Is Boric Acid Safe For Pest Control Use Around The Home?
People want to know if boric acid is safe. Boric Acid (BA) has been in use within the United States since 1948. It is an effective pesticide for getting rid of those bugs and insects you’d like to keep out for your home. You can use BA inside to prevent and eliminate a host of pests including ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, mites, spiders, ticks, termites, and more.
All said you may be wondering is boric acid safe for pest control? Yes, boric acid is a powerful, effective, and safe pesticide that can be used to kill or prevent household pests. But this chemical does carry some risks and can be dangerous to people and pets if taken in large doses.
There are many applications and uses for BA in controlling and preventing household pests. If you’d like to learn more about this pesticide, it’s effectiveness, and which pests it kills we invite you to read more.
What Is Boric Acid?
Boric acid derived from boron is a naturally occurring compound of boron, oxygen, and hydrogen. It is a white, odorless, and nearly tasteless substance that looks like table salt in granular form. In powdered form, BA looks almost like baby powder. Boric acid was first introduced in the U.S. in 1948. It is used throughout the world and is a key ingredient in a wide range of effective pest control products.
This chemical is well known for fighting bugs and insects. It is considered by many to be the best cockroach control agent ever developed. Products containing boric acid come in many forms including baits, dust, granules, liquids, pellets, powders and tablets. When compared to other chemical pesticides BA is less toxic to humans and pests.
How Does Boric Acid Work?
The safe natural pesticide has an exceptional track record dating back to 1948 when was first registered in the United States. Boric acid was first classified and used as an insecticide to control household pests including cockroaches, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, termites and a few other nuisance insects and bugs.
So how exactly does boric acid work to kill and control insects? BA will kill insects if they eat it. The chemical agitates their stomachs forcing them to stop eating and can also affect the insect’s nervous system. When insects walk through this insecticide there exterior is exposed and damaged resulting in dehydration and death. Best of all the boric acid is carried back to nests and colonies and more insects are killed.
Is Boric Acid Safe For People And Pets?
All insecticides and pesticides are poisonous to a certain extent. When using them there are some associated risks. That said, when using boric acid as a pest control agent there are some risks to humans and pets. These risks are very low when compared to other chemicals that are used to control and kill insects and bugs.
When boric acid is consumed in toxic levels the results can be serious even causing death in children and pets. You should always wear a mask and gloves when working with BA and any other pesticides. Respiratory problems, skin irritation, muscle weakness, and headaches are known symptoms for improper use of boric acid.
In this day and age, BA is used by doctors in the women’s healthcare industry. A variety of vaginal yeast infection treatments and suppository medical products include BA as an active ingredient.
If you use this chemical pest control, as directed, in small doses and keep the product away from pets and children you should not have any problems. I hope this answered your question of is boric acid safe.
How Long Does It Take Boric Acid To Work?
Boric acid does not kill on contact like you would expect with most insecticides. You have to give BA some time to work. I have seen great results in as little as 12 to 24 hours. If you have a major infestation if could take a couple of days to a few weeks to totally control and kill off all of your pests.
Give the chemical some time to work its magic. The pests will eat the boric acid will stop feeding. They will then dry out and die after a while. When it’s all said and done your pest problem will be taken care of because BA is so efficient.
Common Pest Control Uses Of Boric Acid
As an insecticide boric acid can be utilized in a variety of places both indoors and outdoors. It is said to be the most effective and natural way to get rid of pests in your home. When applied as a pest control agent, BA is used to kill ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, termites, and other bugs and insects.
Insects and bugs are poisoned by the chemical. They end up with stomach problems and later die from dehydration. It’s important to note that insects have not developed an immunity to boric acid as they have for many other insecticides and pesticides. This is good for you the homeowner because this means you have found a solution that works every time.
You can either buy boric acid as an already prepared commercial pest control product or you can create mix up your own treatment solution. Both methods work equally well, however, if you decide to make your own BA you will end up with enough to last for many years.
Boric Acid For Roaches
As a treatment option for roaches boric acid comes in several forms including gels, powders, and dust. Dust is most commonly used by pest control professionals while do-it-yourself homeowners and renters prefer to use BA in powdered form.
If you want to kill cockroaches yourself it is easy to do because boric acid is so effective. You just have to use the powder in the right places. The powder should be placed in areas that your roaches frequent. If applied anywhere else BA will be ineffective. Do not apply BA where it can be accessed by children and pets.
Boric Acid For Fleas
Much like diatomaceous earth, boric acid is another great solution to help you get rid of fleas in your home. I have seen great success sprinkle it on my carpets, letting it rest there a while and then vacuuming really well. This will kill and remove fleas in all phases of their life cycle.
Fleas will eat or ingest the BA powder and once absorbed it kill dehydrate and kill off the flea. Like also use this chemical as intended in a safe manner when working around pets and people. Keep boric acid out of reach and access from pets and kids.
Boric Acid For Ants
Ants are just one of many insects and bugs that you can kill using boric acid. The two most effective ways to kill ants I have seen are to prepare baits or sprinkle the powder around the anthill or mound.
Baits prepare with BA and other ingredients work very well. The ants will take the bait back to the colony where the queen and other ants eat and die. With the powder, you can sprinkle it directly on the anthill. You should also create a barrier around the outside of the mound. These ants will not cross the boric acid barrier.
Both methods are equally effective, so you’ll have to decide which method you prefer to use. Be cautious and safe when using BA around children and pets. Do not apply this chemical to where they can get to it. It’s important to note that you’d need to reapply the chemical if it rains with 24 hours of you treating the ants.
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Related Questions
Is boric acid harmful to humans? No, although boric acid (ba) is dangerous like other pesticides it is not harmful to humans when used in a safe manner. When handling and using BA you should always wear a protective mask and gloves. The product should be kept away from children and pets.
What insects will boric acid (ba) kill? When used as a pest control insecticide BA kills many different types of bugs and insects including ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas mites, silverfish, spiders and termites.
Is boric acid (ba) safe to touch? When handling boric acid and any other chemicals we recommend you wear protective clothing like gloves, masks, and eye protection. If you touch BA with your bare skin it can cause irritation and redness.