Do you want a homemade termite killer recipe? And that too without spending a dime?
If yes, then you’re at the right place.
This guide reveals a boric acid termite killer recipe that anyone can prepare at home.
And that too within 2 minutes!
Let’s get straight into it.
Here’s How To Make Boric Acid Termite Killer Spray
There’s barely a home that doesn’t have boric acid.
If your home is one of them then buy one. Why?
It’s because boric acid is an effective and proven pest killer. It not only kills termites but also many invasive pests like bed bugs, cockroaches, and ants.
Where to buy boric acid for termites?
You can choose one out of any two boric acids that we highly recommend. It’s the Duda Energy boric acid, which is 99.9% pure or a fine boric acid from Florida Labs.
The boric acid termite killer recipe that you’re about to find works on other bugs too!
So, it’d be best to make them in a significant quantity and store it.
Here’s the boric acid termite killer recipe that you’ve been looking for. It’s also a potent boric acid wood treatment recipe to kill termites.
- Heat one gallon of water
- Once the water boils, turn off the gas burner.
- Pour 17 ounces of boric acid (borax) in the hot water.
- Add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- Stir the water. Boric acid dissolves in water.
- Keep stirring the water till boric acid powder is completely dissolved in water.
- Pour the mixture in the spray bottle
- Spray the mixture where you’ve observed termites in your home.
- Repeat the above steps for a week, everyday.
Pro Tip: To add more punch to the boric acid termite killer recipe, add a few drops of dish washing soap or kerosene. Stir the mixture before pouring it in the spray bottle.
That’s it, you’re done.
But here’s a catch.
Termites are tough pests to kill.
And given their ability to infest in deepest and hardest to reach corners of your home, the boric acid termite killer recipe is not the final solution for killing termites.
When the termite infestation in your home is severe, then hiring a professional termite controller is your best way forward.
Also, the boric acid solution you’ve just prepared, lacks in residual toxicity like an effective termiticide spray has.
It means that to kill the termites with the boric acid spray, you need to spray it right on the termite nest or on the termites.
If you spray it like you’d spay a normal bug spray then it wouldn’t be effective.
Spraying this boric acid spray needs some tact from you especially when you’re using it on your furniture or wooden structures.
To make this spray work, you’d need to drill tiny holes on the wood pieces infested with termites.
And you’d also need to use a nozzle spray to ensure that the boric acid termite killer spray reaches the termite’s nests and the termites.
But things aren’t that difficult when you want to get rid of termites outdoors, like in your yard or garden.
In fact, you can even prepare boric acid termite killing balls to do the job.
The following section reveals how to make boric acid termite killing balls to get rid of termites in your yard.
How To Make Boric Acid Termite Killer Balls To Kill Termites Outdoors
The process is as easy as preparing boric acid termite killing spray that you learned in the last section.
But you’d need a few more ingredients for it. And it’ll take 10-15 minutes of your time.
Here’s what you’ll need –
- Boric acid – 10 oz
- Flour – 20 oz
- Sugar – 10 oz
- Warm water – 2 cups
- And a few drops of kerosene
Here’s how to make small marble sized balls to kill termites –
- Mix boric acid, flour, and sugar. It’d be best if you used grounded sugar. Grounded sugar mixes well with the dough that you’re about to make.
- Add 2 cups of warm water in the mixture.
- Pour 15-20 drops of kerosene in the dough mixture.
- Mix the dough.
- Make marble sized balls out of the dough you’ve just prepared. Do not make the balls too big or too small.
- Scatter the balls all over your yard, especially in places like mulch layers.
- Keep the boric acid balls in places where you suspect there are termite nests.
- Change the balls every third day.
In addition to the boric acid termite killing balls, you can also use the boric acid termite killer spray on places where there can be termites outdoors.
Some of the most common places where termites hide in your yard are in the mulch beds (yes, mulch does attract termites), firewood piles, tree stumps, trees, gutters, and even around your home’s foundation.
