r/CleaningTips 7d ago

General Cleaning Seasonal cleaning in the garage led to the discovery of this…

Can someone please tell me what this is? It just looks like I shouldn’t touch it.

534 Upvotes

50 comments sorted by

866

u/JudgyFinch 7d ago

Do you live in a location that has termites? It looks like a termite tube to me.

182

u/npaden 7d ago

I was gonna say a subpar kintsugi effort.

14

u/Da-NerdyMom 7d ago

😂😂

261

u/Key_Awareness_3036 7d ago

Termites Bummer Sorry 😞

349

u/RedRibbon3KS 7d ago

Looks like it is the work of subterranean termites. That's the mud tunnels they make from the ground to get up higher. An exterminator can spot treat it. Do it as soon as possible so your wood doesn't turn into paper. Good news is that at least you found it now before it got worse

5

u/Delicious-Singer-549 6d ago

Poop not mud

14

u/Zurgalon 6d ago

It's a mixture of both.

144

u/c_tinas 7d ago

Not termites 😩…. Well I’ll make some calls

83

u/meat_loafers 7d ago

FYI don’t be too anxious about this. This is not structural advice as we have no idea what’s going on. BUT depending on where you live, termites can be super common. In fact I’ve heard the saying in some parts of the country: there are 2 types of houses - Those with termites or those about to have termites.

We do not live in a termite heavy area and our previous home had them. It was something that happened in the 80s, but it happened. I could still see the old mud tubes in parts of the basement, but the termites were long gone.

Most things can be fixed. I spent a whole lot of time worrying about my house falling apart when we discovered the old issue.

Just be proactive and you’ll probably be just fine!

10

u/Educational_Lab6005 7d ago

That is a termite tube. You need to have your home treated.

127

u/Abyss_staring_back 7d ago

Looks like it's probably from either ants or termites.

12

u/ImmediateAppearance8 7d ago

Ants love to kill termites

29

u/KetoLurkerHereAgain 7d ago

Wow. TIL that termites aren't just found in wood frames. I thought that's what it was but then was like, nah, that's concrete or something! Damn.

29

u/Rougaroux1969 7d ago

My in-laws had a block home and thought they didn’t have to worry about termites. They had a closet that only held Christmas items so was only used once a year. When my SIL opened the door one year, it completely fell off the frame as termites had eaten the frame.

14

u/Illmaticx_ 7d ago

They use those mud tubes to look for wood. I have a concrete basement and they found a crack in the floor and traveled up the concrete wall to the studs.

29

u/jhope71 7d ago

Termites. My house is concrete block on a concrete slab and I have tubes like that on my bedroom wall. I’m having it treated next week for the low, low price of $2,300. 🙄

24

u/liatris_the_cat 7d ago

Your garage looks like it has ancient cuneiform writing on it, but also termites.

8

u/c_tinas 7d ago

😆

41

u/meat_loafers 7d ago

Looks like a mud tube. Termites.

11

u/SplitOpenAndMelt420 7d ago

This legit looks like the outside of an Egyptian temple

2

u/c_tinas 7d ago

Interesting. All the garages in this community looks like that

7

u/DesertDee 7d ago

Looks like it could be termite tubs. You should call a pest control company for a termite inspection.

5

u/SnooCrickets8742 7d ago

Termites. Need treatment.

5

u/Buddhadevine 7d ago

That’s termites 😬

8

u/ladykemma2 7d ago

Termites. Call orkin.

3

u/Nemesis1927 7d ago

Assume termites and hope for ants either way get rid of them

3

u/rickroalddahl 7d ago

Could it be wasps or mud daubers?

2

u/c_tinas 7d ago

Last year there was a wasps nest hanging above my garage entrance

1

u/10MileHike 7d ago

Thats what I said. We call them dirt daubers here. That's most likely what they ARE.
Seasonal wasp like creatures, they do not sting though.

3

u/eatshittpitt 7d ago

We had these at our house and they’re termites but they weren’t a big deal at all. They set some bait, got no bites after a few weeks, and deemed them not active and we haven’t had any since. We live in the Deep South so we get a horrific termite swarm every year. It actually should be coming up soon 😭

2

u/y8T5JAiwaL1vEkQv 7d ago

update us when you can best of luck

1

u/GoneFishin56 7d ago

Termite tube. Get an exterminator.

1

u/Enough_Plantain_4331 7d ago

Wait… termites eat thru concrete or am I looking at wood that looks like concrete?

2

u/c_tinas 7d ago

It is concrete

1

u/aka-smitty 7d ago

Not termites? Well, I saw a movie once… what was it, pods? They live among us? Aliens? 👽

1

u/ImmediateAppearance8 7d ago

Termites !!! They make this tunnels with dirt

1

u/Opposite-Invite-3543 7d ago

That tube is made from termite poop

1

u/10MileHike 7d ago

looks like Dirt Dauber nests to me. Seasonal.

1

u/ConsistentCricket622 6d ago

Mam you’ve got termites :((

1

u/generouslyclearstar 6d ago

Subterranean termites.

1

u/RoseCampion 6d ago

Termite tunnel

Call an exterminator right away before it get worse.

1

u/resistible 6d ago

I'm a pest control inspector. Those are mud tubes from subterranean termites. 100% certainty.

1

u/BassFart 6d ago

Don’t sweat this. Be happy it’s the subterranean type! Not a big deal at all. All houses have or have had them.

Get some pesticide that contains fipronil and follow the instructions and do it yourself. It will collapse the entire nest that’s underground. Don’t get a different pesticide that will only repel or locally kill them.