How to Get Rid of Termites and Make Sure They Never Come Back

If you’re enjoying a beautiful day tending to your garden and notice little mud tubes (or highways) leading into your home, you may have to learn how to get rid of termites. Although small, termites can cause mighty amounts of damage to your home if left untreated. Luckily, we’ll provide several methods to learn how to get rid of each type of termite and keep them away for good.

How Do I Know If I Have Termites?

Although they’re small, termites often leave behind evidence that they’ve invaded your space and plan to stay awhile. Look for the following signs, which could indicate that you have an infestation and need to call in professional reinforcements. 

Mud Tubes 

Certain species of termites can leave behind what are commonly called mud tubes—they’re pencil-thin tunnels made of soil and termite saliva. You’re most likely to find them on foundation walls or in crawl spaces. 

Discarded Wings 

If you spy a pair (or multiple) of discarded wings near doors, windowsills, or light fixtures, it’s a good indication you’ve got swarmers looking to start a new colony in your living quarters. 

Hollow Wood 

If you suspect termites have burrowed inside your walls or other indoor structures, try tapping on the wood to see if it sounds paper-thin or hollow. If it does, termites may have already eaten through the inside and moved on to a new food source inside your home. 

Droppings 

Referred to as frass, termite droppings are often tiny and pellet-shaped. They can be found near wood structures, especially if they’re left behind by drywood termites.

How to Get Rid of Termites

You can try the below DIY methods if they don’t involve highly toxic insecticides—termiticides and boric acid—or you can hire a local termite treatment company to ensure proper and safe treatment. 

Before you start treating termites, wear a pair of goggles, a dust mask, and gloves. Only attempt DIY eradication methods if you have experience and are confident in your abilities. 

1. Termite Bait

Termite bait includes wood (cellulose) and a slow-acting insecticide. Place the bait around your home’s foundation. Once a termite ingests the insecticide, they carry it around for weeks. They then die while attempting to molt, effectively spreading the insecticide throughout their entire colony. While homeowners can install bait themselves, we recommend calling in a pro to monitor and maintain the baits.

Another bait trap is wet cardboard boxes—the cellulose in cardboard attracts termites. This solution is simpler but less effective. Here’s how to do it:

1. Wet two pieces of cardboard and stack them on top of each other.

2. Wait for a group of termites to get trapped between the cardboard.

3. Take the cardboard outside and burn it.

4. Repeat this process multiple times.

2. Liquid Termiticide 

A popular and highly effective treatment is creating a liquid termiticide (a toxic insecticide) exterior barrier outside your home. Termites cannot detect the chemical. They eat the termiticide and unknowingly spread it throughout their colony, effectively killing all the termites. As stated above, a local pest expert should handle termiticide treatments because it can be risky if you don’t handle it properly.

1. Grab a drill and make holes every 10 inches in the termite-infiltrated wood until you reach the nest. 

2. Apply termiticide treatment and patch the holes with a putty knife.

3. If a piece of wood furniture is infested with termites, take it outside and let it sit in the sunlight for 2 to 3 days. 

4. You’ll want to inspect your house for signs of termite damage here, though, as they could have spread.

3.  Diatomaceous Earth

Another exterior barrier is diatomaceous earth (DE) powder. DE is composed of fossilized algae, which, when ground up, has sharp edges that are deadly to pests (but not harmful to humans). The sharp edges cut the termite’s exoskeleton, dehydrating them. 

You’ll want to take the DE powder with a sifting scoop and apply a barrier to exposed wood around your home’s attic, crawl space, basement, and insulation. DE powder is most effective for eliminating above-ground termites; treatment takes several hours to a few days to work.

4. Boric Acid

An indoor chemical treatment is a boric acid spray (wood preservative and natural pesticide), which dehydrates the termite’s nutrients, effectively starving them. Boric acid is safe to use as pest control, but it can be dangerous to inhale or ingest it. You’ll need to follow the product’s safety instructions before using this treatment. Take particular care when using this chemical if you have kids or pets in your home.

