Home Remedy to Get Rid of Ants
93You Can Get Rid of Ants Naturally
How Do I Get Rid of Ants Indoors?
I have dealt with the dreaded ant problem several times before. Before learning how to get rid of ants, we had one particular summer where I literally vacuumed up the trail of ants that formed in my kitchen every morning. Since we have both children and indoor pets, hiring an exterminator or using harmful chemicals or pesticides to eliminate ants wasn't a viable option for us.
How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Home
After much trial and error, here are the most effective ways that I have used to get rid of ants inside without using dangerous pesticides. Try all of these ways to get rid of ants until you hit on a winner. For some reason, different methods and ingredients are more effective at different times when trying to eliminate ants. I am assuming it depends on the type of ant that has invaded.
How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
Diatomaceous earth is a great home remedy to get rid of ants. Simply sprinkle lines of it in areas where ants are seen and where they enter your home. This is one of the best ways to get rid of ants that I have used. Be certain to get the right type of diatomaceous earth, however. The kind used for pools and such is harmful to kids and pets. You should be able to find diatomaceous earth at a garden center or nursery. Ask if you are uncertain about the type you are buying.
Baby powder sprinkled in areas where ants invade is also supposed to get rid of ants. I haven't used this method personally, as baby powder contains talcum which is supposed to be a carcinogen when inhaled or ingested. (Ironic, isn't it?)
Use Lemons to Get Rid of Ants
A lemon juice mixture also works surprisingly well. I can't remember where I learned this home remedy to get rid of ants, but mix up about half lemon juice and half water. Put this in a spray bottle and spray everywhere ants are seen and anywhere they can enter. This includes spraying around the outside of the house. Works wonders if you want to eliminate ants!
Kill Ants With Grits!
Believe it or not, quick grits will help eliminate ants in your home. Just sprinkle them dry anywhere ants have been seen. Once the ants have ingested them, they expand and kill the ants. This is also an effective way to kill ants outside. Just sprinkle the instant grits all around any ant hills.
More Home Remedies to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
Cayenne pepper, cinnamon, black pepper, and peppermint oil all help get rid of ants. To use this method, be sure that a line of the spice or oil is long enough that the ants can't simply go around it to enter your home. If you have toddlers, this method for getting rid of ants isn't recommended for obvious reasons. Pets usually steer clear of these ant killers.
Best Home Remedy to Get Rid of Ants
Many people swear by boric acid mixed with anything sweet to get rid of ants. The mixture ratio should be 2 parts sweet substance to 1 part boric acid. It is supposed to be a very effective way to eliminate ants. I didn't use this method because boric acid can be harmful if inhaled and I have a dog with breathing problems already. Its toxicity is supposed to be very low, though.
Are There Any Home Remedies to Get Rid of Ants Outside?
If outdoor ants and ant hills are a problem, try pouring boiling hot water straight onto the ant hills. Be careful not to burn yourself, as the hot water will splash. You may have to repeat this a few times to kill ants and get rid of them, but it usually causes ants to find more hospitable environments.
Also try the grits and lemon juice mixture methods mentioned above to get rid of ants outside.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Ants
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Other Ways to Get Rid of Ants
If you don't mind commercial ant killers, I've heard many recommendations from friends and family for Terro ant baits. I have been told that Terro baits will get rid of ants in less than a week. I believe that the active ingredient is boric acid. They are also supposed to be safe to use around pets.
Of course, if you want to get rid of ants forever, find out where those suckers are entering and seal it up with caulking. No more ant problem!
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How to Get Rid of Ants Without Toxic Chemicals CommentsLoading...
Hi Angela lets try some of these methods although I hate kiling insects unfortunately they can take over.
thank you Diana
I could have made a request for this hub. We have lots of ants here both outside and inside our house and we never used chemicals because of our daughter and our cat. I´m going to try the lemon juice mixture and see if it works ;) . Thanks for this great hub.
Very sound advice here, I just moved and the back lawn has an overabundance of ants so i was getting ready to reduce their numbers, your hub helped, thanks.
Wow, exploding ants! The lemon juice is what I would choose to keep them out. Otherwise, I think black ants are cute and they help open up the peony blooms. I don't like the red biting ants I sat in as a child though! Ouch!
now u tell me........
i needed to know this years ago already !
thanx ! at least i now have an armoury when the next army comes marching in.......
