How to Kill Termites Naturally

Co-authored by Joshua Bloom and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 22, 2021 References

Whether you’ve noticed them in your walls or in your furniture, termites can be a real pain. These small insects chomp through wood like it’s nothing, making nests wherever they go. Harsh insecticides are the best option to remove termites, but you might not want to introduce poison chemicals in your home. Instead, we’ve detailed a few natural ways you can kill small infestations of termites in your house, furniture, or garden. Keep in mind that natural methods may not do much against larger termite colonies, especially if they’ve been around for a while.

1

Expose furniture to sunlight.

If you have termites in your furniture, bring it outside on a sunny day. Put your wood furniture in a spot where it can bake in the sun for at least 8 hours, and leave it there for at least 3 days. Termites stay in moist places.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Joshua Bloom
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2020.} Sunlight will help dry out the moist wood, and it will kill any termites inside, too.^{[2]
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- This trick is great for furniture, but it can’t kill an infestation in your home.

2

Freeze small pieces of furniture.

Frozen temperatures can kill dry wood termites. If you have access to a large chest freezer, you can use it to kill termites in small pieces of furniture. Wrap your furniture in plastic, then put it in the freezer for at least 2 weeks. When you take it out of the freezer, leave it wrapped up until it thaws out completely.^{[3]
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- Keeping the furniture wrapped up until it thaws protects the wood from water stains.
- Handle your frozen furniture carefully! Freezing temperatures can sometimes weaken wood glue, which can make your furniture fragile.

3

Apply aloe vera gel.

Termites can’t cross a thick layer of aloe vera. Grab a bottle of aloe vera gel and spread a layer all over your wooden furniture or the wooden areas of your home. As the aloe vera gel dries out, apply more to stop the termites from moving around. Eventually, the termites will be stuck in place, and they will die.^{[4]
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- When you’re done, wipe the aloe vera gel up with a wet cloth.
- This works best for termites in wooden furniture, but it’s not quite as effective if you have an infestation throughout your entire home.

4

Try a mixture of olive oil and vinegar.

Termites don’t like the smell of vinegar, so they’ll shy away from it. In a spray bottle, mix 4 parts olive oil with 1 part white vinegar. Spray your wooden furniture or the perimeter of your home with the mixture, and don’t be afraid to lay it on thick. Reapply your mixture every day to keep termites out.^{[5]
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5

Use an oil spray.

Orange oil and neem oil both kill termites. Orange oil kills termites when they come into contact with it, while neem oil kills termites after they ingest it. Pick up a bottle of your oil of choice and dilute it with water according to the instructions on the back. Spray the oil on wooden furniture or around your home to kill termites within a few days.^{[6]
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- For best results, keep spraying the oil in the same spot multiple times a day.
- Neem oil is safe to use around children and adults. However, it is slightly toxic to birds and fish.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  National Pesticide Information Center
  Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides
  Go to source}
- Orange oil is generally safe, but it may cause some slight skin irritation if you come into direct contact with it.^{[8]
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6

Sprinkle salt on furniture.

For small termite infestations, use salt. Grab normal table salt or sea salt and sprinkle it onto furniture or small cracks in your home. You can also mix salt with warm water and inject it into your wooden furniture.^{[9]
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Research source} Keep in mind, though, that injecting salt water into old wooden furniture may harm it.
- Termites don’t like salt, so they’ll avoid it as much as possible. If they venture into the salt, they’ll die within a few hours.

7

Spread boric acid around your home.

Boric acid is natural, but you need to wear gloves and a mask when handling it. Boric acid is a natural boron compound found in nature, kind of like salt. Pick up a bag of boric acid and sprinkle it in cracks, crevices, and holes around your home. Over a couple of days, the termites will eat the boric acid and die. Try not to get boric acid wet, since its effectiveness lowers if it gets moist.^{[10]
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- You can buy an entire bag of boric acid at most hardware stores for around $15.
- Boric acid can cause coughing, shortness of breath, and nosebleeds in children, especially infants. If your child comes into contact with boric acid, call poison control.^{[11]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  National Pesticide Information Center
  Organization run by Oregon State University providing objective, science-based information about pests and pesticides
  Go to source}
- If you have pets, keep them out of the house when using boric acid. Boric acid can cause vomiting and diarrhea in animals, especially cats.

8

Dust diatomaceous earth around your home.

Diatomaceous earth kills insects by dehydrating them. It’s an organic powder that contains the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms, called diatoms. Grab a bag of this powder from your local hardware store and sprinkle it into holes, cracks, and crevices around your home and in your furniture. After a few days, the termites will begin to die.^{[12]
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- You can buy a bag of diatomaceous earth for around $25.
- Diatomaceous earth is most effective against small colonies of termites, but it doesn’t do much for large infestations.

9

Make a cardboard trap.

You can trap and burn termites in between layers of cardboard. Find a couple of flat strips of cardboard and get them damp. Stack the pieces of wet cardboard on top of each other, then place them in the spot you’ve seen termites before. Check the trap a couple of times per day—if you spot termites in it, take the cardboard outside and burn it.^{[13]
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- You may have to burn and replace your trap multiple times per day, especially if you have a lot of termites in your home.

10

Release parasitic nematodes in the garden.

Nematodes are natural predators of the termites around your home. These segmented microscopic worms find termites and burrow into their bodies, usually killing them within 48 hours. Since they hunt and kill pests, you can usually buy nematodes at garden supply stores. Release them into your garden soil immediately after you buy them, or store them in the fridge if you need to wait.^{[14]
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- Nematodes don’t do well in the sun, so try to release them at night so they have time to bury themselves in the soil.
- Experts recommend using 13,000 to 35,000 nematodes per square foot.
- Once the nematodes eradicate the termites, they’ll continue to live in your garden and eat harmful bacteria and fungi.

11

Call a professional for large infestations.

Experts note that the best way to remove termites is with fumigation. Since you can’t fumigate your home on your own, you’ll need to call a professional. A professional pest control company can kill termites before they take over your home, and they can stop a small infestation from getting worse.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Joshua Bloom
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2020.} If you’ve tried a few methods and you’re still noticing termites, it might be time to get some help.^{[16]
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- You can install termite bait stations or use a liquid barrier treatment to get rid of termites.^{[17]
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  Expert Source
  
  Joshua Bloom
  Pest Control Specialist
  Expert Interview. 22 April 2020.}

Expert Q&A

Question

Where do you usually find termites?

Joshua Bloom
Pest Control Specialist
Joshua Bloom is a Pest Control Specialist and the Vice President of Operations of Standard Pest Management, a pest control company based in New York City. He has over 20 years of experience in the pest control industry and specializes in commercial and large facility pest control management. Standard Pest Control also specializes in ant, bed bug, cockroach, fly, and rodent control. Joshua is licensed by the NYSDEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) for termite control.

Joshua Bloom

Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

Termites mostly live in moist places. They can be present in basements, window sills, moldings, beams, and furniture.
Question

How do you get rid of termites?

Joshua Bloom
Pest Control Specialist
Joshua Bloom is a Pest Control Specialist and the Vice President of Operations of Standard Pest Management, a pest control company based in New York City. He has over 20 years of experience in the pest control industry and specializes in commercial and large facility pest control management. Standard Pest Control also specializes in ant, bed bug, cockroach, fly, and rodent control. Joshua is licensed by the NYSDEC (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation) for termite control.

Joshua Bloom

Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

You can install termite bait stations, use a liquid barrier treatment, or contact a reputable company to get rid of termites.