Even though they seem innocuous, house ants may be a major pain in your home and garden. We can easily picture how annoying it would be to have ants running around. Furthermore, if left unchecked, these little creatures can inflict significant harm.
There are always numerous ants swarming. An ant may easily penetrate a residence and swiftly increase in number if they locate a food supply. So, where one ant is apparent, there are literally thousands more around.
Therefore, understanding the best means of preventing their spread is essential to eliminate them.
Nevertheless, there are numerous approaches to avoiding ants. Of course, the ones with strong chemicals to kill these creatures are the most effective. But chemical ant repellents can injure humans in addition to killing ants
So, in this post, we have only discussed natural ant control methods and ant repellents you can find in your kitchen.
Is Ant Infestation Harmful to Humans?
Before moving on to ant-repelling techniques, let’s first examine if ants are detrimental to humans.
Ants can be regarded as the most annoying pest out there. While house ants are generally not considered dangerous, several ant species can destroy your home and belongings. So the next time a line of ants crosses your hallway, you should be aware of the possible harm these tiny insects may cause.
- Health Risk
Ants can sting and cause allergies. The bites of house ants can be painful and uncomfortable, but they are typically not fatal. However, the bite of some ant species, such as the Harvester Ant, Pharaoh Ant, Fire Ant, etc., is highly potent. Moreover, in addition to the sting, they can cause major skin allergies and other health problems, including nausea, chest pain, dizziness, etc.
- Damage to the Garden
An ant infestation can be a big pain if you have a garden. Ants can destroy plants in the yard by nesting in their stems, leaves, and roots. Ants can also nibble away at fruit and grass seeds, make trenches in the soil, stop water flow, etc. So, whenever you see anthills in your yard, you should get armored with the best ant repellents out there.
- Home Damage
Did you know Carpenter Ants can cause havoc to your house? This ant species can seriously harm your property, resulting in expensive repairs. In addition, because they prefer to dig through wood, carpenter ants hollow out wooden buildings from the inside. Therefore, hiring a pest control team is crucial as soon as you suspect a carpenter ant infestation.
- Toxic to Pets
Certain ant species like Fire ants can harm pets like dogs, cats, etc. the stings of these ants are literally fiery! Keeping your pets away from their anthills is, therefore, always advised. Consult your veterinarian if your pet has got a lot of stings. Additionally, implement a powerful ant-repelling strategy or hire a pest control service as soon as you notice the ant invasion.
Can Ants be Controlled Naturally?
The most effective ant repellents are chemical ones; however, if you dislike pesticides, you can use natural methods instead. Natural ant repellents typically use aromas and odors that ants find repulsive, which deters them from making your property their home.
Always remember, though, that natural ant repellents might not be as effective as chemical ones. Additionally, these techniques could take a while to stop ant invasions. However, by utilizing natural ways, you can progressively entice ants away from your home with time and care.
12 Top Natural Ant Killers that Will Keep Ants at Bay
Let’s get to the crux of this post: how to prevent ants naturally. Professional ant extermination solutions are expensive, and chemical treatments frequently cause adverse effects. Therefore, the following natural measures may be effective if the invasion is not widespread. The best part is that your kitchen has all the necessary ingredients.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is the first element on our list. White vinegar and water mixed 50/50 can be a powerful deterrent for ants in your home. This combination should be poured into a spray bottle and used on counters, cabinets, and other areas with an ant infestation.
A damp towel should be used to wipe the dead ants after using this spray directly on them. This combination can be applied repeatedly to help deter ants. Vinegar repels ants and gets rid of the scent trails they leave behind when they move about.
Tip: For natural stone surfaces, vinegar could be too abrasive. Therefore, avoid using vinegar on your countertop, which is made of granite, marble, quartz, or any other natural stone. Instead, clean those areas with any common spray cleaner.
2. Liquid Detergent
The liquid detergent mix is one of our favorite and most reliable natural ant-repelling ingredients. First, one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, one and a half teaspoons of your preferred cooking oil, and one quart of water should be combined.
Next, pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Voila! You are now armed with a potent ant repellent. Next, spray the mixture where ants appear to enter your house or cluster. This liquid detergent mix can effectively remove the perfumed pheromone trail that ants leave behind and use to re-enter your home.
Note: You can substitute any glass cleaner if liquid detergent is unavailable. It will work just fine to eliminate the ant pheromone scent.
3. Red Pepper
Let us tell you that the smell of red or cayenne pepper is abhorrent to ants. Pepper also confuses ants by interfering with their signals for communication. Ant signals are also essential for ants to find their colonies; otherwise, they will become lost and perish.
As a result, you can spray red or cayenne pepper close to ant colonies to prevent ants from getting to their nests and settling on your property.
An option is to combine some water and ground black pepper, then sprinkle the mixture in the ant-infested areas. The ants will cease entering your home after a few applications. The good news is that while the pepper mixture will keep the ants away, it won’t actually kill them.
4. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil has more than one good use. This essential oil is not only good for our skin but also for luring out ants from our homes. Add a few drops to two glasses of water. Pour the mixture into a clean, white spray bottle after giving the two ingredients a good shake to combine.
Wherever you frequently find ants in the house, spray the mixture there. Another option is to soak onion balls in this mixture and scatter them over your property where ant trails are visible.
Note: Keep this mixture away from your pet and check it does not lick it.
5. Peppermint
Peppermint is known for being a natural insect repeller. So, you can either use peppermint essential oil or grow peppermint plants in planters and keep them close to the area where ants are a problem.
The smell of peppermint repulses ants. However, if you cannot grow peppermint plants, you can wipe problematic areas with a cotton ball dipped in a few drops of peppermint essential oil. Additionally, you can store cotton balls soaked with peppermint oil in closets and cupboards suspected to be ant nests.
