One bout of termite infestation and your home could sustain thousands of dollars in damage. The first inclination of a lot of homeowners when they first discover termites is to start with natural solutions even though termite exterminators are a better investment of time and money. The internet is full of proposed solutions that DIYers can try to get rid of termites. While some of these remedies can be somewhat effective, they are rarely a solve-all solution. Natural termite remedies, in particular, are not always effective. Here is a look at some of the more common natural termite remedies and their downfalls. 

Turning nematodes loose on the property. 

Nematodes are small parasites that look like tiny worms, and these little guys eat termites, which sounds like a good solution when you have a problem. The issue here is, it is completely illogical to think that you can buy or introduce enough of these worms to eat up a whole colony of termites. One colony can have thousands of bugs. 

Using borax powder to kill the termites. 

Borax powder contains boric acid, and this common household product can be good to kill termites. However, the only way to make the product work is with direct contact, which can be hard to achieve when termites have built burrows and tunnels throughout wood pieces in and under the house. The best you can do is sprinkle gobs of the powder around and hope the bugs make contact, which just isn't very effective or efficient. 

Spraying orange oil and vinegar around the foundation and property. 

Orange oil is considered a natural deterrent for termites, and vinegar is known to actually dry out the body of a termite and kill it. In order for this method to work, you pretty much have to spray nonstop in all areas in and around the house for weeks on end. Even then, you may not fully get rid of the problem. 

Using wet cardboard to lure termites out of the house. 

Essentially, wet cardboard is already-broken-down wood particles, so it is kind of like junk food for termites, and they do love it. It is commonly recommended to lay out pieces of wet cardboard to lure the termites out of the house, and this can definitely work. However, it is highly unlikely that this method is going to lure out every termite, especially if you are collecting the termite-ridden cardboard and trashing it periodically; the termites will eventually grow leery of the pieces and stay away. 

For more information on termite control, reach out to a pest control service in your area.

Share