Keep Termites From Destroying Your Deck With One Natural Fragrance They Can't Stand

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A deck can add aesthetic appeal to your home, and it's a coveted outdoor feature both current and prospective owners can appreciate. However, unfortunately, it's not only humans who appreciate wood decks. Left untreated, decks can also attract termites, who may eat through the wood planks. The resulting damage can quickly turn into an eyesore, and the situation can become dangerous to unsuspecting humans and pets walking along the damaged surfaces. Traditional termiticide treatments offer targeted options to prevent and treat termites, but certain natural products might also help protect your deck by keeping termites away instead of killing them. One possible solution is lavender essential oil, which is thought to help preserve wood by making it less palatable for termites.

Lavender oil is made from the flowers of lavender plants, and it's commonly used in aromatherapy. While you might appreciate the strong herby smell of lavender oil, many pests purportedly do not care for this fragrance at all. Indeed, the potent aroma is said to help repel mosquitoes, fleas, flies, and other insects, making lavender among the many beautiful plants that double as a natural repellent against termites and other pests. Alas, simply planting lavender around your deck is unlikely to be enough to deter termites. Instead, lavender essential oil offers a more potent and direct means of termite control thanks to its constituent linalool compound. While it's not clear whether lavender oil is toxic to these pests, it may help disrupt their ability to eat the wood and communicate with one another.

Notably, a study published in Scientific Reports in 2022 (via the National Library of Medicine) found that a 5% lavender oil solution was effective at repelling certain types of termites when applied to Norway spruce wood. The researchers even found that the substance was just as effective as typical biocides used to treat wood. While this study did not assess lavender oil's use on wood decks around homes, you may be able to mimic the effects by spraying the substance for extra protection against termites.

If you're ready to give lavender oil a try against termite trespassers on your deck, all you need is a clean spray bottle and some lavender oil. Combine 5 to 10 drops of Brooklyn Botany Lavender Essential Oil or a similar product with a gallon of water, and pour the mix into the spray bottle. Diluting the oil in this manner before you spray the product around your deck protects the wood from damage, such as discoloration. Even so, it's a good idea to test the solution on a small area of your deck first to make sure the oil doesn't harm the wood.

To maintain effective termite control, consider weekly applications and apply the solution after heavy rainfall. Just be sure to keep the product away from any cats that wander around outdoors, as lavender oil is known to be extremely toxic to them. Aside from lavender oil deck treatments, consider baiting stations and occasional termiticides to get rid of termites. Also, you should always use treated wood and consider other important guidelines for building a deck around your home.