31 Home Remedies to Ward-off Ants

Do you encounter ants very often in your kitchen, garden, bathroom or in other areas at your place? To lessen your exasperation as well as rescue you from those ants, we are here with some natural remedies. The main causes that attract ants include adequate shelter, high moisture levels, and food accessibility, particularly sugary foods. Several varieties of vegetation in your garden can also prove to be a major cause for ants’ infestation. These annoying creatures can intrude your house through roofs or decks that contain wet or rotted wood, exterior siding, step crevices, and doorway cracks. Here is a list of some amazing user-friendly home remedies which you can employ in your daily life.

1. Vinegar

This is one of the most highly efficient methods to get rid of ants. Mix classic vinegar or apple cider vinegar and water in equal quantities. Fill it in a spray bottle and sprinkle it on all the entry paths. Allow it to dry. The pungent smell of vinegar repels ants.

2. Table Salt

Table salt is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get rid of ants. Take boiled water and add some salt to it. Pour this salty water into a spray bottle and spread in those places where you generally find ants.

3. Black Pepper

Both black pepper as well as cayenne pepper works wonders in getting rid of ants. All you need to do is carry out a simple process; mix pepper in water and spray it on ants.

4. Soap

This is something which is used by everyone in their day-to-day life. The ingredients present in soap are harmful to ants as these components break down the pests’ exoskeleton in waxy layers, thus, causing dehydration. Mix soap along with water and spray the mixture in the entry points or where you generally see ants.

5. Lemon

Lemon is one of the most effectual fruits in shooing the ants out. Squeeze out some lemon juice and mix it with water. Then, spray it onto the ants infested areas.

6. Cucumber

Ants dislike the taste of cucumber. So, it will be very helpful for those who are extremely upset due to these tiny pests. Take a cucumber and slice it into a number of small pieces. Place these slices in ant-influenced areas.

7. Baby Powder

Sprinkle baby powder anywhere you spot ants. These pests abhor the fragrance present in talcum powder. Hence, the ants would stay away.

8. Cornmeal

Take some cornmeal and spread it all over the area where you notice ants. Ants cannot digest it and they will finally die.

9. Perfume

Get an exceptionally strong perfume. Soak cotton balls in the perfume and keep them in areas, where the ants appear frequently. Ants cannot tolerate strong smell; therefore, they will disappear from all those areas.

10. Garlic Cloves  or Cinnamon Sticks

Place garlic cloves or cinnamon sticks wherever you spot ants’ colony, for instance, by doors, in window tracks, and in corners around your house. Just unpeel a garlic clove and cut it into small pieces. Put them at various places where you see ants. Alternatively, you can place some cinnamon sticks around the storeroom for additional protection.

11. Boiling Water

It does sound cruel, but in comparison to pesticides, it is less vicious. For serious anthill troubles in your walkway or yard, pour boiling water directly over the anthills. They’ll die within seconds.

12. Homemade Ant Poison

Prepare natural and eco-friendly ant poison at your home. For this, cut an index card in two halves. Mix borax and corn syrup (or any other sticky sweetener) in 1:1 ratio. Place the prepared mixture onto the card using a spoon or your fingers. Put the index card in areas where you find ants, even on carpet.

13. Borax

Prepare a sugar solution by mixing water, sugar and borax. Spray the prepared mixture in closets, kitchen cabinets, corners, or anywhere else where you find ants. Its’ a very useful home remedy as it can be used to kill other small insects.

  • Alternatively, you can sprinkle a little borax directly over the areas where ants are present.
  • Take jelly and mix it with borax in equal amounts. Place this mixture in the areas where ants are likely to enter, but, at the same time, ensure that the children do not access those areas.

14. Duct Tape

This remedy will also enable you to save your trees and plants from ants. Simply wrap the tape around the trunk of the tree or plant with the sticky side facing on the outside. Gradually, it will glue all the ants, and as a consequence, either they will die or will not be able to move, and hence, become victims to other bugs.

15. Onion, Garlic, and Pepper Mix

Mix a crushed onion, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper, one garlic clove, and one quart of water. Let the mixture sit for about one hour. Thereafter, add liquid dish-washing soap and spray this homemade mixture wherever you find ants.

16. Grits

Take 1 tablespoon of grits and sprinkle it all over the ant mounds. The ants are forced to desert their mounds due to the powerful effect of grits.

