How to Use Boron to Kill Roaches

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By Julie Richards
eHow Contributing Writer

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Roaches can cause disease and bacteria to be spread throughout the environment. These pesky bugs carry germs from floor to counter to food. This is a health hazard to people who consume the food. Roaches are not limited to restaurants or food service companies. Roaches can invade any space. This includes malls, camp grounds and recreational parks. One of the best chemicals used to control and kill roaches is boron.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Protective gloves Breathing mask

Step 1

Locate the source of the cockroach problem. This is usually in a warm, damp place like under the sink or refrigerator. Clean any spills or stray food particles before applying the boron. Make certain the application surface is completely dry. When boron becomes wet, it loses it's effectiveness.
Step 2

Create a barrier of boron around the perimeter of the area by sprinkling the powder in a continuous line. The area can be a single room or the entire exterior of the house or building.
Step 3

Watch for signs of the infestation decreasing. Boron is toxic to the cockroaches through absorption. This means the roaches will crawl through the barrier of boron several times before dying.
Step 4

Re-apply the boron as necessary when there are any signs of pests.
Step 5

Keep the area free from debris, trash and food substances on a regular basis. This will keep the infestation of any pest to a minimum.

Tips & Warnings

Keep any area treated with boron as dry as possible. Getting the treatment area wet will allow the boron to become useless in treating bugs.
Although boron is not toxic to humans and other animals, it is a chemical. As such, caution should always be used when working with chemicals.

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