Last I had a huge ant mound abutting my home. These were fire ants! After several failed attempts to get rid of it, I took a broom handle and poked deep holes into it.
Then I poured hot water made with a hot pepper tincture I'd made 10 years before. The big ant mound and the ants were so devastated that it went flat with the next good rain. It's still empty of ants a year later!
To make a tincture just fill a blender with hot peppers and add vodka 2/3's the way up. Run the blender for 30 to 60 seconds. That's it!
The best to you.
Kelley Eidem
Hi Angela,
I have a yard made up mostly of ants! Drives me nuts!. Thanks for the ideas. I'll certainly try the lemon juice one and also Kelley's blasting hot pepper and vodka concoction.
Say Kelley, did you ever drink that stuff?
I really am thankful fo ryou ant-ridding ideas and will definitely try a few methods.
Cheers,
Deborah Marsden
used coffee grounds work also. Tried and tested :)
I hate killing insects except ants. you can find them everywhere and their bite hurts.
very good one
I've had problems with ants at just about every place I've lived.... except where I live now!!! :)
Thanks for an informative hub anyway. I will bookmark it for the next time I move!
Just sprinkle some salt across their path and the ants won't cross it. I've also heard that a chalk line will work as well.
The bug guy told me to put windex down, ants make trails when you use windex it erases the trail and it helps to get rid them, not 100% but there lost without the trail.
Another on is DE for swimming pools, don't use this if you have pets or kids though. The ants get caught in it and can't move.
Intresting points! I must add that Windex does a great job of killing ants and cleans well too!
Here in FL there can be a few problms though with killing ants outside as they don't seem to want to die. There are some good outdoor sprays that will do it but one has to remember to do it on a regular basis.
Another note is that fire ants can live in water for 2 weeks. Just ask me. Yuk!
All this ant stuff is easy to find on the web - because ants are a common problem. I'll second that hint about Windex - it's the best bet and the easiest since most people already have it in their home. I use a half and half vinegar/water solution for cleaning and ants hate that. It works as well.
I tried the black pepper and that worked as well
Windex or 409 kill them on contact - had ants in my old apartment and for sure works!
ant seeason is coming up , thanks for the tips, although some of the suggestions sound almost tasty
I hate to be the one to say it, but in the long run most of these won't work. You're best bet is to get yourself a good pest control company.
Very good hub! I live in South Carolina and we have fire ants bad. We have tried every thing to get rid of these irritation pest. I will try some of your ideas and see if they work. Thanks
Lots of great ideas here. I will pass them along to my sister who has an ant problem every year. Thanks!
cayenne pepper works
Thank you bunches, this was a lotttt of help.
Also, YEAST can help with ants, it has the same effect as the grits.
=]
They may be one of the smallest creatures on earth but their bite has no size. Thank you for the extermination tips.
Hi Angela,
Thanks! That is indeed useful. I have a lot of ants in my house. I will definitely try these methods and hopefully at least one of them will work.
Good Hub, but I did find the "grits thing" kind of disturbing - and that's coming from someone who thinks there is no such thing as a Summer without at a few ant parades near the kitchen door.
I always have a huge problem with ants coming in this one particular window in my kitchen. Since it is my kitchen I am reluctant to spray those chemicals that you can buy to get rid of ants. I will try your home remedies first this year.
I have to say that the boiling water method is a very satisfying way of killing a bunch of 'em.
I always use boric acid!
I had a jar of honey in my cupboard. We went on vacation and when we came back, there was a trail of medium sized black ants in a long trail on the wall, in the direction of where the honey was. I killed them all rather quickly with a shot of windex. Then I emptied out the cupboard and scrubbed it out, including the kitchen walls and floor. I now seal most everything inside zip lock bags. I put the honey in the fridge. I don't have room to put everything in the fridge so things like flour, I put on the highest shelf and store it in a zip lock bag.
I also use powered dishwasher detergent and combine with a little boric acid. I sprinkle that along the opening to my kitchen door inside and also the front door. It really helps alot and particularly with the small sweet and grease loving ants. I get a straggler black ant occasionally so I use an antibacterial spray cleaner or windex to spot shot them. Very important - vacuum rugs and floors as often as you can and keep floors and cupboards as clean as possible. That will help alot in keeping ants away. You may get a straggler now and then, but only because worker ants are roamers and happen to end up in your house. It would be a good idea to see if you have alot of ant activity around the outside of your house, which is a problem for many. You'll have to check what kind of ants you have and deal with them accordingly. Carpenter ants are not as easy to get rid of, unfortunately, but they tend to stay outside mostly.
