How To Naturally Kill Termites

We all know that termites play a very crucial role in the ecosystem. Although they are this important, they can cause so much damage if they attack our businesses and homes. If they are allowed within the premises for some time unchecked, they can cause damage in the tunes of thousands of dollars. It is therefore very important to ensure that you kill them the moment you notice them within your premises in Singapore.

Identifying the presence of termite infestation
There are normally two types of termites that could affect your home. They include wood termites and subterranean termites. Just as they are different, the signs of their infestation will also be different. For subterranean termites, they usually reside underground with their colonies. You will know they are present from the telltale signs they leave behind of mud-tube formations on the walls of buildings. You will also notice some winged termites or some discarded wings around the area where there are these termites. On the other hand, wood termites have a tendency to affect furniture made of wood. Therefore where they are present, you will notice sawdust on the floor as well as damaged paint finishes. There could also be some pieces of wood on the floor where furniture are kept. You will also notice small particles on the floor and shelves which will be the droppings from these termites. In this article, we shall try to look at the different methods that can be used to get rid of termites in the natural way.

Exposing the infested are to direct sunlight.
It is a fact that termites are extremely susceptible to direct sunlight and whenever they are exposed to it, they will die very fast due to heat. Therefore if you notice the presence of subterranean species of termites, you should clear vegetation around the area where they have established their colony. It would even help to dig up the area so as to expose the termites to direct sunlight. In the event of wood termites that have infested your furniture, you should take the furniture outside when the sun is hottest and let them stay there for some hours. Exposing the furniture to direct sunlight will kill all the termites including those that are out of sight.

Use cardboard trap
A cardboard trap is considered as one of the most effective ways of eliminating termites naturally in Singapore. Cardboards are effective in curbing termites considering that they have a compound called cellulose which is known to attract termites. Cardboards produces this woody smell because of the presence of cellulose. And this aroma is irresistible to termites. It has also been observed that when you spray the cardboards with some water, the smell becomes more powerful. Place the damp cardboard on the target area so as to attract the termites. Within a short time, the termites will have accumulated around the cardboard making it easy for you to collect them and burn them.

Eliminate moisture
For a long time, people have known that termites thrive in areas where there is moisture. If you keep this in mind, you will ensure that your house is kept dry and you will also repair the areas that are prone to dampness. It will also be important that you walk around the perimeter of the house to ensure that there are no water pools or any form of water leakage that is coming into contact with your house’s foundation.

Botanical treatments
There are also some botanical treatments that can be used to get rid of termites. A good example is the orange oil. It has an active ingredient called d-limonene which will kill termites whenever they come into contact with it. Wood termites are the most vulnerable to this botanical treatment. You can also use Neem oil to kill termites and eradicate them completely from your premises. Neem oil is extracted from neem trees which grow in some parts of Asia. For neem oil to be effective in killing termites, they must ingest it into their system. If you have chosen to use neem oil to exterminate termites, it would be advisable to apply it several times before you can kill the entire colony.

Use of Borates
Most of the people who decide to employ natural methods of exterminating termites end up using borax powder. You can also use sodium borate which also kills termites in a similar manner as borax powder. In the case of subterranean termites, use a solution of sodium borate or you can also apply sodium borate powder in the targeted area. The good thing about using borates, just like all the other natural methods of dealing with termites is that it will neither harm you nor your pets. One of the methods of applying borax powder is to paint it on all the wooden surfaces of newly constructed structures. Applying it this way will prevent future infestation of the termites. However, it is difficult to establish if you have killed all the termites in a colony. For best coverage, you are advised to use a liquid solution which will penetrate better. It is also advisable that you repeat the application of borate treatment to ensure that all the termites have been killed. You can also use borate treatment alongside other natural methods.

Cold and hot treatment methods
You can use hot and cold treatment methods to kill wood termites. For you to use this method, you are advised to remove certain items from the house. This is due to the simple reason that heat of up to 140 degrees centigrade will be used and this could damage some of your items. The treated area has to be heated to a temperature of up to 120 degrees and this temperatures must be maintained for about 30 minutes to ensure that the entire colony has been killed. In the case of cold treatment method, low temperatures of about 15 degree must be maintained for about four days to ensure that all the termites have died.

Knowing how to exterminate termites naturally is a good way not only to use safe methods but also protect the environment. It is also important to note that you can employ more than one method of treatment when dealing with problematic colonies in Singapore.