Orange Oil Termite Treatments: Are They Effective?

Pest control methods for termites can be confusing sometimes because there are many options in the market that have different functions and promises. However, many of them contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful not only to pests but also to humans and the environment. With the demand for eco-friendly and non-toxic insecticides and botanical-based products, orange oil termite treatment is becoming a more preferred alternative to otherwise traditional termite treatments.

So do orange oil control treatments really get rid of the termites at home? Orange oil works as an insecticide that dissolves the exoskeleton of the termite. It’s an effective treatment option for small and localized termite infestations, but you might need to combine it with other termite extermination approaches especially when dealing with large-scale and active infestations. 

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Using Orange Oil As Termiticide: Does It Work?

Termites are destructive household pests that are responsible for up to 5 billion dollars in damage per year. These silent destroyers attack and eat the structural wood of a building, weakening its foundation until the infested wood becomes useless.

While there are tons of termiticides available in stores and online, many of them contain harsh chemicals that are harmful to humans and the environment. Hiring a pest control company to take care of the problem may cost an arm and a leg, so many of them turn to green pest control options like orange oil to eliminate the termites at home. 

What Orange Oil Is and Why Termites Hate It

Orange oil is a citrusy essential oil extracted from the peel of oranges. It’s typically used in a cleaning solution or as a food additive, but it’s also a good termiticide if used correctly. Orange oil contains D-limonene, a chemical found in citrus rinds that breaks down the exoskeleton of termites to kill them. This active ingredient also helps destroy the termite eggs in a colony.

What many homeowners like about using orange oil for termite control is that it’s non-toxic to humans and pets while leaving the treated area smelling good. One of the most commonly used orange oil termiticide products is the XT-2000, which contains 95% pure d-limonene that claims to eradicate most of the termites in a termite-infested wood.

How Effective Orange Oil Termite Treatments Are

Like most natural termiticides, orange oil only works best as a localized treatment for small termite infestations. Only the drywood termites or subterranean termites inside the infested wood can be eradicated by orange oil, so the termites hidden in hard-to-reach areas remain alive.

Since orange oil can’t penetrate deeply into the walls or floors of the infested property, traditional treatments like termite fumigation or heat treatment might be necessary. Homeowners need to combine orange oil with long-lasting termite treatment methods to eliminate the termites and keep them at bay for a long time. 

How To Use Orange Oil For Eliminating Termites

The first step to getting rid of termites with orange oil is to find the approximate location of their nest by looking for different signs of drywood termite infestations. This step is crucial because the untreated colonies and termites will continue causing damage to the property.

Once you confirm the location of the termite nest, you can now drill holes into the infested wood then inject the orange oil into them. You can also apply orange oil into the hollow spaces that termites use to travel from their colony to the food source, as it’s also an effective way to get rid of the pests.

After using orange oil to eliminate the termites, make sure to inspect the property regularly to look for new signs of infestation, like termite galleries, frass, and hollow walls to name a few. The effects of orange oil last for a few days so it’s important to eradicate new infestations again before they cause further damage. 

Advantages of Orange Oil Treatments

The biggest advantage that orange oil treatments offer is that it’s safe for humans, pets, and the environment but lethal to termites and other insects. It’s accessible from many physical stores and online. It also doesn’t require extensive planning or preparation so homeowners can stay at home while the orange oil treatment is ongoing.

Orange oil is also easy to apply if you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars calling a pest management professional to perform the extermination for you. As mentioned before, it leaves a pleasant smell in the treated areas of the home since orange oil is extracted from orange peels.

Limitations of Orange Oil Treatments

While there’s an obvious appeal to utilizing orange oil treatments to eradicate small termite infestations at home, it might not be the best solution for every termite problem. Here are some of the drawbacks to relying on this spot treatment method:

• If not used properly or accidentally ingested, orange oil may cause skin irritation and upset stomachs to homeowners.
• Repeated applications are required to ensure that the termites are killed off for good.
• Homeowners need to accurately identify the location of termite nests and galleries before drilling a hole and injecting the orange oil into it. 

Other Alternative Methods to Eliminate Termites at Home

Although orange oil is effective in killing small populations of termites at home, pest control professionals still recommend trying other methods of termite control to get rid of these wood-eating insects. Here are some of the most effective termite treatment methods for active infestations at home:

• Soil Treatment – This effective method works best to keep the subterranean termites at bay since it involves applying a termiticide barrier underground to prevent the pests from entering the building. It kills termites on contact while preventing future subterranean termite infestations from happening.

• Wood Treatment – This method of treatment utilizes termiticide injections and foams, surface sprays, and borate-treated wood to eliminate existing infestations and prevent the pests from attacking the wood. Homeowners can contact their contractor or a pest control service provider about the surface application of termiticide during the building’s construction phase.

• Termite Baits – Termite baiting systems are also effective in wiping out entire termite colonies. It involves the installation of bait stations that contain a slow-acting insecticide to disrupt the termite’s growth process during their molting stage.

Get Rid of Termite Problems at Home with Pinnacle Pest Control

While orange oil can be useful and practical, it can only do so much when it comes to fully eliminating termite problems at home. If you still find termites crawling on the wooden structures of the building even after multiple treatment sessions, then it’s time to enlist the help of a pest management professional like Pinnacle Pest Control for high-quality termite control services.

Our resident pest control specialist has the right training and experience to perform an accurate termite inspection and help you develop an effective termite treatment plan that removes the pests at home and prevents reinfestations. Call us now to book a free quote.

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No matter what kind of pest problem you’re dealing with, you can count on Pinnacle Pest Control to provide top-notch pest extermination services. With decades of experience under our name, we have already helped hundreds of residents and business owners in Sacramento eliminate pests in their property and keep them away for good.

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