Customer Reviews for Bora-Care

I had my home sprayed with this for the wood post beetles and they were gone...until today they came back. For over a week not a single one was sighted. This does work on contact but the reason that I bought this product was because it claimed to kill up to twelve months...I didn't even get twelve days of peace.

  Expert response:
Bora-Care is the best wood treatment product on the market.  However, Bora-Care can take up to a month to diffuse completely through the entire piece of wood after you treat it.  Since powderpost beetle larvae can be deep in the wood, it is normal to continue to see activity for awhile until the Bora-Care makes it all the way through the wood.  Of course the true benefit of Bora-Care is that after it does diffuse all of the way through the wood and kill the larvae, it will stay in the wood forever and you never have to worry about wood destroying insects again.

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489 of 533 people found this review helpful

I had a termite control company give me an estimate to spot treat my drywood termites and it was astronomical! I found that DoMyOwnPestControl.com had the same product Boracare for a fraction of the cost. I treated my infestation using the recommendations on the website and now I have a termite free home and more money in my pocket!

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346 of 357 people found this review helpful

I have used half a gallon for remediation of dry wood termites on fascia boards by using 1:1 and 1:2 dilutions applied to bare wood and by injecting in drilled holes where the wood is covered by paint. I like this product as well as the Bifen IT, as they are fairly non-toxic to people and animals. I can use both of them extensively without feeling ill effects myself. I added Bifen IT to the Boracare solution to get a 0.12% Bifen IT concentration (double strength). The Bifen IT works as an quick termiticide and the Boracare provides long term protection. Now that I have stopped the active infestations, I can take my time and protect the rest of my house's fascia, rafter and joist board ends with simply painting a 1:5 Boracare dilution on the ends of the boards (where dry wood termites enter). I will need a 2nd gallon of Boracare to protect the entire house and will be ordering soon. For approximately $200 of products from Domyownpestcontrol, I will have done the remediation work and the whole house protection. This has been a lot of work, but I have saved many thousands of dollars, plus I can take my time and know that the job is done right.

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262 of 271 people found this review helpful

Used product on wall studs, when I was repairing a wall due to termite damage. My project lasted about three days. I used a 1:1 mix and I did not pay too much attention to the one day usage. The product crystalized in my sprayer - took awhile to clean the sprayer.

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142 of 158 people found this review helpful

I don't know why the wood adjacent to my bath tub wet wall was moist?  There were no leaks and the plumbing vent to the roof was well sealed.  Condensation?  The bath drainpipe and water inlets come up through a hole in the slab. The subterranean termite varmints tunneled 10' or 40' under the house slab and surfaced at this point of exposed earth attracted by the moist wood. They swarmed the first warm days in Spring. I treated the exposed earth area with the Dominion 2L termiticide and then filled it with sand. I treated the slab, wood framing, floor and molding with a 2:1 mixture of BoraCare. I sprayed BoraCare down from the attic and drilled holes in the walls where there was no other access. I will finish by treating the ground around the house with Dominion 2L. My problem appears to be solved for under $200. Thanks DoMyOwnPestControl.com!

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137 of 145 people found this review helpful

I'm a professional. They make Boracare with mold control, so if you're doing the understructure of a home (wet, soggy, moldy) you might want to go a few bucks extra and get that, but this is excellent product. Try to do it in warm weather or make sure the product isn't cold. It's like molasses and it has to be mixed vigorously with water. Some rental places will rent a little 15 gallon tank sprayer with a mixer in it. So you can mix it 4:1. All I can tall you is it is 100% safe and it's less toxic then table salt! but of you're and insect or fungus! you're dead for about the next two decades. People with allergies have told me that after we sprayed the fungus in their Crawlspace, they never went back to the doctor. Doctors don't tell their patients to have their crawlspaces checked for fungus. Wanna know why? It's a bit sticky, but washes off. Our installers didn't even wear a mask, but you should. It's a 100% natural product. When we used it as a termiticide, we gave homeowners a ten year warranty against termites, but it kills everything (ants, flying insects, fungus, earwigs) no odor no danger .....it's boric acid which is 100% safe. I can't say enough about this stuff. Except it's going to be difficult to spray from a sprayer. After spraying you have to run pure water through or it will set up inside the hose etc.... You really have to rinse and re rinse the sprayer after use. But it's worth the effort.