How Does Boric Acid Termite Killer Recipe Kills Termites
Now that you know how a normal household thing like boric acid decimates termites, the next possible question you may have is, how it works.
Well, we won’t make it sound complicated and keep it as simple as possible.
Boric acid kills termites, and other bugs like cockroaches, by working in a two fold way.
First, it dehydrates the termites from inside. And second, it spreads from one termite to another.
When you spray the boric acid spray on termites, it sticks with their bodies.
Termites have a habit of cleaning themselves, and each other up, by licking.
When they lick, they consume the boric acid spray. But boric acid is a dehydrator.
Boric acid dehydrates the termites from inside by robbing of the moisture that they store in their exoskeletons.
Exoskeletons are the structural skeletons of insects and bugs underneath their skin.
Moisture is a critical element that keeps termites alive.
And when that moisture dries up, which takes anywhere between 48-72 hours, it causes an instant breakdown of the exoskeleton.
And the end result? The termites die.
The same mechanism takes place when termites consume the marble-sized balls that you prepare.
Those marble-sized balls, and the boric acid termite killer spray, have cellulose because you’ve added sugar into it.
Sugar contains cellulose which is also an essential life source that keeps termites alive. Cellulose is also present in the wood, especially in softwoods which also have high moisture levels.
The termites consume the dough marble-sized balls, the boric acid destroys the exoskeleton by dehydrating them, and the added kerosene or dish soap adds an additional poison to termites.
Note: Both the boric acid termite killer recipes are not instant termite killers. Both take at least 48 hrs to kill them.
That’s why we recommend repeatedly using these recipes every third day to maximize the death rate of termites.
What Chemicals Kill Termites?
Along with homemade termite killing recipes, it’s always a wise decision to have multiple termiticide sprays in your home.
More options give you more power.
They’re handy in situations when you want to put instant breaks on termites, especially in situations when the infestation becomes severe that makes the termites more visible.
So, if you’re looking to shop for any termite killer spray, look out for these chemicals in them.
These chemicals are instant and lethal termite killers.
Here are the top three chemicals that kill termites –
- Fipronil
- Imidacloprid
- Hexaflumuron
Fipronil is present in many instant termite killer sprays. It kills termites by damaging the nervous system of termites.
Given the high level of toxicity, pest controllers use it to spray around the home’s perimeter near the home’s foundation.
It’s because subterranean and formosan termites invade homes from underground around the regions near the home’s foundation.
Imidacloprid based termiticides works not only for termites but also for all types of ground dwelling bugs that infest homes, like ants and roaches.
It’s an effective weapon against landscape pests and you can use it on places like lawns, turfs, and in golf courses.
Hexaflumuron is a chemical that attracts termites, and kills them. Manufacturers use it in termite baits.
Termite baits attract the termites and when the termites consume the baits they die.
Using hexaflumuron based termite baits is a clever way of luring termites out of hiding from places where you suspect there’s a termite infestation.
Caution: Please read the instruction labels before handling these insecticides by yourself.
Is Boric Acid Dangerous To Humans?
Yes, it is. If you ingest boric acid it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, stomach aches and headaches.
It can also cause harm to your digestive system.
So, while preparing the boric acid termite killer recipe ensure that you wear a pair of gloves.
It’d be best if you put a mask on so that you don’t inhale the boric acid particles.
Boric acid is corrosive to the eye and can also cause skin irritation.
Also, keep boric acid, and the marble-sized balls termite killer recipe balls out of reach of children and pets.
Summary
In this guide you learned two boric acid termite killer recipes to kill termites both inside and outside your home.
The first is the boric acid termite killer spray. And the second is boric acid termite killer balls made out of dough for your yard.
You’ve also found out what chemicals kill termites instantly.
Dr. Thomas Orbert is a PhD in Entomology with extensive research experience in ectoparasites and microbials. He has also worked in the spaces of ecology conservation and has multiple years of experience in field research and scientific publishing.