How to Treat Air-Borne Termites With Boric Acid

Using boric acid is an easy way to get rid of termites.

Boric acid is a safe alternative to using harmful chemicals and insecticides to kill termites, cockroaches and other pesky insects that can invade your home and possibly cause damage. Boric acid is effective in eradicating insects in your home because unlike pesticides, the insects do not build a tolerance or resistance to the acid. In addition, it's a safe way to get rid of insects if you are sensitive to chemicals and pesticides used by commercial pest control companies.

Things You'll Need

• Boric acid mixed with propylene glycol
• Paint brush or paint sprayer
• Disposable bowl

Instructions

1. Purchase some boric acid that contains propylene glycol. The combination of propylene glycol and boric acid makes it easy and cheap to get rid of termites in your home. Boric acid is mined in the Mojave Desert of California and comes in the form of white powder. However, when diluted or mixed with propylene glycol, boric acid becomes a clear liquid.

2. Pour the solution into a bowl. If you intend to cover a large area of your home and want to get the job done quickly, use a paint sprayer to get even coverage of a larger area more quickly.

3. Use the paintbrush method. Pour the boric acid out into a disposable bowl. Dip a dry paintbrush into the acid, shake off the excess and begin "painting" the boric acid onto the area that you wish to treat.

4. Use a paint sprayer for larger areas. Pour the boric acid into the sprayer and use the sprayer just like you would if you were painting the area. The boric acid treatment is odorless, so you will never even know that it was sprayed. The propylene glycol in the mixture helps the acid penetrate the wood, therefore it meshes with the fiber of the wood and becomes a part of it.

5. Get rid of other pests. If you have cockroach, silver fish or flea problems, the solution will also work to get rid of those pests. If you buy powdered boric acid, it will only cost you about $9 for 1 to 4 lbs. If you buy liquid boric acid, it will be cheaper. You can typically find it at your local drugstore. If they do not carry it, order it on the Internet at a reasonable price (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you wear protective gloves when dealing with boric acid. Although it's been used to treat different skin afflictions, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

Resources

• Shop for Boric Acid