Some of the all-natural methods used to prevent termites include orange oil, cardboard traps, diatomaceous earth, and boric acid. These all may be effective to repel termites, but they will not be effective to control an active termite problem.
Termites never stop eating wood because they feed on wood to survive. However, it has been found that termites do not like the smell of cedarwood, geranium, tea tree oil, cinnamon, clove bud, and garlic oils. Termites have antennae to smell and communicate for the food source instead of a nose like human beings.
White vinegar is a common household product that can be used for a vast array of purposes such as cleaning with vinegar and including an effective homemade bug spray. Combining half a cup of vinegar with the juice of two lemons creates an effective, acidic spray that is safer than boric acid but also kills termites.
Use Borate on Wood Before Priming or Painting: Borate is one of the most popular termite repellents. You can spray borate on wood prior to priming and painting. It soaks into the wood and essentially prevents termites from attacking and nibbling on it.
Borax, also referred to as sodium borate, is a home remedy that can be used to kill both subterranean termites and drywood termites. This substance can be used in powder form or mixed with water to be used as a spray. When ingested, it dehydrates the termites and shuts down their nervous systems.
A commonly mentioned substance termites hate can be found even in your kitchen. It's vinegar!
White vinegar is another effective substance for killing termites and other insects.
Boric acid is often recommended for the elimination of termites. Boric acid is a natural pesticide and usually comes in the powder form. You can sprinkle it in the area of infestation or mix it with water to spray in the area. It might be best to use goggles, masks and gloves while spraying the acid.
There are two main chemicals used to kill termites—fipronil and hexaflumuron. Fipronil is the specially designed chemical used as an active ingredient in many different liquid termiticides. In high enough concentrations, it can kill termites on contact. Pest control specialists apply it around the perimeter of homes.
That's right – moth balls can help keep your home free of these destructive pests. Termites are attracted to wood, which is why they can cause so much damage to homes. Moth balls emit a strong odor that termites find repulsive.
Leaky pipes, improper drainage, and poor airflow all create moisture issues that attract termites. Dampwood and subterranean termites in particular thrive in humid environments. While dampwood termites prefer water-damaged wood, subterranean termites are unable to live unless surrounded by enough moisture.
Make sure any lumber around your home is treated to deter termites. Eliminate decaying sources of wood inside and outside the home. Make sure to eliminate sources of standing water and fix leaky pipes or faucets. Regularly check for signs of termites in and around the home.
Insects, Nematodes and Arachnids. The greatest hunters of termites are their slightly larger insect cousins, the ants. Megaponera analis is an ant species that only eats termites, which it does by raiding termite colonies for hours at a time.
If you're a fan of termite-free homes and mojitos, planting mint just might change your life. The scent of this highly aromatic plant is strong enough to ward off a few different types of pests, including termites. The minty smell is so overwhelming to termites that it's actually painful to them.
Marsupials and Mammals
In the cat family, civets and genets are known for eating termites. Other smaller animals that feed on termites include bats, mongooses, and numbats. Another animal that can eat termites is anteaters. Echidnas, anteaters, and aardvarks are fond of searching for termites to feed on.
Sodium borate, sold commonly as borax powder, can kill termites – as well as wash your laundry. You can either sprinkle the powder around the affected area, or you can mix it with water and spray it into an area that you believe to be infested.
How quickly does termite treatment work? Termite bait stations can take months to work, while liquid treatments can take anywhere from a few days to several months.
If you want to get rid of termites in your home, apple cider vinegar and boric acid are two of the best options.
Borax can kill termites by interfering with a termite's digestion, which can cause its death. While it can be injected in powder form into a drywood termite colony, it is difficult to fully expose all termites in a colony to the powder.
You can also deter marmots by mixing the repellents described above. Take some fabric you're no longer using and add predator urine, tabasco sauce, ground pepper and castor oil. Mix them together and then place the soaked cloths throughout your yard.
Baking soda is another home remedy that we've seen homeowners try. Baking soda has absolutely no effect whatsoever on termites, and it certainly won't kill them.
Have you ever wondered if Epsom salt can kill termites? The answer is yes, salt, even Epsom salt, can kill these creepy pests. Pouring saltwater with a high salt content into termite holes can be an effective remedy.
Using Salt
Salt is a very effective termite killer according to the team at termite Phoenix. To eliminate termites you should take some salt and spread it on the ground outside your house. Make sure that you cover the entire perimeter. Make a void in the ground outside the house and fill it with water and rock salt.