Considering home remedies for termites? Make sure to read through this first. Termites are one pest that strikes fear into the hearts of many homeowners.
Left unchecked, termites can cause significant damage to a home. A subterranean termite colony (the most destructive type of termite and the one most common in Ohio) can eat a pound of wood a day—that’s a pound of wood gone that would otherwise be supporting the structure of a home! Repairs done to fix this damage can cost thousands of dollars.
If you’ve found evidence of termites, you know you’ve got to do something before termites destroy your home. But is it time to call in the professionals, or is there any way to deal with termites alone?
In this post, we’ll look at some of the most commonly cited termite home remedies. We’ll discuss which can be helpful and which is complete bunk.
Let’s get started.
Does Ammonia Kill Termites?
Yes, ammonia will kill termites; however, that doesn’t make ammonia a good remedy for homeowners looking to DIY termite control.
The problem with using Windex or another product containing ammonia to kill termites is that you can’t access the colony this way. The termite colony will be underground (in the case of subterranean termites) or inside wood (in the case of dry wood termites).
You might be able to kill a stray termite here or there around your home, but that won’t solve the problem. It’s like using a bandaid for a gushing wound.
Termites reproduce quickly; for every termite you kill, ten more are hiding in your walls. It’s just impossible to solve a termite infestation using ammonia.
Does Boric Acid Kill Termites?
Like ammonia, boric acid does kill termites (ants and cockroaches, too). However, this DIY solution suffers from the same problem as ammonia: boric acid alone can’t eliminate a termite colony. It can only kill termites that ingest the boric acid you sprinkle around your home.
In addition to being ineffective at killing termites en masse, boric acid can also be hazardous to your health. Many online articles encourage boric acid use because it is natural, but that doesn’t mean it is safe. Boric acid can be toxic if accidentally swallowed, so you should never use it around children or pets.
Does Orange Oil Kill Termites?
Whether or not orange oil effectively eliminates termites is still up for debate. Several studies have investigated orange oil’s effects on termites and concluded that it kills some termites: one study by UC Berkley showed a 77 percent success rate when applying the orange oil.
Orange oil might eventually be a useful part of a more comprehensive pest control strategy, but it’s not good enough. The problem with killing only 77 percent of a termite colony is that the colony will rebuild, making your efforts pointless.
When treating your home for termites, it’s important to ensure every last termite is gone. 77% resolution is still 33% problematic…which will become 100% problematic very soon.
Do Nematodes Kill Termites?
Nematodes have become a popular DIY termite remedy because they are eco-friendly. Nematodes are actually parasitic roundworms that enter and kill termites and other pests.
While nematodes do kill termites, they are not a great solution for a termite infestation. There are a myriad of problems with using nematodes, including:
- Limited Species Compatibility. Nematodes are generally specific to certain termite species, so the effectiveness of nematode treatment depends on the type of termites infesting the area. Not all nematode species will work against all termite species, and you may not buy the type of nematode effective at killing termites in your home.
- Environmental Factors. The nematodes may not survive the shipment to your house. Nematodes are sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and soil type. If the conditions are not ideal, nematodes may not survive or be effective in controlling termites. Also, nematodes do not always take to the environment in which they are spread (making it a waste of money).
- They’re Slow. Nematodes work relatively slowly compared to chemical treatments. It may take some time for nematodes to establish themselves, and by that time, your termite problem can be worse than when you got the nematodes.
- They Don’t Eliminate the Colony. It’s nearly impossible to apply nematodes to the actual termite colony (same problem with ammonia and boric acid above). Termite colonies can be underground (far underground in some cases), so the chances that the nematodes will venture that far in time are very slim.
Using nematodes is a good idea in theory, but in practice, it’s not effective at eliminating a termite infestation.
Does sunlight kill termites?
Termites will eventually die if exposed to sunlight long enough, though it’s not really the sunlight itself that kills them. Subterranean termites build mud tubes to travel across the ground because they require moisture from the soil to stay alive.
Unfortunately, this DIY termite remedy is only somewhat effective if a single piece of furniture, like a chair or a table, is infested with termites.
You might be able to kill some of the termites by leaving the chair in the sunlight. If there is a termite colony attacking your home, however, this method will be completely useless for you.
