It's fun to get creative with the landscaping on your property, but it's important to always do your research before investing in a major change. Some materials, like rubber mulch, can do you and your home more harm than good.
The TikTok account for Bug Boys (@bug_boys), a pest control company based on the East Coast, posted a video explaining that rubber mulch does not prevent termites. This is in response to the false claim that rubber mulch should be used as an alternative to traditional wood mulch, which may attract termites.
@bug_boys Replying to @user671370140 When someone tells me they use rubber mulch to prevent termites it takes all I can not to laugh #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #rubbermulch #mulch #termites #house #basement #foaminsulation ♬ original sound - BugBoys
"When someone tells me they use rubber mulch to prevent termites it takes all I can not to laugh," the professional exterminator said in the video's caption.
The video showed a home that was only 10 years old and already infested with termites, even though a large area of the yard was covered in rubber mulch.
"Yeah, it didn't help," they said in the video.
If you want to maintain a healthy lawn and garden for years to come, rubber mulch should be avoided at all costs. In addition to being ineffective at preventing pests, it gives off a bad smell, can burn in the sun and has caused health issues for humans, pets, and wildlife.
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This mulch is also harmful to the environment because it can leach toxins into the soil and offers no nutrients for plants, which wood does. Consider skipping rubber mulch and fill your property with native plants instead — with or without wood mulch beds.
Native plants save you money and time on lawn maintenance and lower your water bills. You can also upgrade your yard with eco-friendly and low-maintenance options like clover or buffalo grass. Going native encourages biodiversity in your neighborhood, supports pollinators, and helps wildlife survive.
People in the comments were surprised by the advice and asked for the best alternative way to prevent termites.
In several replies, the Bug Boys account said that if termites are known to be in your area, be proactive and have a professional termite treatment applied to your house. Rubber mulch offers no protection.
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Mowing the lawn 🏡 "It retains heat also and kills plants," one user commented.
"That mulch and ground cover probably makes it worse...keeps the ground damp near the house so the termites can survive longer," another user said.
"Rubber mulch seems like just a scam to get rid of old tires," a commenter said.
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