Use cinnamon, it also is impossible for them to digest, and they will carry it back to their colony and will administer it to the others...It has worked for me so far, and I have been over run by them for the past 2 months.
We don't have them indoors (knock on wood) but there are mini ant hills all over my driveway (cracks) and side garden. I'm going to try that lemon spray.
Thie year has been one of the worst for ants around my house, and my neice drop by an mention windex and I started spraying and it has worked. Not all gone yet but I do see its working.
I recently started getting ants in the house- I guess because of rain- so I am trying the lemon juice- thanks for the advice!
we get ants year round but everytime our neighbor next door waters the grass all the ants come into our house its ridiculous so i'll try the lemon juice and grits test to see if it works indoors and outside because I have 2 cats and i'm sick of spending so much money on bug sprays and traps.
What do you do when you think there is a nest of ants somewhere in the house? Will any of these remedies used in the kitchen on their trail do anything to get rid of the nest? HELP!!! I have pets and don't want to use anything that will be harmful to them..plus, to myself and my husband.
Thanks for the tips i'll try the lemon juice. and as for the windex yes it dose kill them right away. but i have ones that keep getting all over my counters and i cant stand it i've sprayed the windex and it kills them but they keep comming back. So the windex might work to kill them but only for a little while.
I had no idea talcum is a carcinogen when inhaled or ingested!!! That's really scary!! I'm using the grit idea this summer. I've had problems with ant traps and my dogs in the past. Excellent hub, thanks so much for the information!!
Great hub. I know ants are just another little creature but when they invade your home, they're a real menace.
I have also heard that peppermint extract works. Just put it in a spray bottle and spray where the ants are. I heard they do not like the smell thus avoiding the area.
I have eaten a lot of grits and it never bothered me. LOL However, I have an ant infestation and I can hardly wait to try this out.
I AM A NECK BREATHER AND I AM SCAREED THE ANTS THAT ARE IN EVERY ROOM IN MY APT . ARE GOING TO GET INSIDE THE HOLE IN MY NECK AND HAVE A NEST OF ANTS. I TRIED EVERYTHING I CAN THINK OF AND THESE ANTS KEEP COMING IN . I CAN'T FIND THE WHERE ABOUTS THEY ARE COMING IN FROM AS WELL.... THEY ARE JUST EVERYWHERE AND I AM AT MY WITS ENDS. I CAN NOT HAVE THE CIMICALS IN MY HOME BECAUSE OF THE ODER FOR THE SMELL FOR MY NECK IS WHERE IO BEREATH FROM AND CAN'T HOLD MY BREATH LIKE YOU CAN.
talc powder works smells nice to.
hi this is anil from Taveuni in Fiji Island, great to know of the ways to kill ant. They are a real problem for me at the moment after the hurricane tomas
Great hub, but The ants have nest and if you can't get rid of that they will always come back.
I can't wait to try some of these. The windex sounds the easiest and safest around my dog and cat. I have used cinnamon and it does work but looks like heck all over the bottom of my cupboards and floor. I also heard to draw a big chalk line around my cat and dog's dish, it actually worked for me. Got any chalk, I'm out
Dear Angela: I just want you to know that after reading your webpage about eliminating ants; your remededy of using lemon juice and water worked phenomenally well on the ant infestion I have in my home. At the age of 51; I have been an extremely frugal person all of my adult life, and your home remedy has given me enormous piece of mind financially, as well as eradicating a problem I've had in my home since early spring just as efficiently as commercial pest control. Your help was a godsend to me!! Keep up your great work and thank you dearly!!
I've heard that cinnimon is very deadly to cats. So cat owners beware when using this remedy inside the house.
I've dealt with fire ants in Texas. For the mounds, start a war. Take a shovel-full of ant mound from two separate mounds and switch them. Try to get 1/2 of each mound for an equal battle, and a more complete kill percentage. The farther apart from each other the more successful you'll be. The ants will be in all-out war with the 'invaders', and in about an hour, almost every ant in both mounds will be dead.
