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From: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.pets
Subject: Re: How do you kill roaches?
Message-ID: <2271@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Aug-85 07:13:50 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcrdcf.2271
Posted: Wed Aug 21 07:13:50 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 14:38:45 EDT
References: <307@harvard.ARPA> <665@gitpyr.UUCP>
Reply-To: barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold)
Distribution: net
Organization: System Development Corp. R+D, Santa Monica
Lines: 10
Xref: watmath net.consumers:2832 net.pets:999
Summary: 

The way I hear it, boric acid kills roaches because it gets them clean.
You see a cockroach (like most of us) is 95% or so water.  However, its
shell isn't thick enough to keep its moisture from evaporating so it builds
up a meta-shell of grease&dirt.  The boric acid cleans this off, and the
poor cockroach dries up and dies.  Cats, etc. won't be affected.

Supposedly you can make your own roach killer by combining mashed potatoes
(use one of the "instant" brands) and boric acid.

--Lee Gold