Using boric acid and egg yolk to control cockroaches

It's no secret that the appearance of cockroaches in an apartment is a real disaster. Their presence in the home causes numerous troubles for household members. When Prussians are discovered, it is necessary to take immediate measures to destroy them.

Today, you can get rid of such “guests” in various ways. One of the most common and effective remedies is boric acid powder. It may be the main component in poisonous insect baits.

Boric acid is a weak acid and is a white crystalline powder.

This product is odorless and has good disinfectant and antiseptic properties. It is also often used to combat fungal infections.

But for a long time, people began to use boric acid to rid their homes of cockroaches. It is one of the most popular means among people to combat these harmful insects.

The effect of boric acid on cockroaches

The poisonous substance in boric acid is boron. The powder affects the body of parasites in two ways: upon contact with the product and as an intestinal poison.

Contact exposure is possible provided that dry powder is used to get rid of cockroaches. Its crystals have the shape of scales with rather sharp edges. In contact with the paws and body of the Prussian, they injure and damage the integument of the insect. Trying to cleanse itself, a cockroach may swallow some of the powder.

If boric acid is used as a component for preparing baits, it has a destructive effect on the pest’s body. It disrupts the functioning of the digestive system and leads to dehydration of the body, since it has absorbent properties.

At the same time, boric acid negatively affects the functioning of the peripheral nervous system, causing seizures and paralyzing the parasite.

The insect dies a few hours after interaction with the poison occurs. Only 2-3 grams of powder is enough to kill one individual.

Mechanism of action

The accumulation of boron compounds in the body of a cockroach provokes a destructive effect. Once inside, the substance corrodes the insect’s intestines, disrupting its water balance and chitinous cover.

The secret of the poison's action lies in the accumulation system. For the first few days, the cockroach can lead an active lifestyle without showing signs of slowly dying. Changes in its behavior may not be noticeable, but then the individual dies.

When an infected insect dies in the colony, it infects other cockroaches. Larvae that feed on the decay products of older individuals inevitably die.

In females, the activity of the reproductive system is disrupted, and in males, a sterilizing effect is manifested, therefore the number of pest populations decreases. It turns out that insects have no chance to survive. The main thing is that the pest wants to eat the food sent.

Why do you need yolk as part of the bait?

A person does not smell the smell that comes from boric acid. It is for this reason that textbooks indicate that it has neither smell nor taste.

But cockroaches have a more subtle sense of smell than humans. They are able to capture aroma that humans cannot smell.

Egg yolk can remove the smell of boric acid, which increases the likelihood of cockroaches eating the bait. But the yolk itself is a desirable food for the Prussians.

Recipes for baits with yolk

Baits for cockroaches using boric acid and egg yolk are prepared in various ways. Here are a few of the most popular recipes.

With sunflower oil

You will need the following ingredients:

40 grams of powder (4 standard packages);
1 boiled yolk;
Unrefined sunflower oil. If it is not available, it can be replaced with refined one.

All you need from a boiled egg is the yolk. It should be ground with a fork and mixed with boric acid.

Pour a small amount of oil into the resulting mixture so that it can be sculpted. Now the bait mixture is ready! From it you need to make balls about 5 millimeters in diameter.

This amount of ingredients is designed to treat one room in an apartment or house. If you need to carry out a complete treatment of the home, then the portion is increased proportionally, based on the number of rooms in the house.

With granulated sugar

For this recipe you will need the following ingredients:

40 grams of boric acid (4 packs);
2 tbsp. spoons of granulated sugar;
1 yolk.

All components should be mixed and formed into balls. If the mixture is too thick, you can dilute it with water. If the mass, on the contrary, is too liquid, then a little flour should be added to it.

With potatoes

To prepare another widespread bait for cockroaches, you will need:

40 grams of boric acid (4 standard packages);
1 hard-boiled egg;
1 medium potato;
A small amount of kefir.

Mash the yolk and boiled potatoes with a fork, then mix the mixture with boric acid and kefir. All components should be mixed well. You will get a mass from which you need to make balls.

How to cook?

