For as long as there have been homes, there have been homeowners wondering how to get rid of ants for good. Fortunately, there are a ton of affordable and effective ways to treat all sorts of ant problems. But, you cant truly treat a problem until you fully understand it.
The spicy, strong scent of cayenne pepper (or black pepper, if that’s what you have) irritates ants, and they try to avoid it. Pepper’s scent also masks the ants’ pheromone trails that lead them to food sources in your yard and home.
A Beginner’s Guide to DIY Ant Removal
But if youre dealing with an ant infestation, dont worry. Getting rid of them is fast, easy and cheap. Most of our suggestions below use ingredients that are safe to use around babies and pets. Here are some home remedies to quickly and successfully rid your house of ants.
- White vinegar: Mix a solution of one part white vinegar to one part water or just use straight vinegar [source: Rentokill]. Wipe your counters, tables, appliances and jars with the solution to kill ants and prevent them from returning. Although you wont be able to smell the scent after a while, ants will.
- Hand soap: Fill a spray bottle with a soapy water solution and spray into holes and crevices that may be the entry point for ants in your home. Soap is an effective remedy for preventing ants from entering your home, because it removes the scent of ant pheromones, which ants use to communicate with each other [source: Durairaj].
- Lemon juice: Similar to vinegar and hand soap, lemon can remove an ants scent trail. Mix one part lemon juice with three parts water and spray the solution on entryways or around your home.
- Baking soda: Mix one part baking soda with one part powdered sugar (ants love sweet things) and place it in an area where you see ants [source: Forney]. Once they eat the baking soda mix, it will react with an acidic material in their stomachs and usually kills them.
- Cinnamon: You can use two different types of cinnamon to either kill or repel ants. Mix cinnamon essential oil with water to use as a spray on ant trails and around cracks in your home. You can also sprinkle powdered cinnamon around openings, which will suffocate ants when they inhale it.
- Mint: Ants are not fans of mint, especially peppermint. Mix 10 to 20 drops of peppermint essential oil with 2 cups of water and spray the mixture in places where you find ants. Make sure to keep the mixture away from pets.
- Black pepper/cayenne pepper: If you find an anthill in or near your home, sprinkle black pepper or cayenne pepper into their nest. The spicy powder will prevent them from coming back but wont kill them.
- Borax: Although this is not child-friendly, borax is considered a very effective way to kill household ants. Thats because borax kills ants slowly so they have time to take the bait back to the colony for other ants to eat [source: ants.com]. Sprinkle it in powder form or mix 1.5 tablespoons of borax with a half-cup of sugar and 1.5 cups of warm water. Spray the liquid into ant nests or set it in a small container as bait. (You can also make a paste of borax and honey or corn syrup and set it out). Make sure to keep borax away from babies and young children, because it can cause skin irritations and headaches.
The Anatomy of an Ant Problem
Few things attract ants quite like food. Whether you left crumbs on the kitchen table or forgot to take the trash out, where theres food, theres probably ants.
Ants arent all bad. They help to clean up dead animals and naturally create topsoil as they burrow into the ground. But they can also pose a danger to you and your home.
There are ant bites, which are more than just a nuisance. Ant bites have been known to trigger allergic reactions, in addition to pain and discomfort. people.
Not all ant bites are created equally. For example, bites from fire ants can lead to difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, nausea and even dizziness [source: Sullivan]. While fire ants pack a big sting, other ants can do a different type of damage.
Carpenter ants, similar to termites, can cause damage to your homes walls, decks, doorframes and other wooden materials. This type creates ant colonies in wooden areas that are moist and starting to decay, and cause structural damage to your home by tunnelling through the wood [source: Copeland Exterminating Services].
All of that is to say that ant problems must be addressed at the first sight of scout ants. Read more to learn how to eliminate ants permanently and reliably.
The Ultimate Pest Control: Unlock the Power of Cayenne Pepper
FAQ
What keeps ants away permanently?
What smell do ants hate?
What spice do ants hate the most?
What can you sprinkle to keep ants away?
Does cayenne pepper irritate ants?
The spicy, strong scent of cayenne pepper (or black pepper, if that’s what you have) irritates ants, and they try to avoid it. Pepper’s scent also masks the ants’ pheromone trails that lead them to food sources in your yard and home. Step 1: Sprinkle cayenne pepper or black pepper in a circle around the anthills in your yard.
How do you get rid of ants on pepper plants?
Scatter around the pepper plants to discourage ants and directly on them to kill them. Do not apply when your pepper plants are in bloom, as it will kill the pollinators. 3. Lemon Juice Dilute 1 part fresh lemon juice with 1 part water and spray liberally to destroy the ant’s scent trails. 4. Vaseline
How do you keep ants away from a house?
Sprinkle a decent layer of black pepper, cayenne pepper, or cinnamon across all areas where you spot ants. It’s especially helpful if you notice ants walking in a line. Follow the ant trail back to where it enters your home and sprinkle the spices across that pathway. Does vinegar keep ants away? Yes, it does.
Can ants pollinate pepper plants?
While ants can technically pollinate pepper plants, they’re aren’t necessary for pollination, and you shouldn’t allow them to remain on or around your pepper plants since there’s a good chance they’re protecting the aphids by killing off beneficial predators.