Best home remedies for ants (TOP natural, effective tips)

Having ants in the house is quite unpleasant, plus they can cause some serious damage. Depending on the species, ants can burrow through wood, while creating their tunnels. This will lead to the loss of structural integrity in the long run.

Getting rid of an ant infestation through the use of professional pest control services is usually the best idea. This is particularly true for massive ant infestations or getting carpenter ants in the house. In other instances, you may want to deal with the issue on your own. There are numerous DIY remedies you can rely on. Some of these will even remove the ants from the house without actually killing them.

Home Remedies for Ants
It’s often good to try a few home remedies for ants before calling a professional (except for carpenter ants and a few others).
AntsCanada tests several household ingredients purported to keep ants away

Borax as ant poison

Borax is such a versatile substance that you should definitely consider having in the house at all times.

The good news is that borax is toxic to ants. The substance attracts the insects and, once it is ingested, the ants will be killed.

In order to make a borax ant remedy, you’ll need to mix equal amounts of the substance and food jelly. Put a little bit of it in the house areas infested with ants. Give the mixture some time to act and you’re not going to be disappointed.

Video showing how to make homemade, natural ant poison with borax and sugar (6 parts sugar to one part borax)

Alternatively, you can mix borax with sugar or cornmeal. Sugar is very effective when it comes to attracting ants. They will ingest borax alongside the sweet treat, which will help you get rid of the problem quickly and efficiently.

One thing to remember before trying the remedy is that borax can be toxic to other species, as well. If you have pets, you should look for an alternative option. The same applies to families that have crawling babies or toddlers.

Vinegar ant repellent

The best aspect of using vinegar as an ant repellent is that it’s not going to kill the insects. Rather, a vinegary solution will create a barrier that no ant species will be willing to cross. In addition, vinegar is completely non-toxic and it can be used in houses where kids or pets live.

To make a vinegar ant repellent, mix one part of white vinegar with one part of water. Using a spray bottle, apply the solution to the spots where you’ve seen ants in the past. Get it in all of the cracks and crevices for the best possible results.

Vinegar disrupts the pheromone traces that ants leave behind when foraging. Having many ants going the same way intensifies the signal and attracts additional insects to the spot. Vinegar prevents the ants from perceiving these chemical signals. As a result, they will stay out of the house.

Lemon Juice or Lemon Zest

Lemon works in a similar manner to vinegar. On top of giving you an ant-free home, lemon will also leave a fresh and citrusy scent behind. It’s a win-win situation.

To use lemon for ridding your house of ants, you’ll need to squeeze some lemon juice and place it in a spray bottle. Apply in the same way that you’d use the vinegar solution. Alternatively, you can dip a clean cloth in the lemon juice and use it to wipe the surfaces that the ants commonly crawl on.

You can also use lemon essential oil. Place a few drops on several cotton balls and scatter those in the corners or close to the cracks that the ants use to get inside the house. The powerful scent of the essential oil will keep all of the insects from coming inside.

Alternatively, place lemon peel or grated lemon zest in strategic positions.

You may want to repeat the procedure over several consecutive days (until you don’t see any more ants in the house). The chances are that a few days of lemon treatment will help you get rid of the problem altogether.

Essential oils as ant deterrents

Several essential oils other than lemon can also be used to get rid of ants. If you know of any other essential oils that work well for controlling ants, please let us know in the comments.

Peppermint essential oil for deterring ants

Peppermint essential oil is the more powerful ant-repelling essential oils available.

Just place a few drops of peppermint oil on cotton balls and scatter them throughout the house. This is another great natural ant treatment that helps you expel the ants and that will leave your home smelling fresh and clean.

Clove essential oil for repelling ants

Clove essential oil is another good option. Keep in mind that, apart from disrupting the trail scent, clove oil will also kill most ants that come in direct contact with it. This is the main reason why clove essential oil is considered one of the most potent natural insecticides.

Tea tree essential oil for keeping ants away

Finally, you can try tea tree essential oil. It’s a great disinfectant, an antiseptic, and a substance that disrupts ants’ pheromone trails. With their chemical signaling disrupted, ants can’t communicate effectively to one another how to find their way to food sources within your home. In this regard, the way that tea tree oil is used for ant control is the same as the lemon and peppermint oils.

Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth

A substance that has a wide array of applications and health/beauty benefits, diatomaceous earth is an excellent natural possibility to use in the war against ants.

Diatomaceous earth is completely safe for kids and pets. If you’re looking for a safe alternative to borax, this one would be it. When the powdery substance is sprinkled on insects, it cuts through their exoskeleton. Eventually, the bodies of such insects will dry out and they will die.

Video showing how to use diatomaceous earth to control ants in your garden

To use food-grade diatomaceous earth as ant poison, sprinkle a thin layer of it in the spots where ants typically pass. The corners, underneath the fridge, the area in front of the kitchen cabinets, and the area around the garbage cans all feature as good placement ideas. You’ll need to repeat the procedure for several days until you no longer find dead ants.

While these are some of the most effective DIY remedies, repellents, and ant poisons, there are numerous other options to try. Sprinkling salt around strategic positions, and using cayenne pepper and cinnamon all rank as possibilities. It’s essential to acquaint yourself with the manner in which the respective substance gets rid (repels or kills the ants) of the insects. Learning whether it’s safe for humans and pets will also be of paramount importance.

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