For those places where there are ants roaming everywhere in your yard, sprinkle a thin layer of wood ash all over the yard, and they'll all pack up and move...to your neighbor's yard, so don't let your neighbor see you sprinkle the ashes.
ants do not have the ability to eat solid foods, so it is a bit hard for them to be abler to eat grits then explode...plenty of university studies on the subject can be found on the web...don't waste your food products..
vwracrq, when you say wood ash, do you mean the left over ash that one might find in their fire place?
GOLD BOND!!! SEEMS TO WORK:)
I use Baking soda inside my house for the little ants that get into my pets food bowls. I pour it along the wall and leave it there foe a few days. Have you seen how backing soda bubbles up when wet. Its a cheap way to go and I red this on baking soda remedies.
I'm hoping some of these methods work.. I've got ants invading my house from all angles. I swear these little bastards can dig through concrete!
I've got them coming in everywhere from the ground floor all the way up to the roof.. yes, I have armies of them coming in through my ceiling!
Anyway.. thanks for the info and hopefully some of these methods work.
Good luck, Chris. You could also try Windex to kill ants. Many have mentioned that it works for them.
Thanks for all these tip I can't wait to try them out and MS thanks for the cat related concern I have 2 and wouldn't want to use what's harmful to them or they may want to try we have ant traps pot right now and the cats just stare t the crowed if ants all annoyed because the cone where their food dish usually is
im off to boil the kettle
I tried rock salt and no more ants marching into my bedroom.
Originally I used white vinegar oil and water and put it all over my countertops, sink and floor in my kitchen. When that didn't work, I read on this site and a couple of others to use windex. I sprayed a layer of windex all over my kitchen counter top and in the areas of where I thought the ants might come in. I came home from work that night and they were gone. I also bleached my countertops, floor, and ran my dishwasher with bleach. The ants seem to have gone away. I also set up raid ant traps as a precaution and sprayed the foundation of my house with an insect repellent.
I just need something that will help me get rid of them unharmfully to my kids and my cats. they sure are a menace. i don't want them biting my kids. Thank you for all your tips.
USED COFFEE GROUNDS put into part of my garden as an amendment... nothing grows there anymore... not even weeds.
hi i used 2 gallons of JAVEX BLEACH on ant nest and gor rid of the little suckers it is cheap redeamdie but i am going to try some of the ideas i got off hear thanks to all of you
Baloney! Ants don't eat whole foods, grits won't work... not at all.
every body use a lemon and sqeez it in a spray bottle and spray it where u see the ants it works really good !
Ok - came home from out of town to find ants in our bedroom, bathroom, living room and son's room - where we don't eat........but not in the kitchen or dining room (or the baby's room thankfully)....even in my bed! tried the vinegar/water mix on my bed - thought it worked, but woke up to ants in bed and bugbites.....and myself smelling like vinegar! yuck!!
Thanks for all these suggestion. I am going to try and if it works I will let you know. I consider myself leaving with ants and not ants leaving with me. I have tried a lot of chemical and it just does not seems to work. I have so much ants in my house that I am tired of cleaning morning afternoon and evening. Hope to the Lord that one of these home remedies work because I am ready to move out of my home because of ants.
Thank you for the suggestions. Just came to my parents house, and noticed quite the army of them crawling around in the kitchen and living room. Windex worked to kill them, but I had to place some of those "toxic foods" that they take back to their nest around in areas where my Cat cant get them. But knowing her, she wont eat that "low quality" food, hah. Will ask around and see what else I can come up with as well (will try today to go hunting for their nests).
Has anyone had any experience with successfully stopping ants in their bedrooms -- Anna K's experiment is a no go. I've woken up with bites and last night found one on my face and later on, another one on my pillow. I have alot of allergies, so I have to be careful. Has anyone used peppermint with any success? Thank you for your help!!
Great insights of getting rid of ants. Useful and voted up!
I am having a horrible problem with big black ants..I guess they are carpenter ants. We have never had them before in 20 years!!! The people next door knocked down their house and put up a new one..ever since..we have these ants..we put traps around..they are still here!! They are everywhere..kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, upstairs!!! We live in a 2 story house with a crawl space across from a lake. We have many pets and kids...any suggestions!! it is horrible...YUCK!!!
