How To Eliminate Termites In A House?

Every chair, cabinet or even parquet and wooden beam can be a potential victim of termites, especially in damp areas of the house. So, how do you get rid of this insect that causes so much havoc?

There are few pests that are more destructive to a home than termites. This insect devours wood and can damage not only furniture and chairs, but also structures in the house.

Once we detect the presence of termites, it  is important to act as soon as possible to prevent them from eating the wood and destroying furniture and other wooden objects that may be within their reach.

Termite at home

How to detect the presence of termites or termites in the house? Pay attention to the wood:  it will have a few yellow spots, as if you had sprinkled with breadcrumbs. The holes they leave are also characteristic.

It should be noted that termites often have preferences in terms of the types of wood they prefer to attack. The main ones are: pine, cypress, ceiba and balsa from tropical species. However, they can attack many other types.

Termites are said to generally not attack furniture made of ash, bitter cedar, or guanacaste wood. Don’t be overconfident, however. If the wood is not treated, it can still be attacked by  termites .

Tips for removing termites from your home

1. Kill termites in the house with oranges and camphor

A simple measure to eradicate this insect from your home is to place a jar with orange peels and camphor in your cupboards. Camphor is a whitish, salt-like substance that is used as an insecticide, among other applications. Of course, be careful and try not to touch your clothes as this product can stain.

The orange peel helps to give a pleasant aroma. It is therefore not compulsory to include it in the bottle. Of course, if you do, the ideal is to renew the skin at least once a week.

2. Make an insecticide with boric acid against termites

Another product used as an insecticide is  boric acid  , which can be used as follows:

• Mix a teaspoon of boric acid with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of milk.
• Place this preparation in containers or bottles and put them in the places infected by termites.
• Warning: do not leave this insecticide within the reach of children and dogs to avoid poisoning.
• Repeat this process for three or four weeks. As we have pointed out, these insects reproduce quickly and your home can be infected with a large number of them.

The secret of this technique lies in the consistency of its use.  Otherwise, it will do little to remove termites from the house.

3. Other recommendations

On the Internet, there are all kinds of tips to put an end to termites. However, it is necessary to remain vigilant about the ineffectiveness of some of them.

For example, spray diesel or gasoline on the wooden surface. It does not get inside, which is where the insect lodges and attacks. In addition, this technique usually causes a bad odor and is highly flammable.

Similar advice relates to the use of kerosene, burnt oils and such substances. These practices are not recommended, we repeat, because of their high level of flammability.

You can, on the other hand, try using powerful herbal remedies like blackwood, big man, and plantain. To do this, it is necessary to boil water with the leaves of these plants to create an infusion and spread it on the infected wood. However, this is not a very effective method.

4. Chemical baits

There are also professionals and companies that are dedicated specifically to eliminating termites. Knowing that a termite colony can harbor millions of insects, which are also extremely harmful to the home, that’s not a bad idea.

The advantage of this service is that the methods they use are controlled and directly attack the entire colony at the same time. In this way, you can eradicate the problem once and for all. This will prevent termites from reproducing indefinitely.

Is it possible to prevent the invasion of termites?

If you live in an area where termite outbreaks are very common, it is best to cut down and avoid buying wooden furniture. If you do decide to do this, the best thing is to choose very good quality wood to prevent it from deteriorating from these insects.

On the other hand, proper maintenance, cleaning and disinfection of the house can also help to limit these invasions, but it is not a guarantee either. You must be very careful and check that your furniture, beams and openings are not victims of these insects.

Termites like shade and water, so removing all forms of moisture from your home is essential . For this, it is advisable to move the furniture installed in the humid areas of your rooms and to solve the indoor humidity problem.

Finally, avoid  moisture accumulation and especially  check that there are no leaking pipes.  It is in this environment that these insects reside and reproduce. And you have to keep in mind that they do it really fast, by the way.

Removing termites from your home is not easy. Plus, the process is sure to strain your patience. Do not worry. Over time, you can banish them if you tackle the problem correctly. But don’t be fooled: the damage can be irreversible.