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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,081
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,081 |
Originally posted by joe:
What he said.
EDIT.
I just re-read your post. Safe for humans? Are you sure?
As a general household insecticide Boric Acid is safe enough to use around children, and has been used in ointments and salves for diaper rash on babies. It is also used, in a very dilute solution, as an eyewash.
I wouldnt feed it to my kids but some people have been known to sprinkle it on there carpet to kill fleas... I wouldnt let them roll around in it but I refuse to let those little pest that can carry bacteria and or maybe some viruses roam around my house!!!!
tired of the bs
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 171
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 171 |
Originally posted by sigma:
Boric Acid == Borax. The laundry detergent is exactly the same thing, and it costs a fraction of the price too.
20-Mule Team Borax detergent is 100% Borax (the mineral). You can use it for all sorts of things from a pesticide to washing clothes to cleaning the bathtub to a deodorizer like baking soda. And the best part about it is that while it kills things like roaches, ants, and fleas -- it's less harmful to your kids than table salt. You could even use it for diaper rash if you for some reason felt so inclined. And even some... feminine problems. Something about sticking something that's also a pesticide up there is a bit weird -- but it's what they used to do.
Be careful, boric acid is not the same as borax. Boric acid has the chemical formula of B(OH)3 while borax is Na2B4O7 (and we aren't getting into how much water of hydration is typically attached to commercially available borax).
Boric acid and borax are harmful to your kids. According to the 11th Edition of the Merck Index:
"Death from ingestion of boric acid has occurred from < 5 grams for infants and from 5 - 20 grams for adults."
"Ingestion of 5 - 10 grams of borax by young children can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, shock, and even death"
No claims of toxic exposure to sodium chloride were made. However, the LD50 (lethal dose required to kill 50% of a population of rats) is worse for sodium chloride than for boric acid and borax:
Sodium Chloride: 3.75 grams per kg body mass
Boric acid: 5.14 grams per kg body mass
Borax: 5.66 grams per kg body mass
I don't know if the human body's tolerance is similar to that of a rat's for these chemicals. Somehow, I think the human body can tolerate a higher ingestion rate of salt than for the two boron compounds. If we had a worse tolerance to table salt, I think there would be a lot more people dying that would not be related to blood pressure issues.
None of these chemicals are hazardous from a skin absorption point of view. Borax and boric acid do find use as topical astringents/antiseptics on skin.
The moral of the story is: "Keep the boric acid and borax locked-up out of a child's reach".
Getting back to the cockroach problem; Call a professional. You don't have much of a chance killing these buggers off on your own. A pro will know where to spray from experience. There is a terrific episode of National Geographic Explorer where they follow an exterminator around who specializes in cockroaches. That program proved to me that a novice is in over his head on dealing with these buggers.
Mr. Spindlelegs
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,899
Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,899 |
Try Wal-Mart, they usually stock it with the rest of the insecticides.
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