Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants

Ants have the reputation of being one of the toughest pests to get rid of, especially once they get established in your home or its surrounding. No need to mention that an ant invasion can be one of the most annoying problems that any homeowner has to deal with.

Moreover, there are so many different types of ants that it is quite difficult to identify one from the other. Ants that can be commonly spotted in and around your house are, house ants or pavement ants, pharaoh ants, black ants, sugar ants, fire ants, and Argentine ants.

There are several natural products that can help eliminate ants from your house. Some of these are explained ahead...

Borax can kill ants by damaging their digestive system and the outer skeleton. It can be used to make ant baits, which the ants will carry and spread in their colonies. To make an ant bait with borax, mix it with sugar and water, and put it on the ant trails and the places where ants can be seen frequently.

• You can also mix borax with peanut butter and honey to make an ant bait. Many people use boric acid or borax with maple syrup to make ant baits.

• Diluted vinegar can be sprayed on the places where ants can be seen frequently. The smell of vinegar is highly repulsive to ants and so, it can be used for cleaning kitchen countertops, cupboards, and window sills to keep ants away.

• Vinegar can also be used to clean the places where ant activities are more intense. This would help remove the scent trail that an ant leaves behind to help other ants locate the source of food.
• Mix baking soda with an equal amount of sugar, and sprinkle the mixture on the places where you can find ants.

• Find out the entry points for ants. Ants usually enter your house through small cracks and openings. So, seal off such cracks and openings to prevent their entry.
• Use spices like black pepper and red chili powder to deter ants from entering your house. Sprinkle them on places where you can spot ants, and also at the entry points.

Cloves, cinnamon, and garlic are some other spices that are abhorred by ants. Put them in places where ants usually come in search of food. You can also use bay leaves to deter ants from entering your kitchen cabinets, drawers, or containers.

Spray peppermint oil in every room of your house, especially in the kitchen and kitchen cabinets.

• In your garden, the population of ants can be controlled with the help of some simple home remedies, which are enlisted below:
• • Make your garden free of aphids, mealybugs, scale, and white flies. These insects secrete a sugary substance which is loved by ants. So, treat the garden plants to keep these insects away.

• Make a pepper spray by mixing black pepper with some boiling water. Let the pepper sit in water for a few minutes, before spraying it in your garden.
• Coffee ground is another effective home remedy which you can sprinkle in the garden and also around your house to keep ants away.

• Spray the vinegar solution around the perimeter of the garden to prevent the entry of ants.
• Consider to grow some ant-repelling plants in your garden. Examples of such plants are, garlic, rosemary, lemon balm, eucalyptus, lavender, chills pepper, clove, and plants of the mint family.

• Use diatomaceous earth (food grade) in the garden and the perimeter of your house to prevent the entry of ants and other insects. The sharp edges of diatomaceous earth cut through the exoskeleton of ants and dehydrate them.

• Locate the ant nest. Pour some boiling water onto the ant hill and the surrounding area. You can also pour cornmeal on top of the ant hill. Ants cannot digest cornmeal, and so, they die after consuming it.

Along with trying these natural remedies, never forget to keep your house clean. Ants enter your house in search of food. So, always put grains and other food items in air tight containers. Keep the kitchen countertops and cabinets clean.

Wipe the kitchen countertops with a vinegar solution to deter ants, and keep the sink clean and dry. Vacuum and clean the kitchen floor regularly, and use strong garbage bags with close-fitting lids. Never forget to take out the trashes and garbage on a regular basis.

All these would go a long way in keeping your house free of ants and other pests like fruit flies. If all these measures fail to control an ant invasion, you can consider to take the help of professional pest control services.