The woodworm can destroy favorite furniture with its "siblings" and turn load-bearing wooden structures into sawdust. There are several ways to combat it. Can you fight woodworm with vinegar?
In a nutshell
- The smell of vinegar repels woodworms, but does not kill them
- inject into all holes with a syringe
- Repeat daily until infestation is gone
- Disadvantages: strong odor, can damage some types of wood
- consult experts for load-bearing constructions
Table of contents
- Vinegar drives away woodworms
- Vinegar and vinegar essence can be used
- Benefits of Vinegar
- Possible disadvantages
- Apply vinegar: instructions
- frequently asked Questions
Vinegar drives away woodworms
Everyone knows that vinegar smells and tastes intense. While we humans appreciate it and use it regularly in cooking, the larvae of the common woodworm (Anobium punctatum), also called woodworms, do not like it:
Source: CSIRO, CSIRO ScienceImage 1330 Anobium punctatum larva, Edited from Plantopedia, CC BY 3.0
- find smell and taste repulsive
- try to escape vinegar
- change direction when boring their feeding tunnels
- leave piece of wood
Actually, it is more of an expulsion than a fight, because the woodworm does not die when treated with vinegar.
A notice: If load-bearing wooden structures are infested, you should refrain from using only household remedies such as vinegar to fight the woodworm. Get experts involved in the fight and also have the statics of the construction checked.
Vinegar and vinegar essence can be used
To drive away woodworms, use plain brandy vinegar or vinegar essence (this may be slightly diluted) to reduce the pungent odor. After all, the application should also be bearable for you, especially in closed rooms.
You should not use flavored and strongly coloring vinegars, such as balsamic vinegar. They are far too expensive for this project and can also leave unsightly marks on the piece of wood.
Benefits of Vinegar
The household remedy vinegar offers a number of advantages, which is why it can be used with a clear conscience to combat woodworm. An overview:
- Vinegar is purely organic
- non-toxic to humans
- environmentally friendly in used quantities
- inexpensive
- easily and quickly available
Possible disadvantages
You should avoid chemical agents for pest control, because chemicals can cause serious damage. Unfortunately, even the fewest home remedies come without disadvantages. This also applies to vinegar when used to combat woodworm:
- very intense smell
- does not kill the woodworm
- may age the wood
The smell is acceptable fades away with time. However, the still living woodworm that has left the wood can look for a new place to stay. Be sure to keep an eye on this and take action if necessary. with appropriate countermeasures. Unfortunately, fiber damage to the wood is irreversible.
Tip: If the woodworm has infested a favorite piece of furniture, you should check before using vinegar whether the wood can survive contact with the vinegar undamaged. Respond to this the different types of wood very different.
Apply vinegar: instructions
To effectively combat woodworm, you should use vinegar in the following ways:
- Draw up the vinegar with a syringe.
- Squirt the vinegar directly into any visible woodworm holes.
- Wipe off escaping vinegar with a soft cloth so that the (visible) wooden surface does not become soggy.
- Repeat the vinegar treatment daily until the infestation with Horzworm is gone.
Tip: Place some fresh ones close to the affected wood acorns out of. Woodworms that flee the wood because of vinegar will find a new home in it. Regularly destroy already punctured acorns and replace them with new ones. This is how you get the woodworms out of the house and thus protect other wood.
frequently asked Questions
Fresh sawdust near the wood is a sure sign that the infestation is active. Lay out black paper under the drill holes so that you can see the fresh drill dust better. In the case of an acute infestation, the hole entrances are light, in the case of an old infestation they are greyish and weathered. A regular photo comparison also helps to identify whether new holes have been added.
The larva of the woodworm beetle makes perceptible noises - similar to a suppressed whisper level - but is not one of the loudest wood pests. However, it can be heard almost exclusively at night, since the ambient noise masks its noises during the day.
You can lure out the woodworms with acorns, or drive them away with the vibrations of a bass-heavy stereo. Isopropanol (secondary alcohol) is used like vinegar, but kills the larvae. Due to the smell, alcohol is only suitable for outdoor areas.
