If you’ve spotted small mud tunnels running up a wall, or your wooden door frame sounds hollow when you knock on it, you’re probably dealing with termites, also called white ants or “deemak.” They’re one of the few pests that can quietly cost you real money before you even notice they’re there, because most of the damage happens inside the wood, not on the surface.
If you’re wondering how to remove termites, this guide walks through what actually works, from home remedies people swear by (some genuine, some myths) to professional anti-termite treatment, so you can figure out what your situation actually needs.
Quick answer
The only way to get rid of termites permanently is to:
- Treat the infestation properly with a liquid termiticide barrier or bait stations.
- Fix moisture and wood-contact issues that attract termites.
- Don’t rely on home remedies alone. Salt or kerosene may kill exposed termites but won’t reach the hidden colony.
- Target the colony, not just visible termites, to reduce the chances of the infestation returning.
What Are Termites and Why Do They Target Your Home?
Termites are social insects that live in colonies, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and feed on cellulose, i.e., the fiber found in wood, paper, cardboard, and some fabrics. Unlike ants, which you can see walking around, termites mostly stay hidden inside wood or underground tunnels, which is exactly why infestations go unnoticed for months or even years. Understanding how termites enter and damage a property is an important first step in choosing the right termite treatment for house.
They don’t invade a home randomly. Termites are drawn in by three things:
- moisture,
- wood-to-soil contact, and
- small entry cracks in the foundation or walls.
A leaking pipe under a sink, a wooden fence post touching damp soil, or a crack near a window frame is often the actual “invitation.”
Signs You Have a Termite Infestation
- Mud tubes (pencil-thin) running along walls, skirting boards, or foundations
- Wood that sounds hollow or papery when tapped
- Discarded wings near windowsills or light fixtures (a sign of swarming, usually in spring)
- Small holes or blistered-looking paint on wood surfaces
- Tiny, sawdust-like droppings (frass), especially from drywood termites
Did You Know? Subterranean termites are the most common and most destructive type in most regions. They build mud tubes and live in the soil, coming up into your home to feed.
Can Termites Eat Clothes? What They Actually Damage
This one surprises a lot of people. Termites eat:
- cellulose
- cotton
- linen
- rayon
They are plant-based fibers, so yes, termites can eat clothes, especially if those clothes are stored in damp cupboards, cardboard boxes, or against wooden shelving that’s already infested.
What they generally leave alone: pure synthetic fabrics like polyester and nylon, since these aren’t cellulose-based. But most clothing isn’t 100% synthetic, and even a blended fabric stored near an active infestation can get damaged, either eaten directly or stained by the mud termites carry with them.
Practical takeaway: if you find termites near a wardrobe or storage trunk, move stored clothing and papers out immediately, inspect for damage, and avoid storing fabric directly against wood or cardboard going forward. Use plastic storage bins instead; termites can’t chew through them.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Get Rid of Termites at Home
Whether you’re dealing with a small patch on a windowsill or a suspected wall infestation, the process follows the same basic logic. Skipping steps is usually why people end up treating the same spot twice.
Step 1: Identify the Source
Don’t just treat the visible wood; termites travelling up a wall are coming from somewhere underground or from another part of the structure. Follow mud tubes back as far as you can before deciding on treatment.
Step 2: Isolate the Affected Area
Remove or seal off infested furniture from healthy wood where possible. If it’s a wall or structural beam, this isn’t always practical, and you’ll move straight to treatment instead.
Step 3: Apply Treatment
This is where you decide how to get rid of white ants based on the extent of the infestation. A DIY approach may work for a small, contained problem, while structural, recurring, or widespread infestations usually need professional anti termite treatment.
Step 4: Monitor for Weeks, Not Days
Termite colonies don’t die instantly, even with effective treatment. Bait-based methods, in particular, can take several weeks to collapse a colony fully. Check treated areas monthly for the next season.
How Infestation Size Affects Anti-Termite Treatment
| Infestation Size | Recommended Approach | Realistic Timeline |
| Small, single piece of furniture | DIY spot treatment (borate, orange oil) | 1 – 2 weeks |
| Localized wall or window frame | Drill-and-inject termiticide (DIY kit or professional) | 2 – 4 weeks |
| Multiple rooms / structural beams | Professional liquid barrier or fumigation | 1 – 3 months, plus annual monitoring |
| Recurring infestation after treatment | Professional inspection + soil treatment | Ongoing, with yearly check-ups |
Home Remedies: What Actually Kills Termites?
There’s no shortage of advice floating around about killing termites with things already in your kitchen. Some of it holds up. Some of it doesn’t.
Does Kerosene Kill Termites?
Kerosene will kill termites it comes into direct contact with; it suffocates them and disrupts their outer membrane. People have used it for generations by pouring it into visible termite holes or mud tubes.
⚠️ Warning: Kerosene is flammable and gives off fumes that aren’t safe to breathe in enclosed spaces for long periods. It also won’t reach termites deeper in a wall or underground colony; you’re only killing the ones exposed at that moment. After using it, always:
- Ventilate the area well
- Keep it away from any flame or spark source
Does Salt Kill Termites?