Why You Shouldn’t DIY
Termite treatment requires specialized knowledge, skills, and equipment. For example, effective treatment requires knowledge of building construction and common termite entry points. Many of these entry points can be hidden or difficult to access. Homeowners attempting the DIY route may not be able to treat all of the termites’ entryways, which means termites will still be able to enter the home.
On top of the problem of accessing termite entryways is the problem of getting rid of the termites when you do finally access them. Many DIY treatments are either completely ineffective or only effective for a short period of time. The entire termite colony must be eradicated, or the termites will simply rebuild. And if you buy termite treatments or pesticides off the Internet, there is no guarantee that the treatment will be effective or even safe. (Pesticides can be very hazardous in inexperienced hands.)
Learn more about termites by reading Termites: Fact and Fiction and visiting the termite section of our pest library.
What to Do If Your Home Has Termites
Most termite infestations are discovered from March to May. Why? This is typically the time of the year (when the weather gets warmer) when winged termites show up around your home. They appear in order to mate and start new colonies. Winged termites found near places like your walls, foundation, or patio are a clear sign that your house has an infestation.
If you see winged termites (not to be confused with winged ants!), mud tubes, damaged wood, or other signs of a termite infestation, call a pest control company to talk about treatment. (Note: a termite infestation can sometimes leave no signs, so it’s not a bad idea to have a routine inspection done of your home.)
How To Actually Eliminate Termites
Step 1: Termite Detection
Would you even know if there were termites in your home? If you’re like most homeowners, probably not! And that’s a scary thought. Termite activity can go undetected for months or even years, with termites chewing through your biggest investment in the meantime.
We’ve written before about the signs that termites are in your home. They include things like:
- Mud tubes (termites use them to reach their food source) on the outside of the home
- Soft wood that sounds hollow when tapped
- Wood structures that are darkening or blistering
- Cracked or bubbling paint
- Discarded insect wings near doors or on windowsills
- Presence of “swarmers,” which are winged adult termites, often mistaken for flying ants
If you’re not sure, it’s time for a second opinion. (Better safe than sorry, as they say.) It’s a good idea to call a pest professional—like the pros we have at ScherZinger Pest Control—to visit your home and check for termites.
When you know for sure that your house has termites, then it’s time for step two: elimination.
Step 2: Termite Elimination
Google “termite elimination methods,” and you’ll get a whole lot of search results. Unfortunately, not all of them work. Forget using orange oil, beneficial nematodes, or cardboard traps…you need a termite elimination solution that will actually get rid of every last termite!
Here at ScherZinger Pest Control, we know that every home and every situation is different. That’s why we don’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions.
We offer the most effective solutions, tailored to your needs:
- Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System®. We install Sentricon bait stations with Recruit HD termite bait every 8-10 feet around your home. Termites love this bait: they eat it and share it with the rest of the colony. Eventually, the bait infects and eliminates the entire colony, down to the last termite. Then, we do bi-annual inspections to make sure the termites stay gone.
- Perimeter Plus Termite Barrier. We use a liquid barrier treatment to seal the boundary of your property against termites. Then, we do follow-up applications when needed. If we find any hint of termites during our yearly inspection, we’ll re-treat at no additional cost to you!
- Guardian Plus. Termites aren’t the only pest around. If you want the benefits of regular outdoor pest control AND top-notch termite protection, you’ll want Guardian Plus.
- Guardian Complete. Guardian Complete keeps termites and pests of all kinds out, bundling indoor AND outdoor pest control, including termite protection and mosquito mitigation.
Step 3: Termite Monitoring
Here is where the old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” rings true. The steps you take now can prevent a big problem later! And the investment you make now will pay dividends through lower maintenance costs and avoiding future damage.
Any pest control professional worth their salt will let you know that pests might try to come back. That’s why part of termite elimination involves monitoring for them in the future, in case they ever try to return. If they do, ScherZinger is here to re-bait or re-treat!
Why You Need Expert Termite Remedies
While some DIY termite remedies may be minimally helpful in controlling termites, the best termite treatment comes from professionals. A termite expert will be able to inspect your home, determine the type of termite and the colony location, and develop a treatment plan that is guaranteed to be effective.
If you’ve found evidence of termites in your home, don’t wait to call the experts.
Concerned you might have an infestation on your hands? Contact Scherzinger Pest Control, a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and Columbus. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.
