Borax is a popular chemical against ants and roaches, but how does Borax kill gnats and other flies? You will learn more in this article, so keep on reading!
Borax has been used for years in cleaning products, cosmetics, and pest control. Many people considered it a safe and effective substance, so it’s traditionally used indoors and outdoors. However, recently, its safety was scrutinized.
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How Does Borax Kill Gnats? What Exactly Is Borax?
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Sodium tetraborate, also known as borax, is a mineral that’s usually seen as a white powder. Borax has been used for decades in a wide variety of products.
You might have used the commercial cleaner by the same name, and probably know how effective it is as removing stains. Besides the well-known cleaning properties, borax is also used in neutralizing strong odors, additionally in swimming pools as a hard water softener, and in pest control.
Less known uses for borax are in the cosmetic industry. It’s an ingredient in many shampoos, creams, scrubs, bath salts, and many other personal care products.
It was also used for some time in making Slime, which is a gooey substance that kids loved to play with. In later years, it was replaced by less aggressive materials as emulsifiers. As a result, this coincided with the increasing questions related to the safety of borax.
And How Does Borax Work in Pest Control?
Some insects like cockroaches and ants suffer from digestive and neural reactions when they ingest borax, therefore, even the larvae and growing phases of these bugs are affected by the presence of this powder. Thus, it effectively eliminates whole colonies when used consistently.
Borax is often used as a paste or distributed as a powder around the places where insects are supposed to gather. Quite often, sugar or flour is added to it to make it more attractive to insects.
Is Borax Safe for Humans, Pets, and Nature?
Borax is a chemical that comes from natural sources, as a result many people make the assumption that it’s completely safe. This is true to some extent, as it’s generally not toxic to humans. But there are lots of safety considerations to watch out for while working with borax, so be sure to read carefully before using.
- Borax can be a skin irritant to lots of people
- Ingesting the smallest amounts of borax could cause nausea and vomiting
- If a child ingests as little as 5 gms of borax, that could be life-threatening
- Inhaling borax could cause respiratory problems
- High exposure to borax could disrupt the balance of hormones
- Long-term exposure to cosmetics containing borax could be toxic and damage various organs.
- Borax could be toxic to various pets
- Using borax around plants isn’t always harmful, but some plants would be negatively affected by it.
How Does Borax Kill Gnats?
Borax is among the best substances that eliminate cockroach populations, and it’s also a potent defense against ants, spiders, mites, beetles, and fleas. However, it doesn’t seem to affect gnats, flies, or mosquitoes.
This doesn’t come as a big surprise, as not all substances are supposed to have the same efficacy on all types of insects. It’s also the reason why the same brand of a pesticide would produce various products that target different insect species.
How Does Borax Kill Gnats? Top Alternatives
Borax isn’t the best option for combating gnats, flies, and similar pests. Luckily, there are various other alternatives that are more effective, in addition to being eco-friendly.
1. Trappify Sticky Trap
- Pest Control: Dual sided sticky bug cards for mosquito, leafminer, aphid, and other flying pest problems. Protect your best inside plant from fungus...
- Easy To Use: Peel off a trap from the stack and place in a houseplant, a home kitchen, or a garden. Highly rated zapper catchers to finally protect...
- Organic Gardening: Safe way to remove small pests with no harsh ingredients. Fruit Flies, Gnats and other small flying insects are attracted to the...
Sticky traps are among the best solutions to catch gnats, mosquitoes, whiteflies, and houseflies. They’re safe to use around people and pets, and they have no obnoxious odors.
These bright yellow traps are shaped like butterflies or flowers, and they’re coated with a material that attracts insects and glues them in.
All you have to do is make a little hole in the pot or flower bed, remove the protective cover, and insert one of these traps. They come with a little digging tool, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Also, they don’t look out of place or attract unwanted attention.
The Trappify sticky traps are long-lasting, and they aren’t affected by the UV light, so you’d only need to change them when they become filled with bugs. Disposing of these traps is pretty easy, as you just throw them into a bin.
A pack containing 12 traps sells for less than $10, which makes this a budget-friendly option for eliminating gnats from your house.
