Does Engine Oil Kill Termites: All You Need to Know 

Intelligent question: Does engine oil kill termite? Termites are responsible for damage worth billions of dollars throughout the world every year. You might be wondering what engine oil has to do with termites. 

People in the past used engine oil as a termite-proof. Termite eating has been a critical issue in the world of construction since the beginning of time. The modern architecture industry has this issue and is using various treatments with hundreds of treatment products.

Preventing termites from eating your wooden structure is what every one of you thinks about. The debate of using engine oil for termite proofing has many aspects of being discussed and researched to better construction and climate change.

Will Engine Oil Kill Termites?

There are several chemical and organic treatments available in the vast termite treatment market. Therefore, to answer the question, “does engine oil kill termites?” Yes, it can kill termites. 

Engine oil can treat the wood from termite damages but isn’t the only treatment on the list. When we talk about practical, easy-apply, and readily available methods, you can consider the engine oil option on top of the list. 

How Will Engine Oil Kill Termites?

Let’s consider all the wooden structures around us, including patio furniture, backyard benches, bedroom furniture, cupboards, public parks, wood benches, or anything engineered with wood. All of this wooden furniture is at a constant threat of termites. 

When you apply engine oil onto the wood, it penetrates the wood’s pores and deters termites from making their path in the wood. In turn, woods stay protected for more extended periods.

Termite spread cellulose-digesting enzyme on wood. These cellulose-digesting enzymes break into food for termites. Engine oil is hazardous and gives the wood an unpleasant taste and smell, killing the termites attacking it. 

Availability of Used Engine Oil

Used engine oil is widely and readily available in houses and garages. From factories to mills, you can find motor oil everywhere. People also use motor oils to grease guns and lubricate machinery and bike chains. 

The re-use of used engine oil is a cost-effective and eco-friendly option while treating termites.

Procedure to Kill Termites with Motor Oil

You can mix the used engine oil with diesel fuel and spray the mixture on the roots of a tree. Tree roots absorb toxic engine oil into them. When termites feed on tree’s wood, engine oil toxicity kills it.

It can cut the cost of expensive termite treating admixtures and increase a tree’s lifespan for up to 6 years. 

Also, you can treat wood by soaking in used engine oil for a period. After completing the soaking of timber or wood, it is useable for any structures. This way, termites wont eat your furniture no matter where you place it. 

Another method is by mixing the foundation soil with used engine oil to prevent termites from attacking the wooden structure, especially foundations.

Read our guide about engine oil’s use on wood. 

Benefits of Using Engine Oil for Termite Treatment

While considering the usage of used engine oil on wood structures, low cost is a significant factor. Another essential benefit is engine oil being eco-friendly.

Industries and ships dispose of a massive amount of used engine oil every year globally, which is a scary factor in climate change. Termite treatment with used engine oil can reduce the amount of used motor oil disposal to landfills or directly to oceans.

Killing termites requires many treatment chemicals that are contributing to climate change in a negative way. Engine oil won’t bother climate change, unlike other nasty termite-proof chemicals.

Many scientists describe the hazardous element of used engine oil. This means that the dangerous impacts of engine oil are easy to handle using the preventive measures described. 

Cons of Using Engine Oil to Kill Termites

Everything has its pros and cons, and termite proofing with used engine oil has its positive and negative sides too. As research proves, the excessive usage of used engine oil is harmful to the environment. It affects the earth, marine, and human life.

The engine oil absorbs into human skin to cause skin cancer and eczema. It can also lead to other skin diseases, including hand and nail infections and leucoderma.

Engine oil may not be as effective. If it is not applied correctly, it may last only up to 6 months. You won’t like to repeat a task every six months, right?

Engine oil comes with some hazardous elements such as lead, chromium, zinc, barium, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. This leads to soil contamination, water pollution and is harmful to people.

Read our guide on “Does Engine Oil Cause Cancer.”

Coming to a Solution: Does Engine Oil Kill Termites?

We have already discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using engine oil to kill termites. Now, let’s come towards a suitable solution. Yes, engine oil does kill termites but choosing to use it or not depends entirely on you.

If you prefer expert advice and wanna do something that will show immediate results and last a lifetime, don’t go for engine oil. Chemical termite-proofing liquids are far more powerful and promise a longer lifespan than used engine oil.

Else, if you are sure you can protect the ground or your skin from absorbing engine oil, go for it. Not only is engine oil a budget-friendly alternative, but it also prevents climate change that should have been caused by using termite-proof chemicals. 

Does engine oil cure eczema? Read here. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Does Engine Oil Kill Termites (FAQ)

These frequently asked questions will help you understand more about termite proofing using engine oil.

How Much Time is Required for Engine Oil to Soak in Wood?

It can take up to a week or a month. The soaking period depends primarily on the wood type and air ventilation. If you want it to soak faster, mixing used engine oil with diesel fuel will help you out. 

The weather conditions like high humidity or rainy weather can increase the time to soak timber in used engine oil.

What Formulation of Engine Oil and Diesel is Ideal to Use on Wood?

It is better to mix the used engine oil with diesel fuel in a 1:1 ratio. Diesel makes the composition workable and turns it into a thin applicable coat on wood, and it also helps get dry quickly.

In the case of only used engine oil application, it may have greater chances of contaminating soil and unpleasant smell which will not go off quickly.

Is It Worth it to Reuse Engine Oil?

Yes, reusing engine oil can be vital in saving the planet. To make this option more eco-friendly, we can have a cleaning process of this used engine oil before applying it on any surface. 

If we don’t do that, it will end up in landfills or directly contaminates oceans. Dumping untreated motor oil in-ground or sea will cause a hazard to humans, animals, and marine life too. 

Reusing is a positive approach to recycling used engine oil, a life-saving step in climate change and prevents our land from barren. 

Conclusion: “Does Engine Oil Kill Termites?”

To answer the query, “do engine oil kill termites?” yes, it does. Before concluding, we must consider some more critical factors like the type of wood, vicinity of structure, air ventilation, legal bindings of the area, and most importantly, budget and time considered for protection.

Last but not least is the factor of climate change or pollution-free solution. You need to see the impact on the climate for each of the chosen methods of termite proofing. For some experts, the climate change factor is the most important in termite proofing as it has long-lasting effects on the soil, structure, and humans around.