How to Make Roach Killer Paste From Boric Acid Powder

Homemade boric acid bait helps you kill a roach colony.

No one wants to see cockroaches in the house. Whether you've spotted one cockroach or a few, there's an infestation somewhere. Cockroaches live in colonies and seek out nesting areas near easy-to-find food and water sources. While maintaining a clean house is vital to getting rid of and preventing cockroach infestations, you must also use an insecticide to kill the colony. Commercial cockroach killers are readily available, but contain chemicals you may wish to avoid. You can make a boric acid powder–based roach bait to kill cockroaches in your home. While boric acid is mildly toxic, the natural substance is effective and free of chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup shortening
• Bowl
• 1/8 cup sugar
• Spoon
• 1 cup boric acid powder
• 1/2 cup white flour
• Milk
• Yogurt containers and lids

Instructions

1. 

   The sweetness of sugar is attractive to cockroaches.

   Place 1/4 cup of shortening in a bowl. Add 1/8 cup of brown or white sugar to the shortening. Stir the two ingredients together to form a creamy mixture.

2. Pour 1 cup of boric acid powder and 1/2 cup of white flour into the creamed shortening and sugar. Stir the dry ingredients until mixed well.

3. Drizzle milk over the other ingredients while stirring. Add enough milk to make a thick, peanut butter–like paste.

4. Scoop spoonfuls of the boric acid powder roach bait into clean yogurt containers or on top of the container lids. Set the yogurt containers on top of cabinets. Slide the lids with the roach bait underneath appliances, underneath the sink or enclosed in cabinets that don't contain food.

Tips & Warnings

• Replenish the roach bait every three to four days. Continue using the roach bait for at least six weeks to kill the entire roach colony.

• Clean your house by vacuuming floors and furniture and washing hard surfaces and flooring. By removing food stains, crumbs and spills, you impact the roach colony by removing its food source.

• Although boric acid is natural, it's also mildly toxic. Keep your homemade roach bait out of the reach of children and pets.

References

• "Good Housekeeping"; How to Get Rid of Insects and Pests; Heloise
• "Mother Earth News"; Get Rid of Cockroaches; June/July 2001
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Least Toxic Cockroach Control; Barb Ogg; et al.; August 2002
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Controlling Pests With Home Remedies; Barb Ogg; June 2006