Boric Acid For Mice – Effective Or Waste Of Time?

Boric Acid For Mice

Poisons can be one of the more effective ways of dealing with invasive, and there are quite a few poisons on the market.One supposed mouse poison is boric acid. But does it really work? Or is it just a waste of time?

Let’s take a quick look at what boric acid is, whether or not it can be used for mouse infestations, and what other pests it can be used on.

What Is Boric Acid?

Boric acid is a naturally occurring compound which consists of the elements boron, oxygen, and hydrogen.

Despite being an “acid”, boric acid comes in the form of a powder, not a liquid.

Used as both a poison for pest control, and as an alternative medicine for various ailments, boric acid certainly has its place in your cabinet.

Boric Acid vs. Borax

There is also a chemical called borax, which is often confused with or considered to be the same as boric acid.

They are chemically similar (borax being a chemical “salt” of boric acid), but are not the same.

Borax can be usually substituted for boric acid for the purpose of pets control. Since it’s somewhat easier to get, this is often preferable.

Is Boric Acid Safe For Pets And Children?

Boric acid is technically a poison, and therefore harmful to both pets and children. However, pets are typically not inclined to eat it and when using it for pest control it usually wouldn’t be in a place where children would get a hold of it.

The Effects Of Boric Acid On Mice

Mice have often been used to study the effect that boric acid may have on human health.

The only significant impact that has been demonstrated is on sperm motility and testicular function.

In other words: boric acid simply does not kill mice, even when given in high doses over long periods of time. This obviously makes it ineffective as a poison for dealing with mouse infestations.

Boric acid is also not effective as a repellent, as some people seem to think. Mice don’t seem to really care or notice its presence.

Pests That Boric Acid Is Effective On

There are still pests that boric acid does kill.

Cockroaches are one of them, and boric acid is actually one of the more effective cockroach poisons available. In fact, there are several brands of boric acid which are labeled as being specifically for cockroaches, such as the Roach Away shown to the right.

Ants and fleas can also be killed by baiting them with boric acid.

Summary

Boric acid can not be used to kill mice. It simply it not lethal to them, even in high doses. Other poisons may be used instead, or an entirely different method of extermination such as mouse traps.

Boric acid can be used to kill other pests, such as cockroaches, ants, and fleas.