Termites appear at any time of the year, so it would be best that you are prepared to defend your home and property at all times. These wood-chewing pests come into your house unnoticed until severe damage has been done. There are many ways of termite control, including DIY or do-it-yourself termite treatments. There are a lot of termite control treatments that you can take into consideration in guarding your homes in the United States.

Walk around your property every year to look for any termite damage so you can create an effective treatment plan. While drywood termites don’t eat concrete, subterranean termites build mud tubes, which are clear evidence that termites are trying to damage your foundation in search of food.

Can I Do Termite Treatment Myself?

There are two major methods of diy termite control. You can choose between the liquid termite insecticides and termite baits. Liquid insecticides or termiticides can be used as a barrier and soil treatment. Some people utilize both options to deal with drywood and subterranean termites.

Liquid Termiticides

Barrier termite remedies are used to stop termite infestation in your house and any wood structures. This termite treatment procedure prevents termites from the inside to get into the soil to get moisture that helps it to survive.

The liquid termite treatment will likely give faster results by applying the products near the termite infestation. You can use the liquid termiticide by drilling to reach the termites. Drilling through the concrete or wood piles to pump the liquid needed to set up a barrier can be difficult for a homeowner. However, if there is crawl space clearance and you can drench around your home, this termite control method will not be as difficult as you think.

Non repellent products such as Taurus SC and Termidor SC offer repellent barriers. These termiticides are undetectable wherein termites cannot see, smell, taste, or avoid these nonrepellent insecticides. They allow the termites to detect and exploit even the smallest gaps in the treated soil to enter the building. They are good companions to control and treat subterranean termites.

Termite Baits

If you don’t want to use chemical repellent, you can do termite baiting. You need to place termite bait directly to the ground outside the structure. Once a drywood termite eats the termite bait, it will die. Bait systems are not only to exterminate these pests, but it can also be used as a tool to detect the early stage of termite infestations.

Termite baiting systems eliminate and monitor termite infestation to the untreatable structure such as water bodies, the danger of pesticide use, and structures where soil treatments didn’t work.

What Kills Termites Naturally

Some people are not comfortable using chemicals or unnatural products to deal with termite problem. Fortunately, there are a lot of natural methods to prevent termites from coming onto your property. Termites are difficult to get rid of, and it is best to get professional help from a pest control company. But there are natural techniques available that could prevent termites from coming to your homes and infest on your properties and furniture. Some of the all-natural techniques include:

1. Orange oil. You can spray the orange oil into high-risk areas for termites, as well as crawl spaces and attics.

2. Cardboard traps. This method is known to be useful since cardboard contains cellulose that attracts termites. It aims to attract termites to come near the trap, which later can be disposed of through burning.

3. Sunlight. Termites are very sensitive to sunlight, so when the infested furniture is exposed to the sun, daylight can kill any hidden termites.

4. Diatomaceous earth. It can control many types of garden pests. They can be mixed into the soil, water, or paint to drive termites away.

5. Nematodes. Certain parasitic nematodes feed on termites. They are known to be a natural form of biological control.

6. Boric acid. Available in liquid or dust form, it is used to treat drywood or subterranean termites and other pests that thrive at your home.

How Does Vinegar Kill Termites

There are many ways to deal with termites and to treat your home. Some people ask help from a pest control company but others prefer to utilize natural options like using readily available home remedies, such as vinegar. Different home remedies are effective in getting rid of termites permanently. So how can the use of vinegar as a home remedy works on termites?

Locate The Termites

If you are trying to kill termites yourself, the first step to take is to find their hiding places. If you find termites around your property or wall, then the nest is most likely within the wall or your premises where there is enough moisture. It can be difficult, but you need to walk around the perimeter to find crevices where termites might be hiding. Some of the signs to look out for are the termite feces that resemble dust, discarded wings, holes in wooden structures, and mud tubes. They usually make holes in the wood and cover it with mud, so you need to look for the spots before starting the treatment.

Prepare Your Vinegar Solution

Once you can find the hiding spot of the termites, you have to prepare your vinegar solution. There are many ways you can utilize vinegar to exterminate termites. 

• In its pure form.
• Dissolve in water at a ratio of 1:1.
• Mixed with lemon juice 1:2.
• Mixed with olive oil at a ratio of 1:4

The most effective vinegar mixture that can work on termites is when it is dissolved in water or with lemon juice. You may choose, depending on your preference. Once you have prepared the mixture, spray it to all the corners of your home where termites may possibly hide. Also, spray the mixture to the holes, the best place for termites to hide. You may notice that termites are not affected at first, so make sure to continue spraying until the wood is soaked in the solution. Eventually, termites will die, and you will have a termite-free home.

Repeat the Process

Before repeating the process, give the wall some time to dry. You start to spray again after 2 to 3 days. Note that it takes 3 days to one week to kill all the termites completely. However, instead of directly spraying to the holes, you have to sit and wait for the termites to succumb. After 3 weeks and you still feel there are termites in your property, prepare for another treatment. You must examine their hiding places and seal any holes where they may pass through to come back.

Vinegar can be considered the most effective diy termite control solution and home remedy. It is a natural solution that you can find from any food store. You have to mix it with water or other products with the right ratio to work.

Conclusion

Although diy termite treatments are helpful with thorough work and many repetitions, it can prevent small termite infestation issues. But DIY termite methods cannot match professional pest control service. All the natural methods are best used for termite control and prevention purposes only because extermination usually requires much more potent treatments, especially for large populations. Professional termite exterminators have the knowledge and experience in dealing with a large colony using quality pest control equipment. It enables them to be more efficient and thorough in termite infestation treatment.