Will Bleach Kill Termites? [Some Important Things to Know]

When people see termites in their homes, they start looking for many ways to get rid of them as quickly as possible.

Because they know that if this unwanted guest stays in the house for a long time, then it can damage the entire house and other expensive things.

Many times people also adopt the wrong method in a hurry, which can also harm them and bleach is one of them.

When people ask me will bleach kill termites?

my only answer is that when you can kill visible termites with some natural methods, then what is the need to use a deadly chemical substance?

Bleach is very effective on termites but it is not a great solution. There are other remedies that are more effective than this, which can also kill the hidden termites.

Let me tell you first what is bleach and why you shouldn’t use bleach as a pesticide and what are some best natural and chemical alternatives to bleach.

What is Bleach?

Bleach is a chemical that is used both industrially and domestically, it is used to remove the color from fabric or to remove or clean stains.

Bleach also has bactericidal properties which makes it useful for disinfecting and sterilizing. Bleaches also have other minor uses like removing mildew, killing weeds or termites.

In domestically used bleaches, chlorine is found as an active agent which is a corrosive gas. And it can also prove to be dangerous for humans, pets, and plants.

Check The Research Facts: Bleach Toxicity

Why You Shouldn’t Use Bleach as Pesticide?

Hypochlorite is found in bleach. This chemical releases chlorine gas which is fatal to humans. Chlorine is a corrosive gas and if it comes in contact with your eyes or skin, it can cause irritation or even burn them.

Bleach damages internal and external human tissues. Especially for children and pets, it is not less than poison. And if you have asthma or respiratory disease, it can be riskier for you.

It not only harms human beings but also kills plants. If you pour bleach powder in your garden, it will raise or lower the ph level of the soil. And because of unhealthy ph levels, plants die.

If a termite infestation is in wooden structures or wooden furniture, the use of bleach can exacerbate the problem as the chlorine in it weakens the wood by damaging the fibers.

Despite being so risky, you can’t expect bleach to kill hidden termites. It is an “on contact: termite killer that can kill only visible termites. So forget that you can kill the hidden termite’s colonies with bleach.

I would suggest that you can use some natural methods like vinegar, baking soda, or borax powder instead of bleach. Today I will tell you some tricks to use these methods effectively.

Vinegar Vs Bleach for Termites:

While bleach is a risky chemical method to kill termites, vinegar is a safer and natural method. Although both are on contact methods that kill visible termites you can kill even hidden termites with vinegar if you use it with cardboard or borax bait.

You can use vinegar anywhere except on plants as it contains acetic acid which can be harmful to some plants but bleach should not be used on plants at all.

Baking Soda Vs Bleach for Termites:

Many people are confused about baking soda whether it is a chemical or an organic substance. so let me tell you, baking soda is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency as a bio-pesticide in The United States. Reference And it is 100% organic.

Whereas sodium bicarbonate is found in baking soda, which is quite mild and kills termites by dehydrating them slowly, bleach is a very harsh chemical that gets absorbed in the termite’s body and dissolves the poison in it.

Baking soda is very effective against termites in plants. And also works on furniture without damaging it, but is not as effective on walls, ceiling, or roof infestations.

You should neither use bleach on plants nor on your furniture, it damages both. So it would be better if you use baking soda.

Borax Vs Bleach for Termites:

Borax is also a very effective natural method for termite control. It also kills the termite by attacking its digestive system just like vinegar and baking soda. As soon as the termite ingests it, within 48 hours they die due to dehydration.

Although it is natural, it is not completely safe and can cause irritation if it comes in contact with the skin or eye.

If it enters your body through breathing, it can cause vomiting, nausea, respiratory problems but is not as deadly as bleach.

While bleach can only kill visible termites, borax can also kill hidden termites if used with cardboard bait.

If there is a comparison between bleach and borax, then I would suggest borax, it works better than bleach.

FAQ’s

Question 1: Is Bleach a Pesticide?

Answer: Use bleach as a pesticide only if its label claims it to be a pesticide. And use it only after carefully reading all the instructions on the label.

Question 2: Does bleach actually kill termites and how does it kill them?

Answer: Yes, bleach can kill termites but is not effective on hidden termites. There are small pores in the body of termite so that it absorbs moisture. Bleach sticks to the termite’s body and dissolves the poison in it, which kills the termite instantly.

Question 3: What is better to kill termites on plants baking soda or bleach?

Answer: Baking soda works best for termite infestations on plants because it is 100% organic whereas using bleach will kill plants instantly.

Question 4: Can bleach be used to remove termites from clothes?

Answer: If termites are in your home, they can also damage your expensive clothes because most commonly fabrics contain cellulose. Bleach can be used to remove termites on clothing, but you should only use it on clothing after reading the instructions on the label.

Question 5: Will bleach kill termites in wood?

Answer: You shouldn’t use bleach on wood at all, the chlorine in it damages the wood’s fibers and weakens it. If termites are in your wooden furniture, it’s best to use borax or vinegar.

Question 6: Will Clorox bleach kill termites?

Answer: Any type of bleach can work on termites if it has a pesticide claim on the label, and Clorox is the most commonly used bleach on termites. But before using it, you should read the label carefully.

Question 7: Does bleach work on termites on walls, ceilings, or roofs?

Answer: Bleach doesn’t kill termites on walls or ceilings as they are hidden and widespread. Read the below articles to know DIY to kill them in a pro way.

What are the best methods to kill termites?

There are two ways to kill termites first natural and second chemical method.

Natural methods mostly work at the contact level and kill only visible termites. But you can use them to kill hidden termites with some bait stations, but they are not as effective on very widespread infestations.

In natural methods, vinegar and borax are best for furniture, clothing, bedding, doors, or window infestations. For plants, I would recommend baking soda as it is very mild and doesn’t harm your plants.

On the other hand, there are some chemicals that can kill even hidden termites up to 100%, there are two chemicals that are used by professionals like Taurus SC and Termidor Foam.

These chemicals you can buy legally in most of the states. By applying DIY, you can get results like a professional and can save a huge amount of money.

I wouldn’t recommend bleach at all in chemical methods because it can be too risky to use and it doesn’t work as well on hidden termites.

Note: Must read all the instructions on the label before using these chemicals.

Conclusion:

I think you must be clear by now that bleach can kill termites but it cannot kill hidden termites. And its a very risky method that can also be life-threatening.

Bleach can spoil the furniture wood by damaging its fibers. Also, it is not good for plants, if you want to use bleach then you can do it for bedding infestations else it is pointless to use it anywhere else.

First of all, if your house is attacked by termites, then you should first check the infestation level if the infestation is not widespread then you can use some natural methods like vinegar, baking soda, borax but if the infestation level is high then you have to adopt some chemical methods, which I have shared with you in this article.

The sooner the termite is treated, the better because once it enters the structure of your house, then it can cost you a lot, not only that but can also damage many expensive items of the house.

I hope you liked this article and now you will not have any questions in your mind. You can share your valuable opinion with us in the comments section below.