Does Baking Soda Kill Termites? Reality or Myth?

Whenever it comes to termite control, some natural methods come to our mind, baking soda is one of them.

Some people say that baking soda works on termites, some say that this is a myth and there are some people who are confused and reading this article.

So what is the truth? Does baking soda actually kill termites? or it is just a myth?

Baking soda is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a bio-pesticide in The United States. Reference

It is true that baking soda alone does not work on termites and you have to add some stuff into it to kill termites. This is a very secret method that very few people know about.

Today I am going to share with you the same secret method. This secret method 100% works on termites.

Before using the baking soda method, I would like to tell you where this method effectively works and where it has zero effect.

What types of termite infestations does baking soda work on?

No natural method works for every type of termite infestation, as if you can’t use vinegar on all types of plants against termite infestation. Because it contains acids that can harm some types of plants.

But you can use the baking soda method not only on termites on plants but also on furniture, doors, mattresses, etc. And it works effectively.

The backing soda method will not work if you have termites on the walls or ceiling of your home. Because in this case the number of termites is high and their colony is also hidden inside. And baking soda is not effective on hidden termites.

Did you know that if termites are in your home, they can even reach your expensive clothes because cellulose is found in most fabrics and it attracts termites?

You can also protect your expensive clothing from termites with the baking soda method.

Now I am going to tell you that secret method of baking soda which works on termites. I will also tell you how to apply it so that you can get effective results.

Secret Baking Soda Method to Kill Termites:

For this pesticide recipe, you have to take baking soda and not baking powder. There is a lot of difference between these two.

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate and does not contain any other ingredient while baking powder does have only 30% sodium carbonate and the rest are other ingredients that are not effective on termites.

So make sure you use baking soda not baking powder. Now let’s have a look at the steps of making this secret baking soda method that kills termites.

Step 1: You need three ingredients to make this pesticide recipe. First, baking soda, second, neem oil, and third eco-friendly liquid soap.

Step 2: Take 1 liter of water in a spray bottle, you can add more as per your need. Add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to water. If you feel the level of termites infestation is high, you can add 3 teaspoons of baking soda. Now add 1 teaspoon neem oil to this. If you do not have neem oil, you can also use other vegetable oil. But neem oil is the best.

Step 3: To mix oil and water thoroughly, you need to add 10 drops of eco-friendly liquid soap into it. Now stir it thoroughly and shake it well before spraying. Now the natural pesticide recipe is ready you can spray it on the infested area about two-three times a day. This spray dehydrates the termite so that it dies.

Note: If you are spraying it on an infested plant then make sure to do a patch test on a leaf and leave it for an hour or two to check the potency. If the leaf wilts, you will need to dilute it further.

Now you know how baking soda works on termites, now I am going to compare baking soda with white vinegar so that you get to know which natural method is most effective on termites.

Baking Soda Vs White Vinegar for Termites:

The only difference between white vinegar and baking soda is that baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is a little mild in nature.

On the other hand, vinegar acts on termites a little quicker than baking soda because it contains acetic acid which is a little harsh.

Due to the harsh nature of vinegar, if you spray it on plants, it might harm them, but baking soda will not damage plants as it is mild in nature, so you can easily remove termites from plants.

As far as furniture, doors, and walls infestations are concerned, vinegar is more effective and quicker than baking soda. The baking soda method can also also be applied to furniture infestations but its effect is very slow or mild.

If termites are on clothing, mattresses, bedsheets, or curtains then both baking soda and vinegar work best.

Vinegar works on termites up to 100% but you should know which vinegar you have to use and what ingredients it should contain.

FAQ’s

Question 1: Does Baking Soda Keep Termites From Coming Back?

Answer: Baking soda is a type of natural contact pesticide that kills termites only at the contact level.

But if you spray the above-mentioned baking soda recipe a couple of times a week on your plants, then termites will not come on them. Baking soda does not prevent termites from returning to walls, ceilings, or floors, etc.

Question 2: Which is the more effective natural method for termites, baking soda or vinegar?

Answer: Both natural methods work very well, only you should know how to use them properly. You can not use vinegar on every kind of plant as it contains acid that might harm plants. For plants Baking soda is best as it is mild in nature and does not harm plants. For furniture, wall, or ceiling infestation vinegar works better than baking soda.

Question 3: Can you spray baking soda on the carpet?

Answer: Sometimes termites infest your carpet as well. And they feed on the carpet pad, subfloor, or carpet tack strips. In this case, you can spray the above-explained baking soda spray recipe on your carpet. It will kill all the termites coming on your carpet but it won’t kill the hidden termites that are underground.

Question 4: Is baking soda a chemical?

Answer: Baking soda is not a chemical. It comes from the earth and it is 100% organic. Baking soda is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a Bio-Pesticide.

Question 5: Can I use baking powder to kill termites?

Answer: No, there is a difference between baking soda and baking powder. Baking soda is a 100% pure sodium bicarbonate while baking powder contains only 30% sodium bicarbonate and the rest are other ingredients. Only baking soda can kill the termites not baking powder.

Question 6: How to use baking soda to kill termites?

Answer: Baking soda alone won’t affect termites as it is very mild in nature. Add 2 teaspoon baking soda in 1-liter water and also 1 teaspoon neem oil and 10 drops of natural eco-friendly soap liquid, stir the solution thoroughly and pour it into a can or spray bottle and spray on the infested area. You have to spray 2-3 times a day for 2-3 days.

Question 7: Can Baking Soda Kill Termites in Walls, Ceilings, Furniture, or Plants?

Answer: Baking soda is very effective if the termite infestation is in plants. It also works on furniture but only if termites have not much infested your furniture object. Also, baking soda does not work on walls or ceiling infestations as such infestations have a huge number of hidden termites.

Question 8: Can baking soda kill termites on clothes?

Ans: Sometimes your expensive clothes are also at risk of termites. Because there are many fabrics like cotton, rayon, jute, hemp that contain cellulose. Baking soda can remove termites from your clothes as you have to spray the baking soda recipe on your clothes and wipe it off after 2-3 hours and keep your clothes in sunlight for some time.

Conclusion:

A lot of people think of natural methods as a myth. They think that natural methods do not work on termites.

This is absolutely not true as each natural method is effective in its own way. For example, baking soda works best on plant termite infestations but is not as quickly effective on furniture infestations.

Similarly, vinegar can damage plants as it is harsh in nature while it works well on furniture, walls, and ceiling infestations.

Similarly, there are many other natural methods that work on termites but according to their own way.

Now, I believe that you would have got your answer that baking soda can kill termites but in its own way. And you should also know the right way to use it, which I have told in this article.

I hope you liked the article. You can share your valuable opinion with us in the comments section below.