Orange Oil Termite Control Explained

These days, orange oil termite control is becoming increasingly popular as a safe, termite treatment option. Traditionally, orange oil has been used in aromatherapy and in the preparation of exotic perfumes. It is also used in the preparation of many traditional cuisines. Orange oil contains a particular compound, called d-limonene that is responsible for its termite-killing properties. However, this chemical is not toxic for humans or pets. D-limonene is a naturally occurring, biochemical compound that is found among the inner rinds of ripe oranges. Read the following section to equip yourself with some basic information about using orange oil as a household, termite-control medium.

Understanding Orange Oil Usage

Using orange oil-based, anti-termite products is preferred since they are cheaper than conventional termite treatments. Before purchasing orange oil, you should understand its compatibility with termite infestation in your house. Please understand that the effectiveness of orange oil as a termite-killer has certain limitations. It is not ideally suited to handle, large-scale, invasive termite infestations. Yes, if the termite infestation is limited to a certain part of the house, it can be treated with orange oil. If the infestation has spread across a major portion of the house and it is deep-seated among the wooden structures, using orange oil may not be the best idea. If you feel that is difficult for you to evaluate the extent of termite infestation, hire the consulting services of a neighborhood, home-improvement inspector. Such consultation services are provided for a token fee and are critical to ascertain the utility of using orange oil.

Understanding Orange Oil as Termite Control Option

Orange oil is often described as an organic, termite-control measure. Since it has negligible poisonous compounds associated with chemical pesticides, it doesn't create the problem of leaving toxic residues in the house. Orange-oil fumes are harmless to children and plants and cause no allergic reactions. Unlike fumigation, it can be used without the need to vacate the house. Termites are killed by orange oil in two ways. Firstly, the fumes concentrated with d-limonene kill the termites. Secondly, d-limonene gets easily absorbed into the wooden surfaces. Termites feeding upon the treated wood also ingest d-limonene which kills them instantly.

Understanding Orange Oil Purchase

This is a slightly demanding aspect and you need to be a bit vigilant to procure the right kind of orange-oil product. For starters, many hardware supply stores retail orange-oil based termite solutions. However, not every kind of orange-oil mix offers the same degree of effectiveness. You should enquire about the d-limonene concentration within the retailed mix. This is the defining factor, affecting the mixture’s effectiveness as an anti-termite treatment. Further, you need to decide about the kind of application apparatus in which the orange-oil solution is being sold. If you have infestation among hard-to-reach areas like crawlspaces and crevices within dry walls, choose orange oil mixes retailed in sprays. If your home is showing initial signs of infestation, you can purchase bigger, wholesale-rate canters of anti-termite, orange-oil solutions. Such low-strength solutions are sold at cheaper prices and are meant for handling minimal infestations. They don’t need to be diluted and can be easily applied with a mop. These are ideally suited if you plan to apply the orange oil mix to other parts of the house as a precautionary measure, i.e. to avoid future infestations. If you suspect underground termite infestation, you need to purchase injectors that can direct the orange oil mixture deep, into the underground termite colonies.