Are you waking up with small, itchy bites after a long night’s sleep? You may have bed bugs in your home!
Bed bugs terrorize homeowners across Washington state and the country, with thousands of homeowners suffering annually from infestations.
We know you’ll want them gone fast when you have an infestation! Many homeowners like to try DIY methods for their bed bug problems, but does boric acid kill bed bugs?
Keep reading to know if boric acid is the perfect solution to your bed bug problems! Don’t forget that Zunex Pest Control is always there to lend a helping hand whenever you have bed bugs in your home.
Boric acid is a multipurpose solution utilized in various industries. Besides its use in hygienic and medicinal products, boric acid helps create glass, makeup, soaps, and more!
It is a must-have ingredient in many pest control solutions too. Numerous ant, cockroach, and spider baits on the shelf typically incorporate boric acid into their formulas.
An insect interacts with boric acid by ingesting or absorbing it through its exoskeletons. The type of pest you have may determine which pest control method you use to curtail insects indoors.
For bugs like ants or cockroaches, you can mix a pinch of boric acid with sugar, peanut butter, or honey to eliminate large pest infestations. As the insects consume the poison, the boric acid corrodes their stomach.
If an insect walks through a boric acid trail, the powder may destroy the insect’s exoskeleton, causing it to dehydrate. While not as effective as a boric acid bait, this method targets insects that otherwise avoid the powder.
The big question is: “Does boric acid kill bed bugs?” Theoretically, yes, it can!
Boric acid can affect any insect with an exoskeleton, whether they consume it or not. The gritty white powder weakens a bed bug’s shell and prevents them from retaining or drinking water, similar to diatomaceous earth.
However, you may run into some problems if you expect these pests to eat any boric acid mixtures. Notorious for their diet, bed bugs only consume blood. Good luck getting them to try another meal!
While other blood-sucking pests like mosquitoes may feast on nectar, bed bugs cannot process other organic materials, and their mouths aren’t large enough to eat anything else. However, this won’t kill the pests immediately. Bed bugs can go without food for a few months, especially if they live within the right conditions.
So, does boric acid kill bed bugs?
If you coat the pests in a fine powder mist, you could eliminate a few bed bugs at a time. However, we don’t recommend relying on boric acid to solve all of your bed bug problems.
To make a dent in a severe bed bug infestation, you’ll need to saturate your mattress or furniture with a thick layer of grainy powder. The feasibility of this option primarily relies on the location of your bed bug problem.
If you have bed bugs in a new chair or spare bed, you could consider using boric acid as your pest control. If you have bed bugs in commonly used spaces like your bedroom or living room, we suggest using another alternative.
What Works Better than Boric Acid?
Will borax, diatomaceous earth, or vinegar work better to curtail bed bugs?
These options are popular at-home products to remove pest infestations on your own. Borax is derived from the same component as boric acid and works similarly.
Diatomaceous earth can destroy an insect’s exoskeleton, while vinegar can eliminate bugs from an on-contact application. Vinegar can similarly work as a preventative pest control method for ants and roaches.
However, for challenging bed bug infestations, you should rely on proven methods to eliminate the pests over DIY solutions. These tiny pests are resilient, so you’ll need a powerful approach to keep them at bay!
Many pest control professionals rely on heating treatments to eliminate bed bugs inside your home. Unless you have small items infested with bed bugs, we don’t recommend you try this option on your own.
Clothing, pillow, or mattress covers that can fit into industrial dryers can be heated high enough to remove the bed bugs hiding within. We suggest calling a pest control company to lend a hand for oversized items like chairs, mattresses, or couches.
Similarly, freezing objects can eliminate bed bug infestations. If your freezer can consistently reach below-freezing temperatures, you can remove bed bugs from small objects.
Signs of Bed Bugs
If you think you have bed bugs in your home, here’s what you should look for.
For effective bed bug control, contact a professional pest control company specializing in bed bug elimination for effective bed bug control. Here, at Zunex pest control, we can care for bed bug problems in your home!
Contact us today to schedule a treatment!
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