Salt can kill termites through dehydration; it draws moisture out of their bodies on contact. This is genuinely true, not a myth. But the catch is the same as with kerosene: salt only affects termites it physically touches. Sprinkling salt around a wooden leg or in a visible crack helps with a visible termite problem.
Note: A termite colony can have a queen producing thousands of eggs a day; she’s immune and tucked well away from any salt you’ve applied on the surface.
How to Remove Termites with Home Remedies
| Remedy | How It Works | Best For |
| Neem Oil | Disrupts termite hormones and feeding behavior | Small furniture, preventive coating |
| Boric Acid/Borate Solution | Damages the termite’s digestive system when ingested | Wood furniture, DIY spot treatment |
| Cardboard Trap | Termites are drawn to cardboard’s cellulose scent; can be burned once infested | Detecting activity, not full treatment |
| Direct Sunlight | Drywood termites are highly sensitive to heat and dryness | Small, movable furniture pieces only |
Fact: Termites are more sensitive to dehydration than almost any other survival threat they face. This is exactly why moisture control around your home is one of the most effective long-term prevention steps; arguably more effective than any single chemical treatment.
Where Home Remedies Fall Short
Home remedies work on contact, on small colonies, and on furniture you can physically move and treat on all sides. They consistently fail against:
- Subterranean colonies living in soil beneath or beside your foundation
- Termites deep inside wall cavities or structural wood
- Larger colonies with a well-protected queen chamber
If you’ve tried a home remedy and the mud tubes reappear within a few weeks, that’s usually your sign that the colony itself is untouched.
How to Get Rid of Termites in Walls
Wall infestations are trickier than furniture because you’re dealing with a cavity you can’t fully see into.
Here’s what actually works:
Confirm the extent first
A pest inspector (or a moisture meter, if you’re going DIY) can often tell you how far the infestation runs before you drill a single hole.
Drill-and-inject treatment.
Small holes are drilled at intervals along the mud tube path, and termiticide foam or liquid is injected directly into the cavity.
Seal entry points
Cracks where the wall meets the foundation are common re-entry spots; seal these with a suitable exterior sealant once treatment is done.
Watch the exterior soil line too
Since most wall infestations are subterranean, treating the soil directly outside that wall matters just as much as treating the inside.
Reality Check: Painting or plastering over a mud tube without treating what’s underneath is one of the most common mistakes homeowners make. It looks fixed for a few weeks and then reappears somewhere else on the same wall.
How to Remove Termites from Wood and Furniture
Wood damage is usually where people first notice termites, so it’s worth knowing exactly how to tell real termite damage from other wood issues, and how to treat it.
Spotting Termite-Damaged Wood
- A hollow or papery sound when you knock on it
- Blistered or bubbled surface even though the paint looks intact
- Visible tunnels running with the wood grain when you cut into it
- Frass (tiny pellet-like droppings) collecting near the base
How to Remove Deemak from Wood: Practical Methods
| Method | Process | Notes |
| Borate treatment | Apply borate solution directly onto and into exposed wood | Works best on unfinished or unpainted wood |
| Orange oil injection | Inject into termite galleries; d-limonene breaks down their exoskeleton | Good for drywood termites in furniture |
| Heat treatment | Expose small furniture to sustained heat (above 120°F / ~49°C) | Only practical for movable pieces |
| Freezing | Extreme cold for 2 – 3 days can kill drywood termites in small items | Slow, but chemical-free |
Should You Repair or Replace the Wood?
If the structural integrity is compromised, meaning the wood crumbles or bends under light pressure, treatment alone won’t fix that. You’ll need to replace the damaged section after treating the surrounding area to make sure the colony is actually gone, not just the visible symptom.
Anti-Termite Treatment for House: How Professional Methods Work
Once an infestation goes beyond a single piece of furniture, this is generally where DIY methods stop being enough, and it’s worth understanding what a professional termite control service actually involves before you call anyone.
Liquid Termiticide (Soil Barrier Treatment)
A chemical barrier is created in the soil around and sometimes beneath the foundation. Termites either die on contact or, in the case of non-repellent termiticides, carry the chemical back to the colony, wiping out members they interact with, including, eventually, the queen.
Termite Bait Stations
Bait stations containing a slow-acting toxicant are placed in the ground around the property. Termites feed on the bait and carry it back to share with the colony. It’s slower than a liquid barrier but tends to target the colony more thoroughly since it relies on their own feeding behavior.
Fumigation
Reserved for severe, widespread infestations, particularly with drywood termites. The entire structure is tented and treated with a gas fumigant. It’s disruptive; you’ll need to leave the property for a few days, but it’s the most thorough option available for a heavily infested structure.
Pre-Construction vs. Post-Construction Treatment
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Pre-Construction Anti-Termite Treatment
When it happens: Before flooring/foundation is laid
What it involves: Chemical treatment of soil and foundation trenches before construction seals them in
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Post-Construction Anti-Termite Treatment
When it happens: After the building is already standing
What it involves: Drilling and injecting termiticide around the existing foundation and affected areas
Verdict: Pre-construction anti termite treatment is significantly more effective and longer-lasting than post-construction treatment, simply because the chemical barrier can be applied more completely before walls and flooring are in the way.
