Killing Ants

As soon as spring comes around, one of the first things everyone wants to know is how to get rid of the ant/ants that have suddenly taken up residence in their home. Even worse yet, if there are pets and/or young children, you want to be able to use a natural cure so that no harm will come to anyone in the household.

All of the insecticides that you find in the store are toxic to both human and pets, so you want to find a home remedy that will take care of the ants but not harm anything else.

Home Remedies To Kill Ants:

Baby Powder:

Ants do not like baby powder, especially the scented kind. When you see ants coming in, sprinkle some on them. They will become upset and leave. Even after you stop sprinkling the baby powder; it will be some time before they will come back again.

Vinegar:

Fill a squirt bottle with plain white vinegar and squirt it in any area where you have seen ants and let it dry. You can also make a 50/50 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar and spray the surface with the solution several times a day. Since vinegar tends to alter the ants’ natural scent, they avoid it.

Cinnamon:

Sprinkle cinnamon in or around the site of the ant infestation and they will quickly leave.

Black Pepper:

Sprinkle black pepper where you see ants gathering, and you will see them leave immediately. In addition, sprinkle the pepper where they enter and leave and they will not return.

Windex And Ivory Soap:

Mix equal parts Windex and Ivory Soap and spray problem areas.

Shakley’s Basic H:

Fill a pint spray bottle with 1/3 Basic H and 2/3 water while mixing gently. Follow the trail of ants and spray a thin stream where they are entering. Also, spray any other areas where they may enter such as by doors, windows, etc. Do not put on painted surfaces as it will eventually cause bubbling.

Bay Leaves:

Place Bay Leaves on your counters and along the path where they enter. You can also put them in areas where you know they gather.

Comet / Chalk:

Draw lines with plain white chalk where they enter. In areas where children and animals can’t reach, you can sprinkle comet cleanser.

Simple Green:

Use straight from the bottle to kill ants that have enter. After they die, clean the area and spray with a solution of 10=15 drops peppermint essential oil in water. It is a small they don’t like, so they will not cross the area. Be careful if you are a cat owner because this solution can be dangerous for felines.

Mint:

Ants do not like mint, so if you plant it all around your house, especially near doorways, they will not bother you.

Cayenne Pepper:

Sprinkle a line a cayenne pepper where ants gather or enter. They will not usually cross the line.

Whole Cloves:

Place some whole cloves around the house in problem areas such as door jams, windowsills, and other places where ants might enter.

Not every home remedy is going to work for everyone or in every situation, but one of these natural remedies is sure to work for you so that you don’t have to use toxic chemicals to rid your home of ants.