# Boric acid and cockroaches
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 28, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117 "2021-05-28T20:07:43Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Roger\_That](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roger_That)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/1 "2021-05-28T20:07:43Z")
I used to live in NYC (grew up there in fact) and had cockroaches all the time–boric acid left all around the house was a popular remedy. What’s the current thinking? Is it still thought to be effective and cheap, or do you think I need to hire an exterminator? I’m living 1000 miles away from NYC but they still look like cockroaches to me.
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### Author:  [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)
#### Post date: [May 28, 2021, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/2 "2021-05-28T23:02:17Z")
I bought some 20 mule borax and it worked like a charm.
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### Author:  [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2021, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/3 "2021-05-29T00:02:11Z")
Also, make you don’t leave food out, or dirty dishes in the sink.
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### Author:  [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/4 "2021-05-29T01:21:06Z")
Seal ALL your foods - cereals, grains, etc must be sealed tight in plastic containers or glass jars. Personally, I’d toss anything that could have gotten infested.
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### Author:  [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2021, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/5 "2021-05-29T16:05:33Z")
I used a 50-50 mixture of sugar and borax and it sure got rid of ants. I imagine it would work as well with roaches. The sugar attracts them and the borax does them in.
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [May 29, 2021, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/6 "2021-05-29T16:22:09Z")
I don’t know what the current thinking is, but here’s the 1983 thinking:
> **[What’s the best way to kill cockroaches?](https://www.straightdope.com/21341208/what-s-the-best-way-to-kill-cockroaches)**
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2022, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/8 "2022-03-02T21:12:06Z")
[Diatomaceous Earth](https://www.diatomaceousearth.com/blogs/learning-center/how-to-apply-diatomaceous-earth-for-cockroaches), as used in swimming pool filters as well as other filtration processes, will kill hard shelled insects and bugs. It gets on their shells and because its very abrasive it wears off their protective film and they dehydrate. It’s not at all poisonous to humans or pets. It works mechanically.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2022, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/9 "2022-03-02T22:31:52Z")
Came here to say this.
Safe to humans and pets (they even make it in a food-grade form).
Cheap and easy but it is not as fast as poison. Takes a little time to do its thing.
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### Author:  [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/10 "2022-03-02T22:41:23Z")
One thing to remember is less is more.
When you apply it, it should be a light dusting. (or something a cockroach can easily walk over) If you leave mountains or caked up areas, the roaches will avoid it as they tend to take the path of least resistance.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [March 3, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boric-acid-and-cockroaches/943117/11 "2022-03-03T00:24:07Z")
Correct, and it’s mentioned in my link. It’s also great for garden pests because of it’s safety.