There are 2 most popular methods of using boric acid:

Sprinkle in a thin line in areas where cockroaches are likely to appear (along baseboards, around trash cans, sinks, or under beds). Logically, Prussians should contaminate their paws with poison and then ingest it when cleaning their limbs. In practice, this method remains questionably effective.
Use of poisonous baits. In this case, the essence of the method is that the pest independently, and even with pleasure, swallows its death. The main thing is to create a tasty bait.

Now there are a large number of different ways to prepare such “cakes”. Which recipe for boron balls against cockroaches to choose depends purely on the person’s preference.

However, the following remain very popular:

You need to mix 1 boiled chicken yolk with a teaspoon of boric acid. Roll it out and form several small balls.
Combine sugar, starch, flour and boric acid in equal proportions. Add a little water to this mixture and make a kind of dough. Small flat cakes are made from it.
Combine 1 boiled potato with 1 egg, grind until pureed and add 1 tablespoon of acid. Then roll small balls again.

As you can see, there are plenty of options for preparing poisonous baits. You need to choose the one you like best and use it.

Preparatory stage before processing the premises

Treating a room against cockroaches must necessarily be preceded by a preparatory stage.

First of all, all rooms should be cleaned to deprive insects of food. It is necessary that the bait be the only source of food.
After each meal, be sure to remove the remaining food so that there is no food left on the table. You can store food in containers or in the refrigerator. You should not leave crumbs on the table, otherwise they will attract parasites.
The trash bin must be kept clean. Take it out and wash it every night.
For cockroaches, water is more important than food, so it is important not to give them the opportunity to drink. Keep plumbing and water pipes in good condition. Wipe the sink, washbasin or bathtub until it is completely dry each time you use it.

Additional tips for getting rid of parasites

It’s not enough to just make a couple of balls and place them around the apartment. You need to properly prepare for a difficult fight with the Prussians and leave them no choice but to eat poisoned bait. But how to do that?

There are several additional recommendations that will help increase the effectiveness of killer treats:

Before preparing the balls, be sure to thoroughly clean the room. Cockroaches are a sign of unsanitary conditions, therefore any method of combating them must begin with basic cleaning of the room.
It is advisable to move furniture away from the walls. This will allow you to see potential places where prussians congregate and correctly place the bait.
You must throw out trash every day. It is an alternative source of food for Prussians. Therefore, in its absence, they themselves will eat the bait for lack of other food.
You always need to clean up after dinner, lunch and breakfast. All food should be hidden in the refrigerator and no food crumbs should be left on the table.

Sometimes poisoned watering holes for insects are additionally recommended. It is necessary to leave a bowl of water near the sinks, to which add boric acid. The main thing is to wipe all surfaces in the bathroom dry and close the toilet. In this case, the only source of moisture will be the poisoned drinking bowl.

Obviously, fighting cockroaches using boric acid requires a little patience and effort. It shows good final results, however, it is best used in combination with other more effective methods. When Prussians appear, you need to start exterminating them as quickly as possible, otherwise they will spread throughout the house.

Here's how poison is prepared in practice from butter, eggs and potatoes:

Pros and cons of using boric acid for cockroaches

Boric acid is tasteless and odorless and is practically insoluble in water. It has a number of advantages, among which are the following:

this is an absolutely safe product because it does not harm people or pets;
boric acid powder can be purchased at any pharmacy;
the product is low cost;
long period of action;
high degree of efficiency;
ability to influence various parasites;
ease of use.

However, boric acid also has some disadvantages. We list the main ones:

the toxic effect of boric acid does not apply to insect eggs;
To destroy the Prussians you will need to prepare bait. Boric acid can be used on its own and is just as effective, but it is unlikely to attract cockroaches;
It will take a long period of time to destroy the entire insect population.

Why doesn't it always help?

If mass death of cockroaches does not occur, this may be due to the following reasons:

Not enough time has passed for the expected effect to be achieved.
The ingredients you used along with the acid did not stimulate the cockroaches' appetite.
The components reduced the poisonous effect of the bait.
Insects have access to clean water and other food.
The pest population is so large that it was not possible to destroy it with one approach.

