This is a tough one. No doubt fumigation would be the "cleanest" method. But as our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL article explains, this is very expensive and generally not a viable option since it will cost thousands of dollars. Fortunately BORACARE can handle the problem fine if you have access to all the wood framing of the couch. Another product known as JECTA GEL can also be used. Since the Boracare is usually more thorough and faster acting, we like to use it whenever possible but using it in tandem with Jecta Gel will provide just as good of results. The real key is getting uniform coverage and just how much of the wood used in the couch you'll have access to will determine if Boracare alone can tackle the problem or if Jecta Gel will be needed as well.

To see if you can use nothing but Boracare, you can start by turning the piece upside down to get a handle on how much of the wood you can reach from underneath. If you're able to access at least one side of all the framing wood used to construct the piece, chances are high you'll be able to hand paint the framing wood with Boracare. This will no doubt take more time compared to spraying but the painting process can be done in a controlled fashion that will all but eliminate any mess. We recommend going over all the wood 3-4 times to insure you get enough Boracare applied and sometimes even more if the wood is more than 3 inches thick.

The second way is to remove any fabric that might be obstructing the treatment and blocking you from reaching the bare wood. In most cases coverings can be strategically cut and then peeled back in a way to expose the wood underneath. Once exposed it can be painted with Boracare. In some cases the fabric of the couch might be old and worn enough to consider cutting it off altogether. Following the treatment, you can then reupholster it as desired. This would clearly be more labor intensive compared to the first option and in cases where fabric will be replaced, definitely more costly. But depending on the value of the piece it could make a lot of sense to handle it this way.

The third option is to use Boracare on as much of the exposed wood as you can access and then treat the other sections with the Jecta Gel mentioned above. Jecta Gel is slow to penetrate compared to Boracare but it does a great job of getting deep penetration via holes you would need to drill throughout the framing. When properly placed, these holes will then supply Jecta Gel throughout the grain of the wood. This is accomplished by pumping Jecta Gel into the holes and then capping them off to insure the gel remains. Over time it will soak through and through making the wood unusable by any larvae stages of the powderpost beetles. In most cases, this treatment is done from underneath the piece to avoid any cosmetic damage to the fabric and wood finish of the piece. And keep in mind it will take longer for the active to permeate throughout the wood. But in the end it can prove to be just as effective as using Boracare alone.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Powderpost Beetle Control:  http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

Boracare:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html

Jecta Gel:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page156.html

If you read through our POWDERPOST BEETLE CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn there are two or three products that can be used to treat your dresser and home. All of these can be applied by a service company or by you, the homeowner, if you're so inclined to the do the work yourself and save some money.

For the dresser, you could opt to treat with the JECTA GEL mentioned in our article. However, based on the holes you mentioned up under the house, it sounds like you could use some BORACARE. If this is true and you decide to treat the floor joists under the home, you might as well treat the dresser with the Boracare too. Boracare is by far the best option and would provide long lasting control that won't affect the piece at all. As for WD-40; that won't do anything to holes you already see. As our article explains, they are only exit holes and there are no eggs in it anyway so that's a complete waste.

Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:

http://www.powderpostbeetles.com/powderpost-beetle-control

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page156.html

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page52.html

jonathan

www.bugspray.com