How to Get Rid of Termites Permanently
“Permanently” is the word every homeowner searches for, and it deserves an honest answer: no single treatment guarantees termites never return, because the property itself continues to be a food and moisture source unless conditions change. What you can control is the recurrence rate, and that comes down to combining chemical treatment with structural prevention.
Why Do Termites Come Back After Treatment?
- The chemical barrier was applied incompletely (common with DIY attempts around large foundations)
- A new moisture source developed after treatment (a fresh leak, poor drainage)
- A neighboring structure or tree stump had an untreated colony that eventually spread over
- The treatment targeted visible termites but missed the main colony
A Realistic Long-Term Plan
- Complete a proper anti-termite treatment (liquid barrier or bait stations, ideally both for high-risk properties)
- Fix every moisture source you can find: leaking taps, poor drainage, damp basements
- Re-inspect by a professional termite control service provider every 6 – 12 months, especially after monsoon or heavy rain seasons
- Keep a termiticide warranty or annual maintenance contract if your treatment provider offers one
DIY vs. Professional: A Straight Comparison
| Factor | DIY Treatment | Professional Treatment |
| Cost | Lower upfront | Higher upfront, often with a warranty |
| Effectiveness on colony | Limited, contact-based | Designed to reach and eliminate the colony |
| Best suited for | Small, visible, isolated infestations | Structural, recurring, or widespread infestations |
| Time investment | Ongoing monitoring and reapplication | One thorough treatment, periodic check-ups |
How to Remove Termites: Long-Term Prevention Plan
Prevention isn’t glamorous, but it’s genuinely the most cost-effective part of this whole process, since it’s a fraction of the cost of even a small professional treatment.
Moisture Management
- Fix leaking pipes and taps as soon as they appear
- Ensure gutters and downspouts direct water away from the foundation
- Improve ventilation in crawl spaces, basements, and bathrooms
Wood-to-Soil Contact
- Keep firewood stacks at least a few feet from the house and off the ground
- Avoid direct contact between wooden fence posts, decking, or trellises and soil; use concrete footings or metal brackets instead
- Trim vegetation and mulch back from the foundation, since mulch retains moisture termites are drawn to
Routine Inspection Checklist
| Frequency | What to check |
| Monthly | Visible wood, window frames, skirting boards for mud tubes or hollow sound |
| Quarterly | Basement, crawl space, and any previously treated areas |
| Annually | Full structural inspection, ideally by a professional, especially in termite-prone climates |
When to Call Professional Termite Control Services
There’s a point where continuing to experiment with home remedies costs you more in time and in further wood damage than simply calling in professional termite control services. That point is usually:
- The infestation covers more than one room or structural element
- You’ve already tried a home remedy or DIY kit, and it’s returned
- You suspect the infestation is in a load-bearing beam or the foundation itself
- You’re buying or selling a property and need a documented inspection
If you’re unsure how far the infestation has spread, don’t wait for the damage to become more obvious. Contact Indeed Pest Control for a professional termite inspection and get a clear assessment of the problem before deciding on the right treatment.
Key Takeaways
- There is no one-size-fits-all termite solution. The right treatment depends on the size, location, and extent of the infestation.
- DIY isn’t always the answer. When learning how to remove termites, remember that infestations involving walls, foundations, or multiple rooms are better assessed by a professional.
- Problems involving walls, foundations, or multiple rooms need more attention. In these cases, a professional inspection can help identify how far the infestation has spread before you spend money on the wrong treatment.
- Fix the conditions that attract or support termites. Address moisture problems, check wood-to-soil or wood-to-structure contact, and keep an eye on areas that could become vulnerable again.
- Regular inspections matter after treatment. Getting rid of the visible termites is only part of the job. Checking the affected areas afterward can help catch renewed activity early.
FAQs
How long does anti-termite treatment last?
Liquid termiticide barriers typically last 5 – 10 years depending on the product and soil conditions, while bait stations require ongoing monitoring but can provide longer-term colony control when maintained.
Can termites come back after treatment?
Yes, if the original moisture or wood-contact issue isn’t fixed, or if a neighboring untreated colony eventually finds its way in. This is why prevention steps matter just as much as the initial treatment.
Can salt get rid of termites permanently?
No. Salt dehydrates and kills termites it directly touches, which helps with a small visible patch, but it can’t reach a colony living underground or deep in a wall, so the infestation typically returns.
Is DIY termite treatment safe for pets and kids?
It depends on the product. Borate-based treatments are generally considered lower-risk than some liquid termiticides, but always keep children and pets away from treated areas until the product has fully dried or as instructed on the label.
How much does professional anti-termite treatment cost?
This varies widely by property size, infestation severity, and treatment method, so it’s worth getting a few on-site quotes rather than relying on a flat estimate; pricing differs too much from region to region to give one reliable number.