2. Raid Flying Insect Trap
- Convenient insect trap to protect your fruits: When looking for an easy way to kill fruit flies that ruin your food, don't just rely on ordinary fly...
- Safe fruit fly killer that uses food lure attractants: When using the Raid Fruit Fly Killer Trap, you need not worry about getting in content with...
- Raid fruit fly trap you can count on: For many decades, Raid has always been the most trusted brand in pest control solutions. While we confidently...
Raid is among the most trusted brands when it comes to pest control. They’re constantly coming up with more effective and safe products that eliminate harmful bugs. Keeping our homes and gardens hospitable and comfortable seems to be their top priority.
This flying insect trap is shaped like a ripe red apple, but beneath that sweet exterior, lies a fatal trap for gnats and fruit flies. This trap contains a material that’s extracted from natural food sources, and insects can’t help diving right into it.
The package comes with two units, and enough lure to keep it going for up to 180 days. After that, you can buy the lure separately to replenish the trap.
3. Katchy Non-Zapper Trap
- Automatically turns on in the dark and turns off in the light to save energy and ensure it's used most effectively. Shift to manual mode to control...
- Triple trapping power: first the UV light attracts the bug, then the fan sucks it in, and finally the sticky glue boards trap it. No zapper.
- No more ugly traps! Subtle and stylish; easily place in your home, kitchen, or office as a decorative piece. Use the trap only indoors, close to...
This trap is effective, elegant, and discreet. Katchy uses a UV lamp to attract gnats and various other flying insects. As they come closer to the light, a fan sucks them inside, where they get stuck in a glue board.
This neat device can be placed anywhere to eliminate the buzzing pests. From bedrooms, and kitchens, to offices and boardrooms. You can also place it on the patio or around a BBQ gathering in the backyard.
Katchy has a standard and a low-speed setting, so you can select the intensity that suits your surroundings. It’s recommended to leave this device on three nights in a row to make sure the adult insects are eliminated.
4. BLACK + DECKER Fly & Bug Glue Trap
- PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM PESTS | Indoor LED Bug Lure & Glue Trap Acts as Powerful Attractant, Catching House Flies, Mosquitoes, Gnats, Wasps & Other...
- SUPER EFFECTIVE GLUE TRAPS | Once Inside, Bugs Promptly Stick to the Glue Paper Tube for Quick, Humane Kills | Safe for Use Around Children & Pets |...
- NON-TOXIC UV LIGHT | Ultraviolet LED Technology Provides Reliable Protection & Illumination | Lantern Features Multiple Light Settings Including Full...
Black + Decker is a big name in the electric appliance industry and a brand that earned its popularity through innovation and dependability.
This discreet and decorative glue trap is made from a UV light that’s surrounded by an internal extra-strong glue trap for flying insects. The modern-styled fixture looks amazing, and it would fit easily within any setup.
You can place this trap indoors or in partially outdoor spaces. It’s perfect for residential areas, patios, kitchens, dining areas, porches, cabins, and offices. A single fixture can cover up to 1500 sq. ft, and since it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, you can get more than one unit.
5. Crioxen Bug Zapper
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Crioxen bug zapper employs a method of attracting flying insects similar to the Black + Decker approach. It uses light to entice the insects, but instead of gluing them to a board, it zaps them with a high voltage grid.
This method is clean, quiet, and quite effective, therefore flying insects like gnats, mosquitoes, and fruit flies can’t stand a chance with this device around, and you can place one or more units around your house. Each device can cover a 500 sq. ft area, and eliminate these bugs successfully throughout that range, so they are very helpful!
How Does Borax Kill Gnats? – Conclusion
Borax is a handy pest control substance, and its efforts in combating cockroach and ant populations cannot be denied. However, it doesn’t seem to be quite as effective when it comes to fighting off gnats, flies, and other flying insects.
Additionally, there are various safety concerns associated with using borax. It was shown to be an irritant to the skin, eyes, and tongue. Its toxicity is demonstrable, and long-term exposure to that chemical could have detrimental effects on the body. It’s also toxic to several animals and plants.
Using other alternatives to borax to control gnats or flies is a much better approach, especially when they are free from toxins and safe to use.
CLICK HERE to browse our selection of non-toxic pest control options!
