4 Natural Ways to Rid Your Home from Termites – Bonus Tips on Repairing Pest Damage

It’s stressful maintaining a home. Over time fixtures start to wear and renovations have to be done to maintain the value of your home. But the most common cause of damage in Australian homes is termites. Luckily there are various termite treatments to use that may help the situation. 

While pest control services are convenient, sometimes infestations are so severe you may have to eradicate some of the bugs before termite control can assist you. There are also ways you can prevent termite invasion yourself.

In this article, we will provide four tips to prevent termite infestations and ways to terminate as many as you can until you can get professional assistance. We will also provide bonus tips on how to repair pest damage. Keep reading to find out more.

1. White Vinegar is a Natural Pesticide

Did you know white vinegar is a multipurpose product that’s put into food and used as a cleaning aid, but that it’s also a natural pesticide? Since it’s high in acidity, most people use it as a natural pest repellent for gardens because it keeps snails and slugs at bay without poisoning the plants.

If you combine vinegar with other ingredients to increase the acidity levels it can even repel most household pests. The solution can also kill pests immediately. So, if you suspect your house may have termites simply mix half a cup of vinegar with equal parts lemon juice and spray it around your home.

Conduct a thorough termite inspection around skirting boards and in corners of your home. If you find holes, spray the solution into the gaps and around the areas to kill burrowing pests. To repel termites spray the solution in and around your home regularly. 

2. Borate Detergent Kills Termites

Borate is another multipurpose compound used for cosmetics, detergents and enamel glazes. The powder is also commonly used as an antifungal solution for fibreglass. But you can also use borate as an insecticide.

If you find termites outside your home or burrowing through your floorboards, simply sprinkle some of the powder around these areas. For a liquid solution, mix three tablespoons of borate powder into a litre of water and pour it into a spray bottle. Spray the solution in and around the home.

You’ll have to keep reapplying the solution to these areas so you can prevent further infestations.

3. Orange Oil is Deadly to Termites

Orange oil has high quantities of D-limonene which is used as a natural flavouring agent. However, D-limonene is deadly to termites. Orange oil is extracted from orange peels and you can find the liquid in garden nursery shops or health improvement stores.

The D-limonene found in orange oil dissolves the outer layer of termites causing them to lose their protective shells. This will kill them.

Since the oil is difficult to wash off it may rub against other termites living in a nest, causing many of them to perish. This means that the orange oil can kill many termites in a nest, eradicating severe infestations. 

Simply spray the orange oil into termite tunnels and anywhere you may suspect an infestation. You can also repel termites by spraying orange oil around your home regularly.

4. Lure the Termites Out

If you’re finding it difficult to reach the termites with your natural repellents there is a way to lure them out of their nets. Termites love moisture and eating through roughage. All you have to do is wet a piece of cardboard and place it near a termite tunnel opening to get them to come out of hiding.

After awhile the cardboard will be infested with termites and they’ll be munching away at it. When this happens take the infested piece of cardboard and throw it into a fire.

You don’t want to spray anything onto the termites because you’ll simply make them scatter. Burning the cardboard with the termites on it is the best way to kill them all without the risk of them running away.

How to Repair Damage Caused by Pests

You can fix most pest damage yourself to help you save on costs. Follow these easy repair tips after you’ve eliminated termites from your home:

• If there are tunnels in your garden, take a spade and dig up the grass & sand. Turn the soil and then plant new grass on top.
• Fill gaps in your floors with epoxy. The epoxy mixture can be used on most materials such as wood, tiles and glass. It’s a strong material that’s impenetrable by pests and it will strengthen the wooden structures in your home.
• Repaint surfaces that have been damaged.
• Sand down any wooden fixtures & apply a coat of sealant.

Final Thoughts

These tips are only temporary solutions to reduce termite infestations. Don’t let bugs ruin the value of your home by damaging the structure of it. Opt for any termite control Melbourne based services can offer, to help eliminate pests in your home permanently.