Ants can be a nuisance in the garden, but they also help aerate soil on a small scale and pollinate plants. To repel them, saturate cotton balls with undiluted lemon eucalyptus oil and place near entry points into your home.
Borax is a common and effective ant killer. Some recipes call for a ratio of three parts sugar to one part borax, mixed with water to form a sticky bait.
Icing Sugar
While most people enjoy a few ants running across their patio or crawling into the kitchen, an infestation can cause some serious problems. For example, ants can ruin garden plants, eat through the bottom of pots and even contaminate food. So, it’s important to know a few ways to kill ants quickly and easily with household items.
Baking soda is a nontoxic and natural product that can be used to kill ants. It’s often compared to commercial insecticides and repellents since it’s both effective at killing them and safe for pets. Baking soda can be purchased at most grocery stores and is usually found in the baking aisle.
It works by interacting with the ant’s digestive system, causing excess carbon dioxide and resulting in their death. To use it, mix equal parts of sugar and boric acid (also known as boron powder) in a container that can be sealed and placed where you see ants traveling. Boric acid is available at most hardware and home improvement stores and can be found in the cleaning aisle. It can also be purchased online.
The ants will then take the mixture back to their colonies and spread it to other members of the colony, resulting in their death. The ants also rub the mixture on their bodies, which erodes their joints and causes them to die. You can place the mixture in areas where you’ve seen ants or around doors and windows where they might enter your home.
While this is one of the best ways to kill ants, it’s important to monitor the area regularly and replace the ant bait when needed. If you continue to see ants entering your house, you can also try other natural ant killers, such as diatomaceous earth, which is made from the fossilized remains of aquatic organisms and can be purchased at most grocery stores or online. You can also use a combination of a jar, a bit of water and borax to create an ant trap. The ants will be attracted to the sugar, but once inside the jar they will be poisoned by the borax and die.
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil is a prized essential oil for aromatherapy, but it can also surprise people with its insect-repelling powers. The oil contains a chemical called cineole, which is toxic to most insects, including ants. A few drops of lemon eucalyptus oil can quickly repel ants from your home, and it may even kill them if they come into direct contact with the oil.
You can find lemon eucalyptus oil in many natural health and beauty stores or online. The oil has a number of health benefits, such as strengthening the immune system, reducing fever, soothing inflammation, treating fungal infections, and improving digestive function. However, this oil should be used with caution when ingested and should not be applied to the skin in large amounts.
Lemon eucalyptus oil, which is often labeled as oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), is distilled from leaves and twigs of the tree Eucalyptus citriodora. This oil is a colorless liquid that has a fresh scent, which is similar to that of citrus trees. OLE is enriched with a chemical known as para-menthane-3,8-diol or PMD, which makes it effective at killing pests such as ants and mosquitoes.
Other essential oils that repel ants include cinnamon leaf and tea tree oil. Cinnamon leaf oil has a spicy scent that can irritate ants, making them choke and die. Use the oil as a substitute for store-bought ant sprays. Dilute the oil with water in a spray bottle, then apply it to areas where you see ants.
Similarly, tea tree oil has a strong fragrance that can kill ants. It also has antibacterial properties and can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Combine a few drops of the oil with equal parts of boric acid to create an effective, homemade ant poison. Make sure to keep this mixture away from pets and children, as boric acid can be harmful if ingested.
You can also use lemon and other citrus peels to create a natural ant repellent. The d-limonene in the fruit’s oil can kill ants and other insects that cross it, as well as destroy their nests.
Borax
Borax is a household staple that many people use to keep their homes clean and pest-free. It is also one of the most effective and affordable ways to kill ants on your homestead. In fact, it is so much cheaper than buying those little ant baits!
Sodium borate, commonly known as borax, is an alkaline mineral salt. It has a long history of use as both a natural disinfectant and an effective sanitizer. It also has many other uses around the home, from making kid-friendly slime to keeping plants and flowers healthy. You can even use it to make your own DIY laundry soap!
For ant control, borax works by interfering with the ants’ digestive systems. It disrupts the ants’ ability to absorb moisture and dehydrates their exoskeletons, eventually killing them. Borax is safe to use around children and pets when used as directed. However, it is important to follow proper safety guidelines and use the recommended amount of borax to avoid overuse or excessive exposure.
To get the most bang for your buck with borax, it is best to mix it with something that will attract ants and make them more likely to ingest it. Worker ants that discover borax will take it back to their colonies to share with their fellow ants. For this reason, it’s important to use the right ratio of borax to sugar or other sweetener.
For example, a ratio of three parts sugar to one part borax is effective at killing ants. Simply place the mixture in areas where you have seen ants, or near their entry points. You can also use borax to create a barrier in your garden to prevent ants from entering your crops. This is particularly useful if you are growing vegetables or fruit, as borax will dehydrate the ants and protect your harvest.
This method is an ant killer for indoors areas as well as indoors, depending on your needs and preferences. If you are worried about the environmental impact of borax, consult your local waste management authority for disposal guidelines.
Peanut Butter
Few house guests are more unwelcome than ants, their fat abdomens and wavy antennae scurrying through your kitchen with a mission to devour all the food you have set out for them. While there are a number of chemical pesticides to kill ants, many homeowners prefer to take a natural approach. A combination of peanut butter and boric acid can lure ants into traps, where they will consume the bait and carry it back to their colony, killing a number at once. The mixture also works well to rid the home of grease ants and pavement ants, according to the University of Nebraska Extension Service website.
A number of commercial ant baits are available, but you can make your own with simple ingredients you have around the house. Mix a generous dollop of smooth peanut butter with a teaspoon of borax and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Place the bait where you have seen ants entering your home. Keep in mind, however, that borax is toxic to pets if they ingest it. It also has a high toxicity level for children if they come into contact with it.
Another common household item that repels ants is pepper. Ground black pepper or cayenne pepper can be sprinkled on ant scent trails, helping to deter them. Another option is to saturate cotton balls with cinnamon oil and place them near ant entry points. Cinnamon is lethal to ants, who inhale it and suffocate.
Vinegar can be used to wipe counters and other surfaces, removing ant scent trails and discouraging the insects. It also can be diluted with water in a spray bottle and sprayed directly on ants to kill them or on entry points around the house to prevent ant invasions. Vinegar may damage granite, marble and other types of stone countertops, though, so avoid using it on these areas.
A number of essential oils can repel ants, including tea tree oil, lemon oil and cinnamon leaf oil. To use the latter, add five to 10 drops of the oil to a bottle of water and spray the area where you have seen ants. To use the oil indoors, saturate a cotton ball with the oil and place it where you see ants.