Bed bugs are nasty insects that suck blood from humans and pets at night. Although they are not disease-causing, their bites can be annoying. Some people are looking for home treatments to eliminate these insect problems.
Does boric acid kill bed bugs? The answer is Yes. A standard treatment that many people have used to kill bed bugs is boric acid. On the internet, there are many DIY treatments for you to implement with boric acid.
Boric acid can kill bed bugs quickly and effectively; this is possible thanks to its composition. The downside is that you must have bait so that you can attract these pests into the dust. For you to be successful with boric acid, bed bugs must eat it.
Below you will be able to know the best information about boric acid to eliminate bed bugs safely.
What Is the Boric Acid?
Contents
Boric acid is a chemical that is included in other pesticide products to kill insects. For boric acid to be effective, bed bugs must be attracted to bait to ingest it.
It is used as an insecticide, antiseptic, neutron absorber, and flame retardant.
If you add boric acid and the bed bugs don’t eat it, it won’t work. The bait you can use is sugar or some protein that these pests want to eat. When the bed bugs eat the bait, they will also eat the boric acid, causing them to die.
Difference Between Boric Acid And Borax
Want to know the difference between borax and boric acid? You should know that borax is corrosive and, therefore, more dangerous. The difference starts from the beginning since the production process of both is different.
Borax is extracted from the ground, while boric acid is made from borax. To make boric acid, you have to put borax in boiling water and then add hydrochloric acid. When this mixture begins to cool, the boric acid begins the crystallization process.
When this process begins, the boric acid crystals can be filtered; you can make several boric acid mix with different levels of purity from there. From here, you can get the mix, depending on your needs. Borax forms like a rock, while boric acid is in the form of a powder.
Borax is more toxic to humans and can cause eye irritation, and if ingested, it can cause damage. You should always keep borax out of the reach of children.
Does Boric Acid Kill Bed Bugs?
Boric acid is used to kill cockroaches and ants, but today some people have used it to kill bed bugs. This can serve as a measure for several small bugs.
As mentioned above, boric acid can kill bed bugs because of its composition, but you must mix it with bait. Boric acid can kill bed bugs after a few days of exposure.
This is a chemical that is often used as an insecticide. After pests must eat boric acid, this substance will affect their nervous system.
Since bed bugs feed on blood by themselves, they will not eat this substance. That is why it must be used with bait so that they are attracted to eat it. For this reason, it is not a substance that works with eggs like other substances or pesticides.
It can also have a good effect if you spray the most common routes, and this will push them out a bit. There are indications that, when inhaled, they can cause suffocation or dehydration in the swellings.
Remember that if you want to use this solution as an effective treatment to eliminate them, you should know that it is not. You should look for other options that you can combine with boric acid for good results.
If you have an infestation in your house, boric acid will not be the right solution because if you do not eat it, it will not be effective.
How To Use Boric Acid For Bed Bugs?
When you decide to use boric acid for bed bugs, you should also consider other methods to eliminate them. You can use diatomaceous earth for more effectiveness.
If you decide to use boric acid, you can try these ways:
- You can keep bed bugs out of your bed using boric acid; you can put it in powder around the bed, such as legs. Bed bugs will always find a way to feed and go to your bed to suck your blood.
If the bed bugs pass through the dust, they will not die instantly, but they can die within days, and this dust will not be pleasant for them.
- You can also try making a liquid boric acid solution, and it will be a more convenient solution to use. You can spray your mattress and carpet with a good amount of boric acid.
You can then spray the carpet and your mattress with warm water to create a warm layer of boric acid. This will create an effective environment for killing bed bugs. When you inhale this solution, you will see that it will kill some pests.
- After doing these treatments, you should vacuum all the surfaces that you have treated with boric acid. With the vacuum cleaner, you can get rid of many pests that are already unconscious or dead.
Then it would help if you tied the bag very well to prevent the living or unconscious from getting out and returning home.
- The liquid boric acid solution can also be sprayed on other surfaces such as furniture, chairs, sofas, etc. Use it in places where you think there are bed bugs.
When you spray this solution, you should allow it to take effect, and the liquid boric acid can weaken the bed bugs. You can also use a steam cleaner to eliminate bed bugs.
These cheap methods you can do in Vasa will help you control those pesky bed bugs. You can also use essential oils for these pests. Boric acid is used with cockroaches and ants and is very useful and recommended.
Use a type of bait so that bed bugs can eat the substance and can kill them properly. Remember that bed bugs prefer blood, and so you should look for something that catches their attention.
With these steps, you will be able to eliminate these annoying pests from your home. If you find that you already have an infestation, boric acid will not be as effective.
Conclusion
Bed bugs are challenging insects to eliminate, and sometimes you will need to find other methods and combine them to be effective. If you don’t use boric acid the right way, you risk making the problem worse. Many specialists recommend not using boric acid or other household chemicals for bed bugs.
You should use it wisely to avoid allergies or illnesses to your relatives or pets. Seek the help of professionals so that you can safely and correctly attack bed bugs if you have an infestation.