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116 of 125 people found this review helpful

I posted my original review of Boracare nearly a year ago (Sept 16, 2010) after using it in an attempt to save my antique cabinetmaker's workbench from a severe powderpost beetle infestation. I actually thought the situation was hopeless but bought and tried the product anyway. At that time I gave it a three-star rating because I had no way of knowing if it would work as advertised, or even if it would work at all. As I wrote then, I was "still not absolutely convinced that the powderpost beetle infestation is a thing of the past." Only time would tell. Now, nearly a year after giving my my workbench the Boracare treatment and using it every day, I have seen absolutely no further evidence of any insect infestation. Boracare DOES work as advertised and I couldn't be more pleased with the product. I am therefore upgrading my original rating from three to five stars. Well done and an hearty thank you to Boracare and DoMyOwnPestControl.com.

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94 of 97 people found this review helpful

I had used two toxic sprays on walnut which was infested with pencil post beetles and termites, to no avail. I had my lumber drying shed tented, commercially, specifically for pencil post beetles-- again to no long term success. I finally brushed each board with Boracare, and replaced the wood in the drying shed. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, short and long term!

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58 of 66 people found this review helpful

Sprayed 4 gallons of Boracare a few weeks ago. Had no problem mixing with hot water and a paint mixer attachment for the drill. Regular chemical sprayer worked fine and I covered the entire 1200ft 2 structure in a few hours. It soaked in after a few days and only left sticky drops on the vinyl windows that could be washed off easily. Wear a face shield as some of the spray will drip down from the ceiling joists.

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58 of 61 people found this review helpful

Before you start, note that this stuff is viscous and sticky. After you spray it on your wood, it will be slimy until it gets absorbed. This takes a few hours. After that, the surface is no longer sticky.

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48 of 50 people found this review helpful

Recently a friend gave me a beautiful 19th century cabinetmaker's workbench made of thick, heavy maple timbers. My friend warned me that it might be infested with ants but two days later the appearance of fresh frass on its surface indicated an infestation of powderpost beetles. Running the face of one of the vise jaws over my jointer revealed a network of canals and living powderpost beetle larvae. Not wanting to convert this great antique to firewood, I searched the internet for any possible remedy. My search was initally quite discouraging until I started running across recommendations for Boracare. Despite the glowing reviews I read, I was not inclined to spend so much money on a product that sold for around $100 a gallon on some web sites. Persistence finally brought me to DoMyOwnPestControl.com which advertised the same product for about three-quarters the cost of its competitors with the added incentive of FREE SHIPPING. Since the workbench itself cost me nothing, I decided to risk $77.45 on the outside chance that the piece could be saved and placed my order. I then prepared the workbench by thoroughly power sanding every exposed surface to remove any dirt, old glue, dried finish, the 100 or more year old oxidation patina, and anything else on the surface that might prevent the solution from being optimally absorbed. Several days later when the Boracare arrived, I followed the directions that came with it and gave the workbench two complete coats of the solution. That was two and one-half weeks ago and I have since seen no signs of any insect infestation. However, I will continue to give it close daily inspections before initiating any restoration work. So far I am greatly encouraged but still not absolutely convinced that the powderpost beetle infestation is a thing of the past.

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45 of 53 people found this review helpful

I used Boracare on my open beam ceiling because I had termites. Boracare really works. The termite droppings are gone.

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44 of 49 people found this review helpful

I have a nice 35' x 45' shop built of rough cut lumber. About 2 years ago I noticed the Powder Post Beetles were starting to eat into the board and battin walls and now they are in the framing timbors. In November I treated the wood with 75 pounds of TimBor treatment. This took care of probably 30% of the Beetles. One month ago I treated half the shop with 2 gallons of Bora-Care. Still I'm finding powder piles throughout the shop. I'm going to order 2 more gallons and hope for the best....

