Have your heard of borates, borax or boric acid? Does Boric Acid Kill Termites?
Has anyone ever mentioned boric acid and how well it works for killing bugs? How does boric acid work? How much boric acid do you need to kill termites?
In this article, we’ll discuss the topic of boric acid killing termites.
Does Boric Acid Kill Termites?
Yes. Boric acid, borax, sodium borate or borate is lethal to termites. It’s a great method to kill termites and very easily done. It dries out the exoskeleton of many insects including termites.
All you need to do is mix 1 teaspoon of boric acid with 8 ounces of water in a spray bottle. Apply it on wood or anywhere that contains cellulose.
Termites will die on contact or become dehydrated until their nervous system shuts down. Borate treated wood flooring and other wood structures keep termites away.
How Long Does It Take for Boric Acid to Kill Termites?
This is a process that is repeated every 3-5 days to kill termites in droves.
- Mix one teaspoon of Boric Acid in a spray bottle with water.
- Shake the bottle and dissolve the powder.
- Spray generously in multiple locations where there are signs of termites.
Keep searching for termite frass, wood dust, and mud tunnels. If you spray boric acid every few days, you will eventually kill any termites that are actively munching on wood and the cellulose within.
Termites dry up from the inside off this poison that acts to shut down their nervous systems.
How Effective Is Boric Acid on Termites?
Boric acid is highly effective for killing termites because it dries them out from the inside out. Boric acid leads most DIY solutions for killing multiple pests.
Ants and cockroaches stand no chance when they ingest or make contact with boric acid or borax. They are bound to become dehydrated as it penetrate their exoskeleton.
Termite colonies can still survive if the queen or epicenter of the nest doesn’t ingest the boric acid that you have either sprinkled or sprayed.
How Much Borax Kills Termites?
All it takes is for 1 teaspoon of boric acid to be added to an 8 ounce bottle to kill termites in their tracks. Spray the contents generously on wood or areas where you believe to be infested by termites.
Boric acid can be applied as a liquid or sprinkled on dry. The ingestion occurs when termites happen to eat some of this sodium borate or make contact with it.
Look to make a borax solution that is below 2% to keep the termites alive long enough to bring the contamination over to the nest for the rest of the colony to feel its effects.
If you use too much, termites will either be repelled or die on the spot. The colony will not be impacted as greatly.
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Are Termites Attracted to Boric Acid?
Termites are only attracted to cellulose. They hate sunlight and need some moisture to draw them closer to dead wood or lumber.
They are attracted to firewood, tree stumps, windowsills and open pathways that lead to any wood derivatives.
The task at hand is to perform any of the three methods below to get rid of termites with boric acid, borax or borate.
- spray
- sprinkle
- treat
1. Spray
Mix one teaspoon of boric acid or borax with 8 ounces of water in a spray bottle and generously aim and fire at termite hotspots. They will dry out and die from contact or ingestion when you interrupt their feast.
2. Sprinkle
Dry application of borax powder is used just like diatomaceous earth. With the latter, you cannot get it wet, but with borax, it’s ok if it rains or if you choose to spray instead.
Dry borax powder will get on the body or inside a termite while it is trying to eat cellulose in wood. They will die very soon, but your aim is to only use a teaspoon per 8 ounces of water so they can still make it to their nest and contaminate others.
3. Treat
There are plenty of wood items that come pretreated with borate. This is applied as a thin coating on wood floors, walls or other wood derivatives.
Termites cannot penetrate this wood without getting seriously ill. The boric acid or sodium borate is contained on the clear outer coating of the wood.
Is 20 Mule Team Borax Good for Termites?
Yes. Keep the concentration of borax at or under 2% when mixed with water. 1 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water in a spray bottle works well to keep termites alive long enough to contaminate the rest of the colony.
It could be a slow death when boric acid or borax enters their gut. Otherwise, borax could dry out their bodies as it enters through their exoskeletons. The drawback is that all types of borax, including 20 Mule Team Borax may not get fully exposed to the entire colony.
These pests know how to hide really well in deeply tunneled nests. You have to get the powder on all of them to fully succeed in getting rid of termites.
Is Boric Acid Harmful to Humans?
Boric acid is harmful if we ingest it. Humans should wear gloves, goggles and a mask when acting as a DIY exterminator. Professionals would do the same. We are trying to not inhale it as it could be poisonous.
Using only 1 teaspoon in a spray bottle filled with water keeps its concentration low enough to not detrimentally affect humans.
We can be near it and touch it without getting hurt. Wash your hands even if you wear gloves and keep your pets away because it is a caustic chemical that damages living tissue.
Conclusion
Boric acid or borax powder is useful to have around the house. It can be used to get rid of plenty of pests. We have mentioned boric acid countless times in articles on insects and rodents alike.
We know that it works on killing termites if they make direct contact with it. Termites must ingest it or walk over it at least while they are tunneling or feasting on wood.
The caustic chemical in sodium borate, borax or boric acid is going to dry out, dehydrate and kill any termites you aim and fire at with your spray bottle. Sprinkling the powder also works.
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