For those homeowners faced with a termite infestation, Orange Oil offers an eco-friendly solution for termite treatment. Biologically friendly, Orange Oil is free of the potential risks associated with many of the products used to exterminate termites.
Orange Oil is a completely natural substance made from the rinds of oranges. The active ingredient in Orange Oil is D-Limonene, a naturally occurring chemical found in the rinds of oranges and made available through an extraction process. This same chemical can be found in many common household cleaning products. D-Limonene contains an extremely low toxicity and has gained preference as an alternative termite control treatment for many homeowners and businesses.
Orange Oil, when used for termite control, is applied as a localized spot treatment. This treatment process kills only those termites living in the treated areas. This method of termite control is achieved by drilling holes into the infested wood and injecting the Orange Oil into the termite galleries. Once injected, the chemical will kill both termites and their eggs. Those termites which do not come into direct contact with the chemical will die if they eat wood that has been treated. It is an effective and capable treatment for dry wood termites only. Orange Oil will not kill subterranean species of termites.
There are advantages of using Orange Oil for the homeowner. It does not require that the homeowner leave the home overnight, and there is no risk to plants or animals, and no need to remove them. Foodstuffs and medicines need not be removed or covered. It is not necessary for the exterminator to walk on the roof of the home to treat the premises. The use of Orange Oil is significantly less disruptive to the homeowner than the use of other high toxicity treatments.
There are also disadvantages to the use of Orange Oil as a termite control method. Due to its bio-degradable nature, Orange Oil does not have a long lasting residual effect. This can result in having to treat the premises more often. Some pest control experts recommend the use of a low toxicity residual such as Bora-Care for longer lasting results. At the present time, there exist no definitive studies to determine the kill-rate of Orange Oil on termites. Some experts do claim that D-Limonene has a significantly lower kill-rate than traditional chemicals used in termite control.
Homeowners should consult with an expert on termite control in order to make an informed decision on what products to use. The expert can determine what type of termites are infesting the home, and suggest what treatments would be most effective on the rate of infestation and type of infestation.