efficient roach killer you can ever use. I get great results when using this in my house and the home of friends. Watch the video below if you want to see the whole process of how to kill a roach in action.

How Long Will It Take To Get Rid Of Roaches With Boric Acid?

We have established the fact that BA is very effective against cockroaches. One of the most frequently asked questions we get is “how long does boric acid take to kill roaches?”. Boric acid is not like roach sprays that kill cockroaches on contact, or like the fast-acting pesticides, professional exterminators use to get rid of roaches in minutes. If you must use BA it can take a bit of time to do its job.

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