How to Kill Termites: 15 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Termites (2023)

FAQs

How to Kill Termites: 15 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Termites? ›

Coffee killed termites in 3.42 hrs, and Coke was the least effective (5.04 hrs). It was interesting to observe that higher the caffeine levels, the sooner the termites died.

Coffee killed termites in 3.42 hrs, and Coke was the least effective (5.04 hrs). It was interesting to observe that higher the caffeine levels, the sooner the termites died.

Vinegar's acetic acid is corrosive to termite exoskeletons. This acid spray kills termites. This treatment must be sprayed on termite bodies. If you can't access most of the termites, immerse their colony in vinegar.

Soap and water is another option for short-term DIY termite control. All you need is a few tablespoons of dish soap, a few cups of water, and a spray bottle. The soapy water forms a seal around a termite's body that blocks its ability to breathe and causes it to suffocate.

Boric acid: Spraying the traditional pesticide boric acid onto infested areas can kill termites through dehydration. Use this approach cautiously indoors, as boric acid can harm children and animals if ingested. Orange oil or neem oil: These essential oils are organic insecticides best used for minor termite issues.

Baking soda has absolutely no effect whatsoever on termites, and it certainly won't kill them. The other popular termite treatment myth is using vinegar, which much like Baking soda is a waste of time.

It is not recommended to only rely on store-bought pest solutions to kill termites. “It's easy to kill the ones that are swarming, you can just kill it with hairspray,” Pickens said. For termites hidden below the surface, hire a professional.

You need to be able to make every termite in the colony come into contact with the chemical. Unfortunately, spraying Windex doesn't allow you to do that. The remaining termites will reproduce and continue to damage your home. If you want to eliminate termites, ammonia won't work.

Hydrogen peroxide is an antibacterial agent that has several uses. For instance, you can use it to eliminate termites since the compound is toxic when absorbed by the termites.

The answer is yes, Clorox, or any other brand of bleach can be used to kill termites. Termites breathe through small holes in their exoskeleton. When you spray a termite with bleach, the bleach is absorbed by the termite which kills it.

How do I get rid of termites permanently? ›

The best way to get rid of subterranean termites is to apply a treatment of termiticide. These are barriers that homeowners can spray around their homes (on the soil) or on the wood inside their homes. Once the termite consumes the termiticide, it takes it back to the colony.

Clemson University scientists reported that 'Termites hate smells of cedarwood, geranium, and tea tree oil. It has also been found that clove bud, cinnamon, and garlic oils can also repel termites.

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.

Vinegar diluted in water or vinegar mixed with lemon juice is the most powerful homemade termite killer recipe other termite solutions for home, depending on your tastes, are also available. After you've made the solution, spray it throughout the house in any areas where termites might be hiding.

Vinegar can be used on its own, but for maximum effectiveness, create a spray by mixing ½ cup of white vinegar with about four tablespoons of lemon juice, or about two lemons worth of juice. Put this into a spray bottle and spray wherever you see termites two or three times a day.

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. This solution is also ideal for soaking into any damaged areas of the wood to clear cracks of termites.

White vinegar is another effective substance for killing termites and other insects. There are multiple ways you can use it: Straight. Diluted in water using a 1:1 ratio.

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. This limitation reduces the effectiveness of borax powder in termite control.

The most common active ingredients found in termite baits are: Diflubenzuron - inhibits insect development. Hexaflumuron- first active ingredient registered as a reduced-risk pesticide. It is used as part of a termite inspection, monitoring, and baiting system.

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.

Do termites hate white vinegar? ›

A commonly mentioned substance termites hate can be found even in your kitchen. It's vinegar! The problem is, it's difficult to permeate this smell through any interior wood where termites could hide, and the liquid could risk weakening dry wood further.

Termites can be suffocated and killed by WD-40 if sprayed on them with WD-40. If termites are sprayed in certain areas, they may be able to delay the development of termite damage. Termite baits are frequently used by the insects to lure them into consuming chemicals in order to form a chemical bond.

You can buy sodium borate in the laundry soap aisle of any supermarket. Although it can kill termites, sprinkling it around your home is ineffective because it doesn't penetrate wood easily.

People often get rid of them by tenting their homes, which involves erecting a tent around the entire house. Then, professionals pump in gas to fumigate the entire building. Because the substance that kills the drywood termites is gas, it kills termites anywhere in your home with ease.

In fact, boiling water can kill termites. Boiling water is commonly used for eliminating ants, however, it works better on subterranean termites because they tend to live underground. To kill termites, target their nest by pouring boiling water over any visible termites and into the tunnel entrance with a watering can.

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.

Borax is effective at killing termites. It works by interfering with the termites' digestive system eventually leading to their death. So in theory, it should work against an infestation, particularly against drywood termites, which set up their entire colony inside the wood that they consume.