1. Boric acid comes in powder form, so you’ll want to mix 1 cup of warm water with 1 teaspoon of boric acid in a spray bottle. 

2. Shake until all powder dissolves. 

3. Begin spraying for termites by applying the treatment liberally on floors, walls, ceilings, and any areas you suspect termites might be present. 

4. Repeat this process for three to five days. 

5. Beneficial Nematodes

Beneficial nematodes are microscopic organisms located in garden soil. They act as parasites to many garden pests—they burrow into their host, releasing bacteria that poison termite blood within days. You can purchase beneficial nematodes in stores (for around $35). Add them to water and apply the nematode mixture to termite nests around your garden. 

6. Orange Oil

For a more natural alternative to boric acid, add orange oil into the affected wood. Like the boric acid method, drill a hole every 10 inches and inject the orange oil to kill the termites. Orange oil contains D-limonene, which naturally kills termites.

7. Heat Treatment

If a termite infestation is confined to a specific area, you can also use heat treatment to exterminate termites. Keep in mind that high temperatures can be damaging to your home, so this method should only be used by a professional. 

8. Liquid Nitrogen

Similar to heat treatment, liquid nitrogen achieves the same results, but with freezing temperatures. Termites die when they’re subjected to temperatures of -20 degrees Fahrenheit for at least five minutes. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), using liquid nitrogen poses serious risks, such as death by suffocation, plus it’s corrosive to the eyes and skin. Due to these hazards, liquid nitrogen is only allowed to be applied by a certified professional.

9. Fumigation

In cases of major infestations, a professional exterminator will cover your entire home with a tent. Then, they will introduce a toxic gas (such as sulfuryl fluoride) to exterminate any termites or other pests within your home. Termite fumigation is an invasive, disruptive process, but it’s effective in eliminating large infestations from your home.

10. DIY Termite Trap

For a mild infestation of flying termites, you can use a cardboard box to lure termites out before killing them. You’ll need one cardboard box and roughly one gallon of water, plus an insecticide such as a pyrethroid. Here’s what to do:

1. Break down the box and cut it into several large pieces.

2. Stack the cardboard pieces on top of each other.

3. Slowly pour the gallon of water over the cardboard to soak it.

4. Wait for termites to emerge and begin feeding on the wet cardboard, then apply the insecticide to kill them.

11. Mulch Repellants

Rubber mulch is a type of mulch made from recycled tire material, and it acts as a natural termite repellent. This is because it lacks cellulose, which termites seek for food. You can find rubber mulch at most hardware stores, and spread it around your yard to deter these flying pests.

Flying termites are also repelled by the colors and resins in cedar mulch. Use cedar mulch around your home and replace organic soil with cedar to deter termites.

How to Get Rid of Termites by Type

There are multiple drywood termite treatments. However, more powerful and extensive treatments are available by hiring a professional. Especially for serious infestations, it's best to contact a professional exterminator rather than attempting to eradicate them yourself. Here are the available DIY options for getting rid of different types of drywood termites.

You’ll need to know the difference between termite species before you can properly remove them.

Subterranean Termites

These burrowers live underground in colonies within the soil, your foundational wood, and compost piles around your home. Their saw-toothed jaws create mud tubes, excavating tunnels until they voraciously feast on your home’s wood. You can find them all over the U.S. (except for Alaska), and they cause the most damage compared to other termite species.

Because they live underground, subterranean termites can cause significant damage that goes unnoticed for long periods. One minute you have a solid foundation, then a year later, it’s severely compromised by these pesky insects. However, you can sometimes spot evidence of their aforementioned mud tubes, discarded wings, or honeycomb-like wood near foundation walls.

