Is Borax a Treatment for Termites?

There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling you get when you notice a pile of termite wings on your property or a branching network of termite mud tunnels. A well-established termite nest can mean thousands of dollars in structural damage to your home or business.

The termites must be stopped at all costs!

Of course, money doesn’t grow on trees and you may have heard of DIY methods such as using borax for termites. Is this an effective treatment to save your home or business from a termite infestation? Let’s find out.

Is Borax for Termites Effective?

Borax is effective for killing termites. When the critter ingests Borax, it interferes with its digestive system, killing the creature within 3-7 days.

Because of this, many resourceful home or business owners will try placing Borax near signs of termite activity. There are plenty of recipes on the Internet teaching you how to create bait from various forms of Borax.

If the colony is small, it’s even possible that Borax can be an effective method for combatting the infestation.

Unfortunately, by the time you notice signs of termite activity, the colony is rarely small. Termites live in the walls or underground and are masters at keeping themselves hidden.

Often, you won’t notice an infestation until the termites send out a swarm to start a new nest. This means that the colony is mature and there are already thousands, if not millions, of termites crawling around on your property.

Getting them all to eat a little Borax is about as simple as putting socks on a rooster. It’s especially difficult to make sure the queen gets some because she remains tucked away underground.

In other words, using Borax for termites is kind of like dumping small pails of water on a house fire. It helps, but not enough.

Benefits of Borax for Termites

However, many homeowners still reach for a box of Borax when they notice termites. It isn’t hard to see why.

Borax is easily accessible in many forms. You can find it in just about any grocery store in various forms including powder, gel, soap, spray, etc.

You can mix it with other simple ingredients like flour or sugar to make termite bait or sprays that you can leave around your property.

Additionally, Borax is very budget-friendly, which is part of what contributes to its popularity.

Downsides of Using Borax for Termites

Unfortunately, Borax just isn’t strong enough. It works slowly and a critter will still live for a few days after ingestion. You also have to retreat areas multiple times to ensure that all the termites get a deadly dose.

While Borax is a natural, environmentally-friendly substance, it isn’t exactly safe. Ingesting Borax is harmful to humans as well. While you probably wouldn’t chow down on a spoonful of Borax, you could inhale the powder as you’re working with it if you’re not careful.

Additionally, children or pets might come across your Borax bait and decide it looks like an adequate snack.

Borax can also cause skin irritation or redness and it is recommended to wear gloves when handling the substance. If you do get some on your hands or (heaven forbid!) in your eye, wash or flush immediately with water and seek medical attention.

Baiting Stations for Termites

orax, as well as other liquid pest control products, can only do so much to combat your termite problem. Only the termites that come into contact with the poison will die. The queen and young termites that stay safe in the nest will continue to thrive.

That’s why here at Buckaroo Pest Protection, we protect your home with a more effective solution.

The first step is to perform a complete home inspection. It is critical to know where the nest(s) is located in order to launch an effective attack.

Then we’ll install underground bait stations at strategic points. If the termites are living inside, we’ll also set out bait stations indoors. The bait used in the Sentricon System is highly attractive to termites — they even prefer it over wood!

The worker termites will have a snack as they forage for food and they will also take it back with them to the nest. This is how you get the poison straight to the source and destroy the entire colony — even a large one with millions of individuals.

A Highly Effective Solution

Killing off a few termites here and there with Borax bait might seem effective — especially when you start noticing their dead bodies. However, the likelihood of the infestation coming back is high.

The total massacre brought about by using bait stations is more effective. In fact, we are so confident in our process for eradicating termites that we offer a different type of warranty than most pest control companies.

Not only will we retreat your property with a reinfestation, but also we’ll take responsibility for any further structural damage. Learn more about our Repair Warranty here.

Superior Pest Protection

Termite colonies can become enormous quite quickly. What’s worse, by the time you start noticing the signs of termite activity there are already thousands or even millions of individuals scurrying about your property.

The damage caused by these hungry critters can easily run into several thousand dollars. That’s why we can’t in good conscience recommend a DIY treatment like Borax for termites. While you’re slowly killing off a few individuals here and there with homemade Borax bait, thousands of other bugs are happily having a feast at your expense.

Protecting your home against this destructive attack is worth every penny spent on pest protection services.

Contact us here at Buckaroo Pest Protection today to learn more about our termite services. Even if you’re not sure of an infestation, give us a call! We offer free in-home inspections to help you find the source of your pest problem. From there, we can help you eradicate it for good!

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