Don’t know how to get rid of termites in furniture? This is a question asked by many homeowners. It shows that termites are a common menace to wooden furniture at home. The main types of termites that could affect your furniture are drywood termites that live only in wood and subterranean which live in both wood and soil.
Although before getting rid of a termite infestation, you must know the signs of an infestation in the first place. Here are some ways to identify a termite infestation:
– Check for holes in the furniture.
– Presence of sawdust and piles of golden brown fecal pellets around the areas where there are cracks.
– Formations of mud tubes on walls.
After identifying termites in your furniture, below are some ways you can use to get rid of them:
1. Expose the Furniture to Direct Sunlight
Termites like staying in moist and dark areas. Putting your furniture in direct sunlight for about three days can help to get rid of the termites. First, because the heat from the sun easily kills the termites. Second, the sun dries the moisture and therefore gets rid of the termites since they can’t survive without water.
To kill all the termites, ensure you rotate your furniture during the day so that no termites can hide from the direct sunlight.
2. Use Parasitic Nematodes
This is a natural method of killing termites. It involves the use of small worms (parasitic nematodes) to kill the termites in your furniture. Parasitic nematodes feed on the termite larvae and other microscopic creatures. It only takes about two days for the worms to destroy a termite colony. You can purchase the parasitic nematodes from your local nursery and release them to the areas infested by the termites.
3. Create a Cardboard Trap
Cardboard contain cellulose which is an organic compound that termites love. This makes a cardboard a good trap for termites.
You can make a cardboard trap by spraying some pieces of cardboard with water. Roll the cardboard pieces in the form of a tube and place them on your furniture in places where the mites have infested. Leave the trap for a few days for it to attract termites, then remove and burn the cardboard trap to kill the termites.
4. Use Borates
You can use sodium borate to kill termites that have infested your furniture. Borax kills termites by interfering with their nervous system thus dehydrating them to death. You can mix the sodium borate powder with hot water and then spray the solution in the infested area. Or you could cover the termite hive with borax powder for a week.
5. Oil Treatments
The best oils to use as treatments for termites are neem oil and orange oil. Orange oil is made up of d-limonene, a compound that is deadly for termites. When termites come into contact with this solvent, their skeleton dissolves and they lose moisture and die. Neem oil, on the other hand, kills the termites when they ingest it.
Pour these oils in areas of the furniture that are affected by the termites. You will need to do this repeatedly until the termites are all dead.
6. Spray Boric Acid
Another method to get rid of termites from furniture is using boric acid. Boric acid is formed by mixing boric acid powder with water and then spraying the solution in the infested areas. This solution is non-toxic and it should help get rid of the termites after some few applications. To make this method even more effective, you can use it together with a cardboard trap.
The problem of termites in furniture is common in most households. It doesn’t have to be an issue to you too though. The discussed hacks above are easy ways that will help you know how to get rid of termites in furniture for good. You can simply expose your furniture into direct sunlight, use borates, oil treatments, or even more.
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