Ants in the home can be unsightly and annoying, and if left unchecked it could lead to an infestation that might require expert intervention. Where there is one ant, there are often thousands more.
When you do identify an ant problem, you should act fast and begin the process of eliminating them before the issue escalates. There are a number of natural ways to get rid of ants in the home, some of these methods require products or solutions that you already have in your kitchen cupboard.
Here are some natural remedies to help you get rid of ants in your home effectively and naturally.
Pepper
Pepper is an ants worst enemy,they can’t stand the scent of pepper and when you sprinkle red or black pepper near baseboards, in the corners of your rooms and behind appliances, this often deters ants from entering your home.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a natural insecticide, the best way of using peppermint to eradicate ants is to use peppermint essential oil. Combine about 15 drops of peppermint essential oil with about two cups of water. Use a spray bottle to make it easier to use, apply the mixture in the areas where the ants often congregate.
Caution: Although peppermint is generally safe for humans, it is not safe for certain pets such as cats who are often allergic to it.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is another effective remedy for eliminating ants in the home.It is a powerful insect repellant and it kills them too. Add approximately eight drops of neat tea tree oil to two cups of water. Again use a spray bottle to make it easier to disperse, spray the areas where the ants usually hang out.
Although tea tree oil is a very powerful insect repellant, it might not work effectively if you don’t act fast enough. If you want to know how to get rid of ants permanently, you might have to call a professional ant exterminator.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is a simple solution for eliminating ants in the home. White vinegar is best but the brown variety also works well. An effective way of preventing ants is to clean your surfaces with a vinegar and water mixture.
Using a spray bottle make a 50/50 water and vinegar mixture and use this to clean your kitchen surfaces, your tables, baseboards and other areas where you might find ants.
Boiling Water
The cheapest and easiest way of getting rid of ants is to pour boiling water on the ant site. This won’t get rid of all the ants within the colony therefore, you would need to pour boiling water in all the ant sites around the house.
Coffee
Coffee works effectively when you brew the grounds first. Once your coffee grounds are brewed, sprinkle them on to small pieces of cardboard and place them where you would normally find ants.
Remember that coffee grounds work best when they are wet therefore, you would need to change them daily or every other day.
Boric Acid
Boric acid is a well known and very powerful ant killer. You might want to try the other natural remedies before you use boric acid though.
Caution: Boric acid should be kept away from small children and from domestic animals.
Here is the best way of eliminating ants with boric acid.
- Create a mixture using ½ a tsp of boric acid, 6-8 teaspoons of sugar and ¾ to 1 cup of lukewarm water.
- Make sure all sugar and boric acid has dissolved
- Soak cotton balls in the boric acid and sugar mixture
- Place the cotton balls around the home where ants usually congregate.
Store Your Food Properly
One of the best ways of preventing ants from entering your home is to be prepared. Storing your food properly is the most effective way of doing this. It is no secret that ants like food, especially sweet food. Store sugar, oatmeal, flour and cereals in airtight containers to reduce the possibility of ants entering your home.
Cleaning up mess when it’s made is also vital, make sure you are cleaning underneath your appliances, in the corners, behind and under the couch. Also, clean garbage cans and avoid leaving garbage exposed in the kitchen. Thoroughly clean the dining area and areas where your pets eat their food.
Use the vinegar and water mixture to clean surfaces and corners. Also, use strong disinfectant to mop your floors daily or every other day.
These simple home remedies should kill or prevent ants from entering your home. Remember, if all else fails, you might need to call in the experts to tackle a serious ant invasion in your home.
