Getting Rid of and Killing Ants
As soon as spring comes around, one of the first things everyone wants to know is how to get rid of the ants that have suddenly taken up residence in the home or somewhere on the property.
As a matter of fact, ants are one of the most common household pets – oops, I mean pests. There are hundreds of species of ants and thankfully we only come into contact with a few of the species, the little buggers are such a nuisance aren’t they?
If you’ve been plagued by ants and you have children and/or pets wouldn’t you rather use a more natural approach versus a chemical approach? I know I would rather say bye bye to the toxic chemicals.
Home Remedies for Killing Ants
Let’s take a look at the options you have available when using home remedies for killing and getting rid of ants. Many of these you may have sitting on a pantry shelf, how nice is that? I love a product that has many uses.
Below are my Top 3 home remedies to get rid of ants. My top picks because I usually have these items on my kitchen shelf. There are more methods listed below them.
Home Remedy #1: Talcum Powder
I always have talcum powder on a shelf, mostly for my friendly little ants. You can buy this at the dollar store, the ants aren’t picky. If you like this method and it works for you, as it has for me, it not only works, it’s very affordable.
Ants don’t like talcum powder and will back off immediately. Before I started using it I read it makes it hard for them to breathe and when they carry it back into the nest, it makes it hard for them all to breathe and they’ll move out – fast!
Here’s something that just happened not long ago. My neighbor had a huge ant problem. They were washing the garage floor before the exterminator got there and I knew I’d probably being seeing some ants while they were cleaning. I did. They were using my fence to bypass the area that was being cleaned and marching right back into their yard.
Well, I wasn’t going to take any chances of them coming in my house so I got my trusty talcum powder and liberally sprayed them and the path they were taking, not to mention around the side of my house and doorways. Within minutes they were gone. Yeah.
Just let your friends know you’re not practicing any kind of voodoo.
Home Remedy #2: Powdered Sugar and Baking Soda
Another of my go to methods is powdered sugar and baking soda. Just mix equal parts of each and put some in a few jar lids or on a piece of paper and place these ant traps where you think the points of entry are.
The sweet smelling powdered sugar will lure the ants in and the baking soda will eventually do them in after ingesting it. The worker ants will carry this back in to the nest and they will all happily consume it, resulting in killing off the majority of ants.
While this is not instantaneous, you will notice a dramatic reduction in the number of ants you see.
Home Remedy #3: White Vinegar and Water
I always have vinegar around. I use it for so many things from killing weeds to cleaning around the house. I typically have a spray bottle with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water under my sink.
If you don’t, then whip up a batch of equal parts white vinegar and water. This can be used indoors and outdoors. If you don’t have plain white vinegar but have a bottle of apple cider vinegar, you can use that instead.
Spray the ant trails you notice along baseboards, door areas, windows and this will help stop the ants from following their trail into the house as they don’t like the smell and it removes the scent of the trail.
With this method you’ll most likely have to keep it up for a short time to make sure they’ve moved on.
If you have natural stone floors or counters, I wouldn’t use this mixture as vinegar is acidic and could permanently damage the stone.
So those are the top 3 methods I use, below are a few more ways to remove ants using items you most likely have in the house already. If not, pick one up the next time you’re at the store to have on hand.
Cayenne Pepper
Sprinkle a line a cayenne pepper where ants gather or enter. They will not usually cross the line.
Black Pepper
Sprinkle black pepper where you see ants gathering, and you will see them leave immediately. In addition, sprinkle the pepper where they enter and leave and they will not return.
Peppermint or Tea Tree Essential Oil
Use a cotton ball with a few drops (or more) of either of these essential oils to wipe away the trail the ants are using. You will need to repeat this every couple of days to make sure the ants are completely gone.
Comet Cleanser or Chalk
Draw lines with plain white chalk where they enter. In areas where children and animals can’t reach, you can sprinkle comet cleanser.
Windex Cleaner and Ivory Soap
Mix equal parts and spray problem areas. Again this may have to be repeated a time or two before they are completely gone.
Simple Green
Use this straight from the bottle and spray the ants and wherever ants are found coming into the house. This will take care of them almost instantly. After they die, clean the area with a solution of water and about 15 drops of peppermint essential oil.
You may not want to use this if you have pets in the home.
Cinnamon
Sprinkle cinnamon around the area the ants are using (doorways, windows, etc.) and they will quickly leave.
Flooding the Nests of Mound Making Ants
These types of ants will rarely come in to your home. But, if you don’t want to take the chance, you can flood the nest using white vinegar or food grade diatomaceous earth mixed with water (5 tablespoons diatomaceous earth to every gallon of water).
Homemade Sugar and Protein Ant Bait
Many ants love sugary foods and protein and will eat them up like kids eat candy. You can easily make homemade ant traps to kill ants and help rid you of your ant problem.
Protein and Sugar Ant Bait Recipe
Mix together:
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 1 teaspoon of boric acid powder
Make sure to keep this mixture away from kids and animals. Dogs especially may gobble this up without a second thought. Put the prepared mixture on a paper plate where ants have been seen and wait for the bait to be discovered, consumed and do the job. It will take several days for this to complete. The idea is that the bait is not toxic enough to stop the ants from taking the bait back to the colony and sharing it with the rest of the ants before finally doing the job.
Preventing Ants from Entering the Home
- Take a look around the house for any cracks in the foundation where ants could be gaining access into the house. If there are any areas they need to be sealed.
- Check windows and screens to make sure they close as they should.
- Check doors and make sure they close as they should, you shouldn’t see any visible openings where ants can get in.
- If you do have a problem with ants, keep the house clean. Sweep and clean up crumbs, wipe up spills, don’t leave dirty dishes out, don’t leave garbage piled up in the garage, house, etc.
- If you have pets, keep the area around their food bowl clean. Put their dishes on a small piece of carpeting that can be washed.
Not every home remedy is going to work for everyone or in every situation, but one of these natural remedies is sure to work for you to rid your home of ants.
Below are a couple of articles about ants you may find interesting:
