Ants are among the most common pests that you can find in homes around the world. While they’re usually just a nuisance, some types of ants can cause damage to your property or even pose a health risk. Here are 10 proven DIY solutions to keep ants at bay and maintain a pest-free home.
Vinegar is a versatile household item that can also serve as an effective ant deterrent.
How to Use: Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the common ant trails and entry points. Ants dislike the smell of vinegar, and it disrupts their scent trails, making it hard for them to find their way back.
Cinnamon acts as a natural barrier for ants.
How to Use: Sprinkle ground cinnamon at entry points or create a line of cinnamon where you’ve seen ants. For a stronger solution, you can mix ½ teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil with a cup of water and spray it at the ants’ entry points and trails.
Boric acid is toxic to ants when ingested, while sugar attracts them.
How to Use: Mix 1 part boric acid with 3 parts sugar. Add enough water to create a syrupy paste. Place this paste on small pieces of cardboard and put them near ant trails. Ants will be attracted to the sugar and carry the boric acid back to their colony, killing it off over time.
Peppermint acts as a natural insect repellent that can effectively keep ants away.
How to Use: Mix 10 drops of peppermint essential oil with 1 cup of water. Spray this solution at entry points and known ant paths. Alternatively, cotton balls soaked in peppermint oil can be placed at these points.
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from fossilized aquatic organisms and is non-toxic to humans and pets.
How to Use: Sprinkle food-grade DE around the house, focusing on areas where ants are entering your home and where you’ve seen ant trails.
Ants dislike the smell of citrus. Using citrus peel can help disrupt ant trails and keep them away.
How to Use: Place fresh citrus peels (from oranges, lemons, etc.) near entry points or known ant paths.
Coffee grounds are an effective natural barrier for ants and also disrupt their scent trails.
How to Use: Sprinkle used coffee grounds around your house, focusing on entry points and ant trails.
The calcium carbonate in the chalk disrupts ants’ scent trails.
How to Use: Draw a line of chalk at the entry point or around the area that the ants are attracted to. You could even surround a sugar bait with a chalk circle, creating a barrier that the ants will be reluctant to cross.
Ants are attracted to cornmeal, but they can’t digest it, which makes it a useful ant deterrent.
How to Use: Sprinkle cornmeal in areas where you’ve seen ants. They’ll take it back to their colony, where it will not be able to be digested, eventually causing the colony to die off.
A blend of certain essential oils can act as a potent ant deterrent.
How to Use: Create a blend using 5 drops each of tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, and peppermint oil, mixed with 1 cup of water. Spray this blend on ant trails and entry points. The strong scents of these oils will disrupt ant trails and keep them at bay.
While these DIY remedies can be effective, they might not work for large infestations or certain types of ants. If you’re dealing with a major ant problem or a species of ant that’s difficult to control, consider reaching out to a professional pest control service for help. At Mosquito Mary’s, we specialize in comprehensive pest control solutions that are safe for your family and the environment.
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