How to get rid of termites without chemicals – Termites can be a real pain, whether you’ve seen them in your walls or in your furniture. These tiny insects make nests wherever they go and devour wood like it’s nothing. The best way to get rid of termites is with harsh insecticides, but you might not want to put poisonous chemicals inside your house.
Using commercially available chemical-based anti-termite solutions is the simplest way to get rid of termites. But as we all know, the chemicals used to kill termites may also have a negative impact on our health. Therefore, it is best to avoid shortcuts and opt for natural methods. Natural solutions are very secure and successful in getting rid of the bothersome termites. So, how to get rid of termites without chemicals? How to prevent termites from coming back? We will answer these question in this article.
Varieties of termites
Termites come in many different varieties, therefore it might be difficult to distinguish between them. The various termite types that you typically encounter are listed below for your better understanding.
- Conehead termites
- Subterranean termites
- Drywood termites
- Dampwood termites
- Formosan termites
Signs That You Have Termites in Your Home
Termites can appear in many different ways. Mud tubes, timber that sounds hollow, termite frass, and abandoned wings are all telltale signs of subterranean termites. Termites could be indicated by peeling paint, but it could also be something else entirely. If you hear clicking, termites may be hitting your walls with their heads.
Some of the more obvious signs of a termite infestation are the ones listed below:
- Windows and doors that are out of alignment
- Mud tubes develop
- Termite swarm
- Ruined wood
- Termite hives
Read: What Is the Best Way to Get Rid of Mice in My Attic?
When Should You Use Natural Techniques?
It is important to measure the extent of the infestation if you choose for a natural approach. For huge infestations, natural approaches could not be effective since they cannot be used effectively without the proper tools and knowledge. In addition, after using a natural remedy, termites may relocate to another area of your house. You might not be familiar with this new location, and a colony of termites is stealthily destroying your house.
Examine the termite nest or the area that is affected to determine the degree of the damage. You can use natural remedies to treat an infestation in a tree stump in your garden, but it is advisable to seek the assistance of a termite treatment specialist if the infestation is in your basement or foundation.
How to get rid of termites without chemicals
As a homeowner, you probably prefer chemical-free termite treatment or termite baiting. Don’t worry, there are other termite control options besides store-bought termiticide. Here is how to get rid of termites without chemicals:
Orange Oil
D-limonene, which is lethal to termites, makes up the majority of orange oil. You can get the oil, which is made from orange peels, online as well as at home improvement or garden centers. Termites’ exoskeletons disintegrate when exposed to orange oil, which causes them to lose moisture and protein before dying. Directly on termites or in locations where you suspect termites are present, spray the oil. Additionally, you can spray the oil to prevent termites from entering the area. Therefore, whether you have termites now or not, spraying it regularly is an excellent approach to maintain your home free of them.
Borates
Sodium borate, which is sometimes sold as borax powder, may both kill termites and clean your clothes. The powder can either be sprinkled around the problem area or combined with water and sprayed onto the area you think is infested. To make sure you are covering more of the colony, you will need to reapply the solution, just like with the vinegar.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a miracle substance for your house. You can use it to eliminate termites in addition to cleaning everything from your kitchen counter to your bathtub. You only need to combine a half cup of it with the juice from two lemons to create a termite repellent. Spray the mixture around the area where you think there are termites by placing it in a spray bottle. The termites will be instantly killed by the acidic substance. To get termites you missed with the previous treatment, be sure to spray frequently.
Wet cardboard
Water and cellulose are two things that termites adore. By wetting down a piece of cardboard, you are essentially providing termites with an open-ended smorgasbord. How come you would want to do this? In any case, if you believe that termites are already inside your home, laying down this cardboard bait will entice them to a certain location. When you notice that termites have made a home near the food, you can remove the cardboard and burn it to get rid of all the termites. To draw out termites, repeat the procedure as frequently as necessary.
Nematodes
Termite-eating parasitic worms are called nematodes. These small worms are available for purchase online or in specialist shops. The termites will start working for their lunch when you release them into the region where you know (or assume) they have colonized. Termites will be hunted down by the nematodes until they are all gone from the environment. If you introduce a sufficient number of them to the colony, they are quite effective at eliminating termites.
Border Barrier
In a perfect world, a perimeter barrier would have been constructed around your house to protect it. However, even if it wasn’t, you can still install one, though it might take a little bit of work. To embed the barrier in the ground, you will need to dig a small trench around your house. The barrier can prevent subterranean termites from tunneling directly into your Arizona home when the right materials are installed.
Sunlight
Termites despise the sun. In fact, if they are exposed to too much heat and sunlight, they may even perish. You can pull furniture out into the yard to bake in the Arizona sun for a while if you believe it to be infected with termites. It shouldn’t take long for all those pesky pests to leave your furniture during the summer. You can’t exactly haul your beams out into the yard if termites are eating away at the framework of your house. However, you can get the same effects by shining UV lamps in the region.
Prevention of Termites
There are a number of ways you might make your house uninhabitable or less inviting to termites. These are the best techniques.
- Since moisture is a must for subterranean termites to survive, look for leaks. Keep your house dry, especially the roof and the air conditioner, to deter them.
- Termites love to hide in warm, dark, moist locations, so keep your gutters and pipes clean. Regularly clean out gutters and pipelines to deter termites from colonizing.
- Since the cellulose in wood attracts termites, it’s critical that you avoid piling firewood up against your home and leaving tree stumps in your yard. Always leave at least 6 inches between your porch, deck, or patio and the ground when building your home, and whenever possible, choose termite-resistant wood.
- Mulch should be used with caution since subterranean termites require soil and some forms of mulch contain wood. Choose mulch composed of rubber or gravel as an alternative.
- Patch up fissures and crevices: Where pipes meet the wall in your foundation, caulk and seal the joint. Also, make sure to seal off windows and doors.
- Get regular inspections: Regular termite inspections performed by a qualified pest control company are, of course, the greatest prevention strategy.
Last Word
Keep in mind that for the majority of these, you may need to use the mixture consistently and frequently in order to notice a lasting and noticeable improvement in the infested areas. To be sure you know which of these options is the best fit for your situation, it is also a good idea to conduct thorough termite inspections of your property. With specific species of termites, some substances will be more effective.
These were a few of our favorite natural termite control methods, but there are plenty more readily available and usable ones as well. We wish you luck as you look for organic and natural termite extermination methods.