Vinegar kills ants too...tried and definitely works
I am anxious to try these remedies. I used to line my cabinets and the back side of my counters with plain white chalk. The ants won't cross the lines because they do not like lime which is what chalk is made out of.
The best thing ever is lemon juice!!! Trust me! I tried everything else! Windex, 409.. etc. None of those work when you have a huge ant problem. It just stuns them for awhile. Here's what I did that completely eliminated the ants. I mixed 3/4 of a cup of freshly squeezed lemons with 1/4 of a cup of water in a spray bottle. I sprayed it and left it on my kitchen counters and cracks in the kitchen where the ants were coming through for 2 days, and then wiped it all down. It worked like a charm! The counters might be just a little sticky for 2 days, but hey, if it gets rid of the ants and it's safe to ingest and inhale, then I'm all for it! ;) I haven't had any ants in my kitchen since. It's been 4 days now since I sprayed. The lemon destroys their scent trail. Try it! You won't regret it! =)
Yesterday I saw ants around my dogs food bowl. I sprinkled cinnamon where their path was... and poured cayenne pepper at their entrance.. as I was cleaning around where my dogs bowl was she's old and makes messes.. I was using mr. clean diluted with water (lemon) in a spray bottle.. killed the little stinkers on contact. so now when I see stragglers I spray with my mr. clean.. so far so good.. and they had some good communication going on there was plenty of them at first.lol
I have had ants coming in mainly the kitchen, but they started to come into my bedroom. They're tiny ants, which really have a horrible stench to them when killed. I tried this product called 'Ant Rid' which smells like honey. Bah. Didn't work one bit, the ants didn't go near it. So I have tried the lemon one, only I didn't put it in a spray, I used it and wiped down everything in my room with the solution. Here's hoping it works. If not, I will try some of the other remedies in this site. :)
Very cool ideas. I like having more than only one or two suggestions. That way, I have backup and then a backup for my backup. We don't use chemicals in our home either.
I am going to try the lemon and water mixture on my counter tops. However, they have also been in my bedroom; I will try the talc on my bed since it can be easily dusted off. Thanks a mil for the tips!
Thanks for all these tips! In the sudden hot weather and rain we have been getting ant trails. Not even in the kitchen but in our bathroom and study. I also think mowing the lawn may have stirred them up. I have tried the baits and ant sand before. Ant sand works ok. I think I will try the lemon juice as it is most popular. We have a cat and I dont want to keep using fly spray and chemicals. My husband also has asthma. I have also read somewhere that instead of killing them just put pots of honey or sugar outside to keep them out rather than kill them. I think I will use multiple different things as Im sick of cleaning them up!
there a few good tipser in here i went bought some talccum or babay powder goin to try it and all the other remedys i hav never thought of tryin it the 1st i seen baby powder so i am try it now an ihave all the other stuff to windex cinnimon cyan blk pepper i dont know which one werkz i have tiny tiny black ants then those big one then i have blk red ant there not in the kitchen just in the livingroom so i find it werid there i thought tha bee in the kitchen area nope just in the livingroom so i hope one of the remedy will werk:}
i have tried everything, our whole neighborhood was built on an ant hill, so after reading everything i could and trying everything i could - i tried baby powder, worked like a charm, it is the best thing i have tried....
hey thanks people for the tips i just noticed the little black ants in the kitchen and living room and also kitchen but today when i first noticed the ants in my bed room there was only a few than i left for the day i came back to find like 30 ants on my sheets i tried to use this ant spray but it did not work but i tried the baby powder then some gold bond seems to work...so far
hey thanks people for the tips i just noticed the little black ants in the kitchen and living room and also kitchen but today when i first noticed the ants in my bed room there was only a few than i left for the day i came back to find like 30 ants on my sheets i tried to use this ant spray but it did not work but i tried the baby powder then some gold bond seems to work...so far
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hey listen....all that shit don't work. I tried it all, every single idea on the web. The small red ants never will be rid of.
I'm going to try some of these remedies thanks alot because i've had problems with ants for awhile now and dont want to use them nasty smelling sprays kills my sinuses.... thanks
John Chancellor 3 years ago
I am not sure the ants are really particular about the way they are exterminated ... but I can just picture the ants eating the grits and then having an internal expansion they can't handle.