6. Chalk
You can create a line with chalk in front of the area where the ants are accessing your home, albeit this is not a completely foolproof method that ensures ant repellent. Since ants dislike the calcium carbonate found in chalks, it is thought that they won’t cross the line.
It is also claimed that the chalk line obstructs their smell trails, preventing them from crossing it. Whatever the cause, you should definitely give it a shot. After all, this method won’t harm anybody even if it does not work full-fledged.
7. Coffee Ground
This homemade hack is all over the internet. Additionally, it works well to drive ants away from your property. All you have to do is scatter some used coffee grounds about your house’s exterior, around the anthills, and in the garden.
Ants dislike coffee grounds because they detest the smell that coffee produces. You should know that although coffee grounds may deter ants, coffee does not truly kill them. As a result, ants might always return and begin their campaign to infiltrate your space.
8. Lemon Peel
Even though we are discussing lemon peels, you should remember that ants detest the smell of any strong citrus fruits. So, try using lemon peels, orange, lime, or even cucumber peels to ward off ants. Spread the peels around the ants’ entrances and watch the magic happen.
Alternatively, you might combine the ground peels with water and mist the area where you think there may be ants. It is a harmless natural method of keeping out ants.
If you don’t have access to real citrus fruit peel, you can utilize cleaners with citrus scents, particularly in your kitchen. However, avoid cleaning products with artificial scents and instead choose those with genuine citrus oils.
9. Cinnamon
Ants dislike the strong aroma that cinnamon emits. Therefore, scatter the regions where ants enter your home with cinnamon dust or pieces. However, using this technique will deter ants rather than kill them. Therefore, if you want cinnamon to continue to be effective at luring ants out, you may need to keep using it.
10. Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is sand created from the fossilized shells of tiny marine creatures called diatoms. It is fit to be used in and around your house. But always remember to use food-graded diatomaceous earth instead of non-food graded, as it is safer, especially for your pets.
In regions where there are ants, scatter the sand. By absorbing the oil from the ants’ outer skin, this sand kills them by dehydrating them.
Continue using this technique over the coming days or weeks until all ants are gone.
11. Sugar and Borax Paste
Sugar and borax paste is a lethal combination for ants. They cannot resist sugar, and borax serves as a slow-acting toxin for them. Combine these two components, then scatter the mixture near any anthills or locations where you typically see ants.
The ants will eat the concoction because of the sugar’s presence and bring it back to their colony for the queen ant and the rest of the populace. They all will eventually pass away as a result of this consuming it.
Note: Make sure to keep this mixture away from any young children or pets in your home. Despite being natural, it is nevertheless poisonous.
12. Insect Repelling Plants
Nothing could be better if you have a yard or other space where you can cultivate plants that repel insects. These plants will add some green to your property and serve as great companion plants to keep ants and other pesky pests out of the rest of the house and your vegetation. So, the following list of plants can effectively ward off ants.
- Catnip
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Mint
- Eucalyptus
- Lavender, etc.
Natural Ways to Prevent Ant Infestations
There is an adage that “prevention is better than cure.” This is valid in terms of preventing ants from entering your property. Remember that preventing ants in your home will always be less expensive than treating them.
Therefore, the preventive actions listed below are simple to implement and will ensure that your home is free of pests and ant infestations.
- Keep your home tidy.
- Regular garbage can disposal
- Clean your garbage can thoroughly after disposing of the trash.
- To maintain your yard tidy and in good condition, mow it.
- Keep your food in tightly-sealed containers to prevent ants from getting to it.
- Avoid spilling juice or anything else sweet that can lure ants.
- Seal any gaps or cracks around your home.
- Utilize a vacuum to clean your home.
- Plant companion plants in your yard that will keep pests away.
- Aphids should be avoided because they produce honeydew that draws ants.
- Even if you only notice a few ants on your property, use the natural remedies mentioned above.
FAQs
For a quicker result, you can use citrus peels or vinegar mixture around the areas affected by ants. For other methods, you can refer to the blog above.
There are several efficient homemade ant repellents. We have already mentioned them in the post above. You can refer to them to learn in detail. Yet, for your reference, here is a short list for you.
• Coffee ground
• White vinegar
• Citrus fruit peels
• Chalk
• Sugar-borax mix, etc.
We understand that killing ants sound inhuman. So, if you just want to keep them at bay, you can adopt the following methods.
• Use chalk to create a barrier line
• Plant insect-repelling plants in the yard
• Scatter lemon or other citrus fruit peels
• Sprinkle coffee ground
• Spray peppermint oil
• Spray black pepper-water mixture, etc.
Although ants are not considered dangerous, they can occasionally be significant pain. You could have no choice but to exterminate them if ants start overtaking your house, food, and yard, in particular.
But remember, there is no point in wiping out ants entirely from your property. We say this because ants participate in the functioning of our ecosystem.
For example, ants shift more soil than earthworms, aiding in seed dispersal and their microbial decay. As a result, life on earth would be difficult without ants.
Yes, ants are essential to the operation of our environment. These are the tasks they carry out.
• Air up the ground
• Distribute seeds
• They provide as food for a variety of organisms, etc.
Summary
This concludes our discussion of natural ant repellents and killers. The main takeaway from this article is that you may always turn to natural remedies to ward off ants on your property. But as soon as you come across a single ant trail, you must start using these techniques.
Remember that ants invade your property quickly, and if they start to grow, you might need to hire a pest control agency or use chemical pesticides. Therefore, you will achieve better results if you start sooner.
Also, keep in mind that you would need to repeat the procedures because natural compounds frequently take longer to demonstrate their efficacy.