We have covered termite pest control in the past and alternative treatments including Orange oil.  There are radio commercials running all the time saying that some Orange oil does not contain much Orange oil and is made from petroleum products.  We decided to investigate this area to see what the issues are.

Orange oil pest control products contain the active ingredient d-limonene. D-limonene is extracted from the rinds of oranges, and is used in many household products due to its low toxicity. Orange peels are pressed and distilled to produce technical grade orange oil. Orange oil work by destroying the wax coating of the termite’s respiratory system. It is highly acidic making it toxic to termites. Orange oil move through wood, filling up the treated wood until termites are hit. d-limonene is also used in pet shampoos and household cleaners.

XT-2000 is one of the main distributors of Orange Oil and advertises 95% pure Orange Oil, they do not mention what the other 5% is. Here is the MSDS document for XT-2000 Orange Oil that does not mention the other ingredients. Orange oil has a residue level of about four days, then it fades away.

XT-2000 claim’s that other product, ProCitra, is only 10% Orange Oil d-linonene and 90% other ingredients, so if a pest control firm is not using XT-2000 ask for their MSDS documents to see how much Orange oil is in the product as it can vary.  We looked at many pest control web sites advertising Orange Oil or d-limonene and found no consistency.

The Bugman has commented on past studies of Orange Oil.

Termites are a  terrible problem to have.  Figuring out termite control can be equally confusing.  Traditional house tenting and using poisonous chemicals like sulfuryl fluoride – Vikane is now competing with using Orange Oil (XT-2000) which does not require moving out.  There are tradeoffs with each.

Orange oil for termites contain the active ingredient, 95% pure d-limonene. D-limonene is extracted from the rinds of oranges. Boroscopes with fiber optic technology are used to see through walls looking for termites.  Orange oil treatment will only kill termites in the infested areas treated as it is a localized spot application. They will treat the area by drilling into the infested wood and injecting the Orange Oil into the termite galleries. It is effective for drywood termites, not subterranean termite infestations.

There is an ongoing battle over the efficacy of orange oil for termite control. This article covers a UC Berkeley Dow Chemical funded study that fumigation companies are using to counter orange oil and push for toxic chemicals like Vikane against termites.

Alternative like sodium borate are also available.  We found an old pocket of termite damage when we did remodelling and use Bora-Care on it.

Not every house needs to be fumigated. Determining factors will include areas of infestation, level of infestations, size and age of the colonies, type of termites.  A trained professional should take all these into account when doing termite control.

If you are considering using Orange Oil for termites be sure to locate a licensed and qualified termite control company that offers traditional treatments and fumigation as well as Orange Oil.  This way you can receive an unbiased analysis.