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39 of 45 people found this review helpful

I can use Boracare and Bifen IT, products I purchased from Domyownpestcontrol.com, for several hours at a time and not feel any adverse effects on myself during or after using these. Since I just applied Boracare, I don't know yet how effective it is. I used it and Bifen IT together for remedial work to correct for termite damage. I know Bifen IT is effective on termites and works fast, but I don't know how long it will last for long term protection. Boracare is supposed to provide permanent protection. When all the remedial work is done, I will use it for long term preventive care of the rest of my house by applying it to rafter boards in the attic, where the dry wood termites are likely to attack. In our area, dry wood termites are aggressive and everywhere, so preventive care is the way to go-- it is less expensive and a lot less work to prevent termites than to do the remedial work that can require the replacement of boards. I'm on my second gallon of Boracare, and will need a 3rd gallon to finish the preventive work.

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38 of 43 people found this review helpful

I built a 3000+ SF block house with a wood cathederal ceiling and beams. I had all wood hand brushed with Bora-Care prior to installing and after five + years I have not had a termite etc. problem!!! This is in an area infested with flying termites!! Both neighbors have had to treat their homes for termites as do most of the residents here....I'm sold on this product.

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35 of 36 people found this review helpful

This stuff is like cornsyrup but once it is diluted with hot water it is very easy to use. I have to brush it on overhead logs in my log home and I thought I was going to have a drippy, sticky mess. I was VERY surprised at how little it actually drips, goes on very easily and cleans up with water. I would recommend application with a brush or roller - a sprayer is much more messy ( I used that outside)

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35 of 37 people found this review helpful

Despite thinning and mixing this gelatinous product exactly as described, this product remained severely sticky and is really messy to work with. 5 days after application, the product has yet to dry on most surfaces. I am returning the balance of my order. Good chemistry, poor mixing base.

  Expert response:
Boracare is very thick and viscous. We do recommend that the product is diluted with hot water in a bucket. The manufacturer recommends that the dilution is mixed with a paint mixer attachment on a drill. After the solution has been thoroughly mixed, the dilution can be added to a sprayer if desired.

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34 of 35 people found this review helpful

Time will tell...but so far...the little critters seem to have left! I have a beautiful French Antique that has been in the same spot for 14 years and never had any problems with it..then the little 'holes and powder' stated to appear..no one where I live had the chemicals I needed for me to do it. Boracare was the answer...I wish they sold it in smaller quantities..'cause now I have tons left...and hopefully will not have to use it!

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32 of 34 people found this review helpful

The purchase experience was excellent - I got what I ordered, in perfect condition, and it was received in record time. I am using BoraCare (which is a heavy, viscous liquid) for dry-wood termite and wood rot control. I am drilling holes into large structural timbers, squirting in BoraCare, and then sealing the holes with wood dowels. Of course, I don't know yet if this product actually works, because it will take time to eliminate the termites and rot. However, I should mention that I could NOT use standard spray bottles because BoraCare is too thick - but a Pump-Type (pressure feed, not siphon feed) dispenser works well.

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31 of 32 people found this review helpful

Material came as planned. Video on how to use was very good. I did not add color since I was spraying joists under house and figured it would get on me due to wind. Seems to be working very well. Dust signs greatly reduced. However, some over spray got on my boat and motor. Fiberglass boat cleaned up fine but motor has some spots on it from spray. I should have moved the boat further away-glad it was not my truck. Basically happy with product and performance since I was told by two companies I would have to tent the house.

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30 of 31 people found this review helpful

I wish to treat a playhouse for active termites and only Boracare at high concentration was the only possibility as a DIY solution to active termite infestation. However, there is insufficient instruction on how to prepare the product which is in highly viscous and concentrated form - much like cold honey in consistency. The step that should be included in instruction is to use HOT water and a paint mixer in a bucket prior to placing in a sprayer. Also, use gloves as the glycol is toxic to humans and animals alike; keep animals away until the wood is dry and also then coat the treated wood with a sealer/stain/paint afterwards to make sure no glycol can be consumed by animal or child.