How to get rid of them:

• Eliminate moisture by fixing leaks and improving drainage around your home’s foundation 

• Place termite bait stations around the exterior of your home 

• Call in the termite removal pros for fumigation

Drywood Termites

Drywood termites only live in wood (they don’t burrow in soil or create mud tubes). They are found predominantly in warm, coastal regions such as Florida, California, Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia. If you have drywood termites living within wood beams and panels, you can try less invasive approaches. However, you’ll need to hire a termite exterminator to completely rid your home of subterranean termites.

How to get rid of them: 

• Seal entry points in wood beams or panels 

• Use boric acid, termite foam, or aerosol sprays as spot treatment 

• Hire an exterminator to treat drywood termites 

Flying Termites

If you spot flying termite swarms around your home, that’s a clear sign of a flying termite infestation. These are adult reproductive termites with four wings that appear during warm weather. One telltale sign of a flying termite infestation is finding discarded wings outside or inside your home.

Flying termites tend to congregate near tree stumps, wood piles, or similar sources near your home. Since they thrive in moisture, the quickest way to get rid of them is by eliminating water sources.

How to get rid of them:

• Check for leaky pipes underneath sinks or faucets and look for any standing water outside your home. 

• Seal entry points, like cracks or crevices, to prevent termites from entering your space 

• Clear out dead mulch, wood piles, or tree stumps located near your home’s foundation

• Contact a professional termite exterminator to apply treatment to infested areas 

DIY vs. Hire a Pro

DIYers with pest control knowledge can take a crack at tackling a termite issue themselves, as long as they handle any chemicals with safety and care. You can find over-the-counter treatments at your local hardware store and expect to pay:

• Bait: $50–$250 

• Liquid termiticide: $50–$100 

• DE Powder: $10–$15 

• Termiticide foam: $35 

• Boric acid: $15 

However, we strongly recommend calling a licensed professional termite control company to treat termites, especially any major infestations. Pros have the right large-capacity equipment, products, knowledge, and experience to ensure you get rid of termites for good. In addition, many pros offer multiple mitigation methods and follow-up, so you won’t have to worry about recurring infestations.

When You Need to Hire a Pro for Termites

Not every insect infestation issue is safe for you to tackle yourself. Some infestations may be so severe and hazardous to your home and health that you must hire pest control pros to eliminate the problem. Plus, termite experts have the expertise to determine what type of termite you’re dealing with, the best way to get rid of them, and put preventative measures in place to ensure they never come back.

You should hire a termite control professional when you recognize signs of damage to wood features in your home, such as decks, porches, or wood beams. In addition, hire a professional for a termite inspection if you see mud tubes or other tell-tale signs of these pests near your foundation.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Rid of Termites?

Professional termite treatment costs an average of $600—and you can expect to pay between $3 to $20 per linear foot, depending on the type of termite treatment you choose. You can expect to pay between $200 and $600 for an average pest control service fee, but whole-house termite fumigation can run as high as $8,000.

You should also budget between $2,100 to $7,800 for foundation repair costs if termites have been feasting away at your home’s structure for some time.

How to Prevent Future Termite Infestations

To get rid of termites and keep them away for good, you’ll want to take these preventative measures:

• Check for leaks, especially around your roof and air conditioner. Subterranean termites thrive in moist environments.

• Clear your pipes and gutters (termites also love warm and dark environments).

• Make sure downspouts face away from your home.

• Caulk windows, doors, and any openings in or around your home’s foundation.

• Opt for rubber tubs or plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes for attic, garage, and basement storage.

• Apply proper ventilation to crawl spaces and moisture-rich areas (steel mesh is a great choice).

• Remove tree stumps and decaying tree roots. 

• Replace wood-based mulch with a rubber or gravel base.

• Don’t stack firewood up against your home. 

• Keep wood at least 6 inches above the ground when building a deck. Choose pressure-treated wood to keep termites away.

• Add metal barriers over exposed wood surfaces.

• Get annual termite inspections from a trusted pest control company.