17. Sugar-free “Equal”

Mix “equal” powder or tablets in apple juice and spray it onto the areas where ants stay. It acts as a neurotoxin to ants.

18. Glass Cleaner and Liquid Dishwashing Soap

Blend glass cleaner and liquid dishwashing soap in equal amounts and spray it on and around hillocks. Make sure that you don’t spray it on the surfaces that can be spoiled with the use of ammonia or soaps.

  • Or else, mix 1 teaspoon each of cooking oil (virgin olive oil) and dishwashing soap in 1 quart of water. Fill the liquid in a spray bottle. Sprinkle it on the ants.

19. Essential Oils

Yet another easy-to-use home remedy is the use of essential oils. Add about 10 drops of essential oil to one cup of water, and then spray this solution onto the areas where ants commonly enter from. You may use peppermint oil, lemon oil, eucalyptus oil, cedar oil, mint oil, or lavender oil.

20. Ant Powder

Mix chili powder, tartar cream, powdered cleanser, powdered chalk, cinnamon powder and talcum powder, and sprinkle it thoroughly in ant-affected sites.  The pungent smell of the mixture will keep the ants away.

21. Molasses Paste

This paste is prepared by mixing 1/3rd cup of molasses, 6 tablespoons of active and dry yeast, and 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Stir well until they become soft and adequately blended. Put the mixture in very small portions in areas where you commonly spot ants.

22. Cinnamon 

Sprinkle ground cinnamon onto the ant-intruded areas including the windowsills, doors, floors, etc. You may also use cinnamon oil.

23. Chalk  

Draw a line with the help of a chalk or sprinkle chalk powder to get rid of ants.

24. Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar 

Another simple home remedy to drive out ants is mix baking soda and powdered sugar in a plastic lid set. Sprinkle the prepared mixture on and around the mounds.

25. Boric Acid

Boric acid is a natural ingredient and works wonders against ants. Intake of boric acid is equivalent to poison for ants and they gradually die. It also damages exoskeletons of the ants.

26. Egg Shells

Crush some egg shells and place them around the doors, windowsills, or other ant-ridden areas.

27. Cream of Wheat 

Use the cream made out of wheat to thwart ants.

28. Coffee Grounds

Using coffee grounds at various entry points is an effective way to get rid of ants.

Note: Keep boric acid away from children and pets.

29. Diatomaceous Earth

This is one of the most effective insecticides that neither harms humans nor pets. It is comprised of fossilized diatoms that have been grounded into powdered form. As soon as insects walk over the powder, fossil ruins the waxy outer coating on their exoskeletons, and the ants die.

Note- Make sure you cover your face with a cloth or mask while spraying diatomaceous earth.

30. Herbs

  • Grow herbs like thyme, rosemary, lavender, sage, eucalyptus and basil in your backyard. They keep ants from crossing the threshold of your house.
  • Place dried or fresh leaves of tansy, chives, rosemary or parsley around windows, doors and in cupboards.
  • Dry the rhizomes of calamus and use it to fend off ants.
  • Fill a spray bottle with water and place thyme and oregano in it. Shake well. Use this herbal spray to prevent the entry of ants.

31. Mint

Used mint tea bags can prove to be an effective home remedy in driving away ants. Place these used tea bags at varied points where you think ants may enter.

  • Alternatively, take dried mint leaves and crush them into powdered form. Sprinkle the prepared powder at the entryways, doors, and garbage areas.
  • You can even plant mint trees like peppermint, catmint, and spearmint in your garden. The bitter smell of mint disturbs the smelling potential of ants, thus, they will not be able to sense the food source and will start searching somewhere else.

Do’s

  • Keep your home clean, particularly the kitchen.
  • Always cover the food with a lid.
  • If you squash ants using your fingers, then make sure you wash your hands afterwards to avoid that stinking smell.
  • Immediately clean food and liquid remains, specifically found beneath kitchen appliances.
  • If you have a pet at home, ensure that you always clean its food immediately after the pet has finished eating.
  • Make sure that all the bins are covered.
  • Remove garbage from the house more frequently, especially in spring and summer seasons.
  • Close holes, crevices or cracks from where ants enter inside.

Don’ts

  • Avoid leaving unclean dishes in the sink. Rinse them up after each and every meal.
  • Don’t leave your doorways or window open, as one ant attracts the other ants as well.
  • Avoid moisture to accommodate on counters as well as on other surfaces, as ants prefer to stay near water sources.