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29 of 31 people found this review helpful

No more wood boring beetles!!!! We have two homes over 100 years each and Boracare took care of our wood beetle problem with ease.

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28 of 29 people found this review helpful

We purchased a home that was not occupied for approximately two years, well long story short. The vents around the entire perimeter foundation to the sub area were kept in the closed position for quite some time, causing a moister build-up there(BAD). The rim joists, also around the entire perimeter was dripping wet and fungus had started to grow. We mechanically mixed Boracare with a drill, and dry wall mud mixer bit with HOT WATER (super thick stuff, MUST be mixed well. They kid you not in the Boracare instructions!) and applied it with a small garden sprayer under the house to said rim joists. Lets just say, the offending fungus, is no longer among us! This stuff worked better than I thought it would (seriously). Fungus was DEAD in a matter of hours. Also, Do My Own Pest Control .com was a great company to work with.. Happy customer here!

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24 of 25 people found this review helpful

Beetles were in the lumber I used to make a Walnut table and the piles of saw dust were the evidence as to their existence. I applied Bora-Care liberally according to the directions, and presto, no more saw dust piles. It worked as advertised. There was a bit of white residue, but that wiped right off. No problem. I will touch up the areas where the finish was dulled, but again, no problem compared to the scare of having to take the table apart and replace lumber.

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23 of 24 people found this review helpful

There were tiny holes in my ceiling sheetrock and little termite pellets falling and accumulating on the floor every day. I really didn't want to tent the house so I decided to research and try Boracare. After crawling around in my attic and trying to spray most of the wood, and especially the areas where I could see termite damage, the pellets have stopped falling. I was especially interested in this product because I read that the termites can't detect it and take it back to their friends, killing the whole lot somehow. So this makes me think/hope that even though I wasn't able to spray it everywhere, it will somehow end up getting them all.

  Expert response:
We are glad that you've had success with your Boracare treatment! While the active ingredient in Boracare does have a fairly slow kill and will likely kill some of the other termites in a colony, it does not have labeling to indicate this transfer effect. You can always spot treat with a product such as Termidor Foam that will have this transfer effect: http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/termidor-foam-p-3528.html

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21 of 23 people found this review helpful

I applied the Boracare about a week ago and it seems to be working very well. As usual, I am very satisfied with your company and would recommend you to others.

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19 of 20 people found this review helpful

Since using Boracare, the powder post beetles have significantly slowed down. They were eating through our hardwood floor all over the church, but since the use of Boracare, they have almost completely disappeared except for maybe 3 or 4 little piles on the floor. Overall, the Boracare seems to have taken care of our problem at the fraction of the cost that an exterminator wanted to charge. Exterminator said that the Boracare wouldn't work and we would be better off letting him do the treatment. But so far, we are sticking by the Boracare application that was applied 3 weeks ago. Thanks DoMyOwnPestControl. You are a life saver and a money saver. Will be doing more business with you in the future.

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19 of 19 people found this review helpful

I especially liked the application with a paint brush.

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18 of 18 people found this review helpful

Easy to mix (used the sprayer from DoMyOwnPestControl), easy to use. Staff at DMOPC very friendly and helpful with order and instructions of use as well as safety precautions. Always use listed precautions for mixing and applying. I also believe this company to have safety of delivery as a priority as they provide tracking info, send reminders and/or call to confirm receipt of the product.

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15 of 15 people found this review helpful

I'm impressed with the follow up on my order. An agent, I believe her name is Sheree, called me long distance to make sure my shipping address was correct. I can see now that DoMyOwnPestControl.com is a company I will always do business with. "MALO", in Samoan that means, WELL DONE. Take care and thank you very much.

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13 of 13 people found this review helpful