After a few days, preventive measures should be repeated, having previously analyzed why the bait did not work.

This method of fighting is considered popular for good reason. This means that he has helped a large number of people drive cockroaches away from their homes forever. If you follow all the recommendations for exterminating insects correctly, then there will definitely be results. You just have to be patient.

To confirm the above, we can cite reviews from those people who successfully solved this problem.

Is boric acid safe for children and animals?

At the sight of dying parasites, many people involuntarily ask a fair question whether boric acid can harm people and their pets. Certainly not.

If there are any birds living in the apartment, then there is also no reason to worry - the powder is safe for them.

Even if there are small children living in the apartment who are eager to taste everything, there is no need to be afraid. Contacting the skin, boric acid can cause a slight tingling sensation.

This is not scary, boric acid powder will not harm their health. In the old days, boric acid was used as an antiseptic until allergic reactions to it were identified.

Precautions for use

An antiseptic upon contact with it causes an allergic reaction. It is important to reduce its concentration indoors. This can be done by adding acid to food products intended to bait cockroaches.

The most famous is the method of rolling food into balls. In this form, the product receives a number of advantages:

Does not cause burns on the skin surface.
Does not irritate mucous membranes.
Is attractive to insects.

It must be prepared in special containers that are not used for food products. When in contact with powder, hands should be protected with gloves.

Preventive measures to avoid the reappearance of parasites

Even if all the cockroaches in your home are destroyed, you cannot sit quietly with your hands folded. No one guarantees that there are no these unpleasant insects in neighboring apartments.

And if they are still there, then over time the cockroaches will gradually begin to move into your apartment in search of a favorable habitat.

That is why, in order to prevent re-infection, it is recommended to take the following preventive measures:

From time to time, you should use boric acid to treat surfaces near sewer risers, ventilation ducts, and electrical outlets that are located on common walls with neighbors;
From time to time it is necessary to prepare a new portion of boro-egg bait and place it where cockroaches like to hide. First of all, these are surfaces behind furniture, under the washbasin, under the bathtub and in other hiding places hidden from view. Baits attract uninvited “guests”, which leads to the inevitable death of cockroaches;
It is necessary to maintain cleanliness and order in the apartment, because cockroaches do not settle in places where they cannot find food.

How to prevent re-infestation of your home

There is no doubt that the above folk recipes will help you get rid of bugs. However, after achieving the desired effect, you should not stop there. Otherwise, your confrontation will continue constantly, and all because you do not follow the basic rules that contribute to the proliferation of parasite colonies in your home.

We strongly recommend that you carry out preventive treatment of the premises:
Periodically sprinkle boron powder on sewer pipe risers, vents, the inside of outlets, and so on.
Periodically prepare the above baits and place them around the apartment in the proper places.
Carry out wet cleaning of the room by adding one teaspoon of ammonia to one bucket of water.
Maintain order in the room; pests should not find food for themselves.

We are confident that your fight against insects will end in success.

Useful tips

To increase the effectiveness of boric acid in the fight against domestic insects, we recommend using the following useful tips:

A cockroach that has been poisoned by drinking water can cleanse its body and remain alive. Therefore, it is necessary to completely limit access to the premises of water. You can outwit the Prussians and dissolve boric acid in water. Then containers with this liquid should be placed in places where pests like to hide and move.
Cockroaches are attracted to anything bright. You can take this fact into account and make the bait look more eye-catching by adding food coloring to it. The insect will certainly pay attention to it and will not be able to pass by.

Toxicity to humans

Another important point when disinfecting a room from pests is the harm that a person himself can receive. In this case, boric acid can be considered the least dangerous. But you shouldn’t give up on preventive measures:

You should prepare the bait not with bare hands, but with gloves. It is through the skin that toxic substances gain access to the human body.
Children under three years of age are prohibited from touching boric acid.
Care should be taken to ensure that pets do not eat poisoned food. If this happens, the pets are not at risk of death, but an undesirable allergic reaction will occur.
If acid gets into food, a person may experience headaches, nausea, and vomiting.

Boric acid is used when urgent treatment of a room is necessary.