When constructing with wooden materials, ensure that you treat them with permethrin 0.1% solution incorporated in a paint or varnish. It kills termites, but it is friendly to humans and pets. It is essential to fit moisture barriers in the foundation.
Additionally, the wood should, at no point, contact the soil directly. Besides, you can settle on using some types of wood that termites dislike. These include Black Walnut, Eastern Red Cedar, and Pacific Yew.
1. Eliminate potential food sources
Before you ask how to get rid of termites in your home, consider whether there is any food source for them around. Firewood piles should be away from the wall of your house. Moreover, eliminate any tree stumps around the homestead. Although termites rarely feed on live trees, stumps attract them.
2. Block entry points
Any possible entry point for termites should be closed. Ensure to seal up those crevices and cracks on the wall using cement mortar from outside and plaster filler on the inner side. Where there are ventilation shafts, place mosquito nets.
3. Cardboard Bait System
If you wish to know how to get rid of termites using a natural method, you can use the cardboard bait system. It is a simple technique whereby you lay cardboard in the most infested points. Leave the termites to land on the cardboard. After that, you get the cardboard and burn the trapped termites. You have to do the same several times to keep on reducing the pest infestation. However, it is more advisable that you couple it with a chemical treatment to increase its effectiveness.
4. Use boric acid
Boric acid is an effective product not just to get rid of termites but other insects too. This acid is in powder form, and you can spray that way or make a solution with water. When termites digest the acid, their body fails to draw nutrients regardless of the amount they feed. You should use goggles and a mask when using this acid. Additionally, you should exercise extra caution if there are children around. Use this method for around a week to eliminate termites. After the period, you can check its effectiveness on the treated areas.
5. Diatomaceous Earth
Another way to get rid of termites is through the use of diatomaceous earth. The diatoms that make this product have sharp edges, and so its particle follows suit. The edges cut the pests’ outer layer, expose them, and lead to dehydration as it absorbs the moisture. The termites eventually die.
6. White Vinegar
White vinegar can do wonders when it comes to killing termites. Take a cup of vinegar and a juice from four standard size lemons. Mix and place in a spray bottle. It is easy to spray the mixture over the entry points and infected areas. If you apply correctly, this solution sinks deep through grooves and eliminates termites effectively.
7. Nematodes
These types of worms are hostile to most insects. When you introduce them to the soil, they find their way to the colony of the termites.
Nematodes inject deadly bacteria into the prey. It is a great method when dealing with subterranean termites and not the dry wood termites present in the wood. The advantage of using them to get rid of termites is because they are harmless to humans and pets.
8. Orange Oil
Orange oil has a sweet smell and is non-toxic to humans and pests. However, you can use the solution to kill termites. The damage to these insects is more in their early stages of infestation rather than after full invasion. This oil is effective where you administer it. Therefore, you might have to drill holes to reach the infected areas. It works best for above ground infestation.
9. Cayenne Pepper
The cayenne pepper that you use to spice your food is a great product to kill termites. It consists of capsaicin, a chemical responsible for its heat and pungency. Capsaicin ruins the nervous system of the termites so severely to the point of killing them. Sprinkle the infested areas with cayenne pepper until you eliminate the insects. Additionally, you can mix it with vegetable oil and apply it to any infested spot. After about five days, come back and witness how the mixture eliminates termites effectively.
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