Can Orange Oil Really Kill the Termites in My Home?
Perhaps the Better Question to Ask is - Should I Use Orange Oil to Kill the Termites in My Home?
Apparently, it really should be no surprise that we have termites. We found out that chances are every wooden structure in Southern California probably has termites, or will have termites at some point. It turns out that in this area, it's just the norm. So it's nothing to lose sleep over. However, it's not something you want to ignore either because termites definitely can cause damage to your home. So like any good homeowner, I started thinking about how to get rid of these termites. And as soon as my thoughts turned to killing termites, I remembered the orange oil commercials on the radio.
The ads sure sounded good. They promise no tenting, no poisonous fumes, and the "clean smell or oranges" afterwards. Believe me, the no tenting part was enough to get me to consider orange oil. I've had my house (a previous one) tented before, and it is not fun. First of all, you have to move out for them to do it. Then you have to bag all your food. By the way, you have to double bag your food with these heavy duty plastic bags they give you, which makes you wonder how bad the poisonous fumes are and shouldn't you just throw everything away? At the end of it all, you end up with dead shrubs and plants all around your house. And if you're lucky you only find a couple of damaged vents on your roof from the guys dragging the heavy tent across it. Compared to this, orange oil sure seemed like a good idea.
So I started looking into it. The first couple of companies sounded pretty good. They would do a free inspection, and then drill some holes where the termites were and inject the orange oil. Simple enough, right? Then I came across some interesting information. Apparently, the killing of the termites isn't the hard part. There are lots of things that will kill termites. And yes, orange oil is one of them. It's the finding or locating the termites that is the hard part. Sure you can inject some orange oil near where you found the termite droppings (and maybe some other areas), but there's no way you can get the orange oil into where all the termite colonies are. This is the real issue with termite infestations. The only way they know how to get to all the places where the termites might be infesting our home is to tent it and fumigate it. That's why fumigation is the way most of the reputable termite companies will treat infestations...unless the homeowner really understands the issues and still wants to go with orange oil.
Ok, admittedly this is what I've found out from the companies that don't recommend orange oil. But it makes sense to me. Now I did ask if termites can come back after fumigation, and the answer is yes they can. But they can come back after a treatment with orange oil too. In fact, you probably wouldn't have killed them all with orange oil in the first place.
I haven't decided which treatment I'm going to use yet. But at least now I feel like I'm making the decision knowing the facts.
Published by Steve Sands
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7 Comments
Post a CommentYes, J.E. Davidson, orange oil can be toxic, but floride is also toxic, you need to use any chemical in a responsible fashion. Cedar oil has been very effective for me, but I will try the orange oil! I won't use any poisons whatsoever, if I can help it.
We have been treating homes with orange oil since the early 1990s and have problbly treated close to 1000 homes. Orange oil will kill termites if you inject into an area where they happen to be. orange oil is not magic and it is not the best or the least toxic product on the market. We currently inject with a non repellent water based product that has a residual, this works much better' we also use detection devices including electro gun, acustic emmission device and ortho boro scope. The problem i have with orange oil, is not the product but the marketing. i recently gave a bid for a drill and inject for a small localized area of $450. the organe oil people who advertise on the radio bid the job at $2300. A complete rip off of the consumer. Orange oil is like any other localized treatment. It has its limitations. It is not a fumigant--doesn't wick through the wood and kill all the termites, you can't treat in inaccessible areas, it works like repellent and can move the termites
give these guys a call- www.dialustermite.net
they can answer any and all questions or concerns regarding orange oil... they helped me out.
As far as Orange Oil termite control goes, In Southern California, we have had great success in killing termites with Orange Oil. With the right training application, Orange Oil boasts a really high success rate in controlling and killing termites. Most often when Orange Oil doesn't eliminate the termite problem it has to do with mistakes and poor application techniques on the part of the service technician rather than the Orange Oil itself.
Orange oil is not the only plant oil which can kill termites. Other effective oils are cedarwood, pine, creosote, eucalyptus, cajuput, tea tree, lemon, citronella, lavender, cinnamon. Another oil is neem, which, when applied to a surface, renders it too bitter for the pest to consume, thereby starving and killing it.
I have used a concoction of plant oils to control termites in my apartment. Mix about quarter cup of the oils with 2 teaspoons of liquid soap, and add to 1.25 litres of water in a spray bottle (the type used in gardening, or a plant mister), shake well and apply in and around doors, windows, and places where wooden fixtures come into contact with the floor or ground. Or leave out the water and paint the mixture onto the bases of wooden posts, beams, walls, etc.
The author made a good point there. That with either method, they can still come back.
However, between the two, the fumigation is definitely more toxic, as dangerous synthetic chemicals are used, which may linger in the environment to damage the health of humans, animals and plants.
With the plant oil method, you do need to repeat the procedure every 3 to 6 months, in areas around the perimeter of the house and , especially in parts of the house which are rarely used, like closets, garages, attics, etc.
If you alternate the oil method with application of diatomaceous earth every 3 months, you should not only be termite-free indefinitely, but would also be a responsible friend of our planet. Both methods are cheap and non-toxic to living things and the environment.
I had not heard of using orange oil to kill termites, but I know that it can be toxic to pets, another reason not to use it!