Once an ant discovers a piece of food left out, it won’t take long before they invite their whole colony over to help lift it back or feast on the spot. Ants may be tiny but they come in huge groups, which can make it all the more difficult to completely eradicate them from your home. Not only can this be an inconvenience but ants may also carry traces of bacteria, which can be harmful to you and your family’s health.
To get you going on the right foot, we’ve compiled a list of natural ant-control home remedies that keep you and your loved ones safe. All the products used in these tips are non-toxic and are mostly things many households already stock up in their pantry.
Borax (Sodium Tetraborate)
Borax is a powdered product that is often used in cleaning or repelling insects, but they are also very efficient in getting rid of ants. To use it, you must wear safety gloves and mix ½ teaspoon of borax with 8tsp sugar and 1 cup of warm water. Stir this until all particles are dissolved then dip cotton balls into the mixture.
Place these cotton balls in areas where you frequently see ants and, once they ingest it, should cause ants to eventually die.
Ground Black Pepper
Speaking of scent, ants are quite sensitive to smell. Sprinkling black pepper or even cayenne pepper behind appliances and baseboards has been proven to deter them as they find these overwhelming.
Essential Oils
Essential oils such as peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, citronella, and cinnamon also have strong scents that irritate ants.
Mix 10 drops of your choice of essential oil with 2 cups of water, and then spray this around your home. Make sure to target their entry points such as windows, doors, and baseboards. What makes this tip more enjoyable is that your home smells like fresh essential oils all day!
However, if you have pets, essential oils can be harmful to their health when ingested. In this case, be sure to apply it only on surfaces your pets don’t have access to.
White Vinegar
If you are in charge of cleaning your home, you are well aware that white vinegar is a superstar cleaning agent. By mixing it with water in a 1:1 ratio and spraying it where ants pass, you can help deter them due to the smell. Don’t worry, the smell lingers on for them even when it has faded for humans!
Conclusion
If you have been looking for an affordable and natural ant control home remedy, try out any of the tips above to see which is most effective in your home. Ants can come from many sources, which can be difficult to manage. Should the ant infestation persist, don’t hesitate to call Rock Pest Control and we’ll send over a team of experts to sort it out for you!