How is Boric Acid Able to Kill Cockroaches When It’s Less Toxic than Table Salt?

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   ngurecoposted 15 years ago

   How is Boric Acid Able to Kill Cockroaches When It’s Less Toxic than Table Salt?

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   brad4lposted 15 years ago

   Boric acid is a very common chemical that is often used as an insecticide. Boric acid can be used to make very simple and effective ant traps, saving a great deal of money. However, it is only toxic to humans in relatively large doses. read more

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   Born Again 05posted 15 years ago

   Having lived in NYC for the first 18 years of my life, I knew what it was like to grow up with roaches in the house. I came across a product called 'Roach Prufe" which was made up of powdered boric acid. I actually cleared my house of roaches completely with this product. You place the powder wherever the critters crawl; along counters, in kitchen draws, etc. The powder clings to the body of the roach which then returns to the nest. When the insect cleans itself, it ingests the boric acid and dies.They are cannibalistic and consume each other thereby setting off a chain reaction.

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   H P Roychoudhuryposted 15 years ago

   The chemical constitution of Boric acid and Table salts are completely different. Boric acid is an organic acid while Table salt is an inorganic compound essential for human body. The organic acid reacts with body of cockroach while table salt not.

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   GusTheRedneckposted 15 years ago

   Boron (boric acid, borax, etc.) is a poison. Years ago it was a common ingredient in baby powders until that was banned because it all too often caused babies to turn nicely bright red with their reactions to the stuff.  There is a commonly used "homemade" cockroach killer made with 1 part each of corn meal, sugar, and boric acid powder. People are told to place the mixture into jar cap lids and place the lids around so that cockroaches can eat the stuff, head back for their nests, die, be eaten by other cockroaches, which themselves will then die -- but to be sure to keep the bait out of the reach of pets and children. The lesson may be: If it does not grow as a vegetable or an animal, people should not eat it.  You can eat a lot of salt before it kills you, but, boric acid - not so much !

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