Termites may be small creatures, but the amount of destruction they can cause to your wooden cupboard may not be that small. Having a termite infestation can be one of the most terrifying experiences you can ever go through in your home. Due to their small sizes, it can be hard to notice them when they start the infestation, and by the time you detect them, your wooden furniture shall have been eaten to the core. All that remains is the wooden dust. Since these pests are tricky to control, one needs to set up pest prevention measures to ensure no such incidents occur in your home.
In the case of termites, prevention is better than cure. The best method for pest control is keeping the termites out altogether before the infestation starts. When they manage to get into your home, they come in colonies that can be very difficult to terminate successfully without a professionals’ help. It is also crucial to know what to look out for when checking for a termite infestation. Having to look out regularly might help you get wind of the termites before more significant damage is done.
Common Signs of a Termite Infestation in Your Furniture and Wooden Cupboards
- Check for piles of sawdust or any smooth groundwood residue around the wooden cupboards’ can also look out for wooden colored termite droppings around your furniture and termite wings. Any of the above should call for a termination plan immediately.
- Keep your eyes peeled for holes that were not present in the cupboard woodwork when you were purchasing it. Also, you can push or poke the woodwork to check if it is weak. If it breaks readily, that’s a sign of a termite infestation.
- Small mud tube tunneling on the walls leading to where the furniture is placed is one of the biggest red flags for a termite infestation.
Tips on How to Protect Your Wooden Cupboards and to get Rid Of Termites
After making sure there are no signs of termites in the furniture and the surrounding, you should put up measures in place that can protect your furniture from future infestations by termites. And in case you find them, you should come up with effective measures that can help you get rid of the termite colonies from your furniture before unrepairable damage is done. Below are some of the most useful tips.
Preventive Measures
Get Regular Termite Checkups from Professionals
Here, a professional pest control service provider can come once or twice yearly to inspect and even spray their chemicals on the wooden cupboards to prevent future infestations and also to stop an infestation as it starts. They can also educate you on other ways of getting rid of the destructive pests.
Ensure the Wooden Cupboards And Other Furniture Are Kept Away From Moisture
Since the termites thrive best in humid and dark places, you should ensure areas like the kitchen, which are usually moist, are well ventilated. Any spills near the wooden cupboards should be dried before it attracts the pests to the furniture.
Paint Wooden Cupboard and Furniture Using Termite Resistant Polish
Make it a habit to paint and polish the wooden furniture in your home as a way of maintenance. This can be done maybe every three years. The most preferred vanishes for termite control are oil-based as they form a hard-glossy coating on the wood’s surface, which is very hard for termites to eat through.
Fabricate wooden cupboards and other wooden furniture using plywood. Plywood is treated chemically and goes through a lot of processing to make it one of the best wood fabricators around. The best plywood has other features like resistance to moisture, termites, and even fire, making it one of the best wooden furniture protectors.
Treat the Wood with Anti-Termite Chemicals
The chemicals will repeal the termites, thus preventing a termite infestation on your wooden cupboard.
Ways of Treating Infested Areas
- You can place moist cardboard on the affected area, which draws the termites from the wooden cupboard with its distinct wooden smell. After they are lured to the cardboard, you can bun it or discard it.
- Use boric acid, which is an easy home-made remedy to terminate termites. Just apply the solution to the infested areas, and they vanish after a few applications.
- You can use biological control measures like getting parasitic nematodes. These are small worms that control the spread of termites by burrowing into the termite larvae killing them.
Parting Words
Termites can be very stubborn and destructive pests if they invade your furniture. To prevent the losses and destruction they cause, one should always be keen and check for infestation signs and take the necessary measures to protect and keep the wooden cupboards and other furniture free of pests.