10 Natural Ways to Repel Ants
Ants may be tiny, but their presence can seem huge once they find a place to plant a colony. You might have the cleanest house in town, but that doesn’t always stop these little critters from invading your space.
If you discover ants in or around your home, there are some things you can try to repel ants.
- Make a vinegar and water solution. Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spritz all the areas where you see ants. They hate the smell of vinegar, and this will drive them away. After you treat the indoors, spray the exterior perimeter of your home and any ant beds in your yard.
- Season them with pepper. Most ants are looking for something sweet to munch on and bring back to their queen. Surprise them by scattering cayenne pepper in the areas where you see them. Don’t forget to sprinkle the ant beds with a liberal amount of pepper.
- Add salt. Another seasoning ants don’t like is salt. So when they run into a line of salt granules, they avoid crossing it.
- Add a heaping helping of cinnamon and cloves. Ants won’t cross a line of cinnamon or cloves–either the ground spice made into a paste or essential oils–and your house will smell like you’ve been baking all day.
- Enjoy some minty freshness. Mix one part peppermint oil with two parts dishwashing detergent and three parts water for another spicy ant deterrent. Put the mixture in a spray bottle, spritz the area where ants enter your house, and you may soon be free from the pests.
- Squeeze fresh citrus. Mix one part lemon, lime, or orange juice with three parts water in a spray bottle and spray around your doors and windows. Not only can this repel ants, but it will also add a fresh fragrance to your home. Next, grate the peels of the citrus and generously sprinkle them around the perimeter of your home for an extra layer of defense.
- Boil some water. A substantial amount of boiling water poured over an ant bed will scald the residents and keep them from invading where you don’t want them.
- Wipe them out with boric acid. Sprinkle this household cleaner behind the stove, in corners of the cabinets, behind the refrigerator, and anywhere else you see the pesky little ants. Make sure you place the boric acid in areas where your children and pets can’t get to it.
- Make a sticky trap. Place a sticky frame of tape, face-up, around sugar bowls and anything else you want to protect from ants.
- Drive them away with cornmeal. You have to sprinkle it around the areas where you see the ants, and they’ll eventually pack up and move. Don’t forget to put some directly on the ant beds in your yard.
All of these ways to try to help repel ants can help to drive ants away from your home and are safer than using toxic chemicals, but you still need to be cautious about what to use in each area. For example, while citrus and vinegar won’t hurt your pets or children, the boric acid can make them sick, and the pepper can burn their eyes. In addition, the stickiness and appearance of leaving these items around can be a nuisance.
Do You Want To Get Rid of Ants The Safe But Professional Way?
Hiring a professional ant removal and control exterminator, pest control company may be in your best interest. It may cost you a few extra dollars, but it can be well worth the cost. However, as these methods can work right away, they might not solve the problem in the long run. Contact Garfield Pest Control in New Hampshire to get a free estimate today.
