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Wipe leaves clean to eliminate the food source for ants, and consider placing aphid-killing plant spikes in the soil of any houseplants. Ants are common invaders of homes across the United States and are mostly harmless. They can be hard to get rid of, but it’s possible to repel and eradicate ants over time using the natural methods described above. Commercial products are also available to help kill or detract these pests.
Keep Things Clean
If these fail, try using bait traps or commercial repellants. Some sprays contain only natural, plant-based ingredients, leaving pleasant scents that are enjoyable to humans and threatening to ants. Always check the back of the product to see if it’s effective against the ant species you’re trying to eliminate.
Prevention is better than cure
It’s often used as a cleaning product, emulsifier, or insect repellant. According to the National Wildlife Federation, there are more than 12,000 species of ants around the world. Along with cleaning laundry, Borax — also known as sodium borate — is a natural mineral that will kill any ants that ingest it. If you've noticed that ants have started moving into your kitchen or pantry, it's time to take action.
Cinnamon
One of the best ways how to get rid of ants in the house and keep them out is to practice proper sanitation. Like many people, ants find the smell of raw pepper to be irritating. Sprinkle pepper around the areas where ants access the house. A Texas A&M study found that a water and pepper solution was effective at killing ants.
Check your houseplants for swarms of ants, which might indicate nests underneath the soil. Do not ingest lemon eucalyptus oil and keep it out of reach of children and pets. Oil extracted from the lemon eucalyptus tree is another natural insect repellent. It contains citronella, which is used in candles to repel mosquitoes and has been shown to repel certain types of ants. Keep peppermint oil out of reach of pets, especially cats, which can become very ill if exposed.
Granules, gels, and foam ant killers are ideal for destroying nests. Gel and foam versions work best for hard-to-reach crevices (e.g. under lap siding) since they come with long extension tubes. On the other hand, we recommend granules if you’re tackling ant hills on your lawn or in your pavers. If you don’t want to go the chemical route, pour boiling water into the nests’ openings for a natural approach. Keep in mind that boiling water kills vegetation, so avoid using it on your lawn or near flower beds. You can saturate ant trails to kill on contact, or spray counters and other areas and either wipe up after a few minutes or allow the treatment to dry in place.
Before you set off bug bombs or spray pesticides with wild abandon, there are less assertive methods to control ants without subjecting everyone in your home to chemicals. Start with tamper-resistant ant bait traps that can be placed near problem areas. These contain a small amount of food mixed with a pesticide that worker ants take back to the colony to feed the queen. Tea tree oil, peppermint, or citrus oils are all repellent to ants. In a spray bottle, mix about 1/4 cup of water with seven to 10 drops of essential oil, then spray that on entry points.
"There are more than 12,000 species of ants throughout the world. Lucky for us, only about 30 species are found around our homes," says entomologist Josh Matta. Two of the most commonly seen ants inside a home are odorous house ants and carpenter ants. Some of these natural ant repellents only deter ants in another direction instead of killing them on contact. If you try several of these tactics and are still seeing ants, there are other measures you can take like spraying your home with pesticides or calling an exterminator.
The boiling water won’t be enough to kill off the entire colony. For this reason, make sure to treat every ant hole you see within your home’s proximity. You may be able to find peppermint oils at your local grocery chain or health food store. Black or red (cayenne) pepper is a natural ant deterrent, as the insects may find the smell irritating. Borax, or sodium tetraborate, is a powdery white substance.
If the proverbial cupboards at your house are bare, they’ll look elsewhere. Ants search for food using pheromones, leaving a trail for other ants to follow. To get rid of the trail, spray this mixture anywhere you spot ants. Don't forget any entry points, like window sills, backdoors, or baseboards.
This is likely due to the insecticidal properties of eugenol, a compound extracted from clove. Mix Borax with equal parts water and sugar to make a syrup, and leave it in the corners where you've noticed ants. This method will work to kill the entire colony in roughly 24 to 48 hours, as the worker ants will bring the liquid back to the nest. If, on the other hand, you're dealing with red imported fire ants, trying an erythritol-based sweetener, like Swerve and NutraSweet, may be an effective way to get rid of them.
That mixture should then be placed in a bowl on the lawn to attract as many ants as possible. The ants will likely carry the mixture back to their nest, where the colony will consume it and later die. As a bonus, it's one way to get rid of the ants without ruining your grass. Non-toxic to humans and pets, yet effective at slaying ants, Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powdery substance made from fossilized remains of tiny aquatic algae.
Instagrammer shares unbelievably simple hack for keeping ants out of the house: 'So good to know' - The Cool Down
Instagrammer shares unbelievably simple hack for keeping ants out of the house: 'So good to know'.
Posted: Wed, 16 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
This is one of the best home remedies for ants outside or inside. Mix glass cleaner and dish soap — Combine glass cleaning spray with dish soap in a clean spray bottle. Spray directly onto surfaces or areas where the ants congregate before wiping down to just leave a light residue.
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