After all the effort that you put into buying that perfect piece of furniture, the last thing you want is to see it get infested by termites. Termites may be small in size, but they can do substantial damage to your property as well as your health. Once they infest any piece of furniture in your house, they can spread rapidly to an extent where the damage becomes irreparable.
Here is how you can protect your furniture from termites:
- Look for signs of infestation: Termites are notoriously hard to notice unless you are constantly paying attention. Some easy signs that you can look for around your house are holes in any woodwork, sawdust, or any mud tube formations on the walls. By the time you notice any signs of infestation, the termite may have already done some amount of damage. However, constantly being on the lookout for signs may help you spot an infestation in its early stages.
- Know the different types of termites: While there are over 2,000 species of termites, the most prominent ones are subterranean termites and drywood termites. To protect your furniture, you first need to know where to look for these two different types of termites. Drywood termites thrive inside dry wood walls and support structures. They eat through the wood from the inside out, making it hollow. Subterranean termites on the other hand are found living in moist conditions, generally under the house or any sort of wooden foundations.
- Expose your furniture to sunlight: Termites are known to thrive in moist and dark ecosystems. If you expose your furniture to direct sunlight for a few days, the termites are likely to die due to their inability to bear the heat.
- Spraying boric acid: A liquid solution of boric acid is known to be quite effective in eliminating termites from the furniture. Boric acid is easily available and relatively safer as compared to other chemical treatments. You may need to spray boric acid a couple of times to completely get rid of termites.
- Cardboard trap: Cardboards are made of cellulose, which acts as an attractive material for termites. When cardboard is dampened, it gives out a smell which most termites find irresistible. You can spray some water over a piece or box of cardboard and then place it near the infested furniture. In a few minutes, you will start seeing the termites assemble on the cardboard. Once you see a significant assembly of termites, you can dispose of or burn the cardboard.
- Treating furniture with oil: Organic oils are known to be an easy, accessible, and affordable solution for termite infestation. Neem and orange oil are the most popular and effective oils which can be used to eliminate termites. Orange oil specifically contains D-limonene, which is a powerful compound for eradicating termites. You will have to repeatedly keep applying these oils to the infested areas until the entire termite colony vanishes.
- Get professional help: Professional pest control services are undoubtedly the most effective way of treating a termite infestation. Since termites are an extremely complex and aggressive species, it is important to understand the category and extent of an infestation before proceeding with any treatment. Professional exterminators are equipped with the knowledge and tools required to do this.
While we hope that you do not have to deal with a termite infestation, it is always advisable to be cautious and take preventive measures to protect your valuable property. Contact us today for a free termite inspection!