Vaseline jelly is not exactly a termite poison as it does not kill them. But it is effective in serving as a repellent to the termites as it helps to create a kind of protective barrier against them. You can rub some vaseline jelly on the area of your furniture that you feel is prone to infestation.

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.

The bad news is that in some cases, termites come back after treatment. In fact, they're some of the toughest pests to eliminate from a property.

Can termites bite humans? ›

Essentially, termites definitely bite wood and do attack other insects, but they do not bite people. Although homeowners experiencing an infestation should not be concerned about receiving bites from termites, professional extermination methods should be sought and implemented to protect the structure of your home.

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.

Termites have some major weaknesses. They need moisture to survive and they cannot survive in the air or sunlight. To travel above the ground, they must bring moisture with them. So they build mud tubes. These tubes provide moisture and protection from the air and sunlight.

Cellulose. It's the common organic compound found in plant materials like cotton, paper, and wood. Termites can break down the cellulose fibers found in wood and derive much-needed nutrients. They are one of the few creatures that relies on wood as a primary food source.

There are some oils like neem oil, orange oil which naturally has the effect of defending the pests. Mixing those oils with some amount of water, soap drops, and sugar will kill the termites.

Termites cannot survive in the sunlight therefore they hide in places in your home that are shady. However, to kill them, taking the affected object or area out into bright sunlight will kill them. Let natural sunlight come in your home throughout the day to help prevent them.

Lemongrass

The strong citronella scent of lemongrass can deter termites along with many other lawn and garden pests. A study from Cornell University's Cooperative Extension Service concluded that lemongrass oil is effective at repelling subterranean termites.

However, it seems that two plants, catnip and vetiver grass, have shown promise in studies as termite repellents. According to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter), research shows that vetiver grass contains compounds that repel Formosan subterranean termites.

Borate wood preservative defends wood against termite attack and other wood-decomposing organisms. The preservative is absorbed into wood and acts as a barrier that termites cannot cross, eliminating wood as a food source.

Since drywall is partially made of cellulose, termites can readily feed on the paper in drywall and cause damage. To help prevent damage to your home, including drywall, follow home maintenance guidelines to correct moisture issues and schedule regular inspections with a licensed termite specialist.

What is an organic remedy for termites? ›

Soap sprays are a common, natural way to kill spider mites. Combine two tablespoons of gentle soap, one to two tablespoons of cooking oil, and a gallon of water. Spray plants thoroughly, repeating every four to seven days until spider mites appear gone.

But the question is, why do these plants have it in the first place? It turns out that there are two answers to that question. First, caffeine is a natural pesticide, which can paralyze and kill insects that want to chomp on the leaves, berries, or other parts of the plant. It's good for keeping a bug off your back.

The answer is yes, Clorox, or any other brand of bleach can be used to kill termites. Termites breathe through small holes in their exoskeleton. When you spray a termite with bleach, the bleach is absorbed by the termite which kills it.

Lemongrass contains an oil called citronella, a common mosquito repellent. Swap your summer glass of lemonade for a chilled glass of lemongrass tea or carefully use lemongrass oil on your skin for a quick mosquito repellent.

Clove, peppermint, thyme, rosemary, and citronella oil are just a few essential oils that can help keep bugs away.

Ethanol (grain or ethyl alcohol) mixed with water (70% to 80% alcohol) is usually the best general killing and preserving agent. For some kinds of insects and mites, other preservatives or higher or lower concentrations of alcohol may be better.

Boric Acid: Boric acid is a tried-and-true method for killing termites. Many of the termite insecticides you can find at the store use the highly effective boric acid as the main ingredient. Boric acid works by dehydrating the termite and shutting down its nervous system.

Vinegar can be used on its own, but for maximum effectiveness, create a spray by mixing ½ cup of white vinegar with about four tablespoons of lemon juice, or about two lemons worth of juice. Put this into a spray bottle and spray wherever you see termites two or three times a day.

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.

Mix 6 tablespoons of liquid soap with 8 cups of water in a spray bottle and shake it up. Spray the area where you've discovered termites and watch them start dying off. Repeat as needed for several days. The great thing about soapy water is that you don't have to worry about toxicity.

What repels and kills termites? ›

Borax powder, or sodium borate, can kill termites naturally. You just sprinkle the powder on the termites and the affected area, or you make a solution of the powder and water to spray or paint on affected areas. You can also paint the solution on surfaces as a termite repellant.

Mothballs

Mothballs are another substance that termites detest because they contain naphthalene – the reason termites hate this substance is that it inhibits their ability to absorb oxygen into their bodies, making them far more vulnerable to predators and other risks.