10 Home Remedies for Ants
Ants are fascinating creatures. These tiny machines are so industrious and each individual works so hard for the safety and well-being of the nest overall. They are also useful garbage recycling machines, making short work of leftovers and anything else that might be laying around. Unfortunately, they can also be a pest.
Having a lot of ants in the home can be a problem. Not only can they bite, but they can also cause hygiene problems as they are able to spread pathogens as they travel.
Ants are also resilient, though, and will often just keep on coming back. Fortunately, there are some home remedies that will help to keep them at bay.
Home Remedy #1: Oranges
Juicy and packed full of vitamins, oranges make a delicious and refreshing snack. Their high juice content also means that they can easily be squeezed to make tasty drinks. They can also be used to help keep ants out of your home.
To use oranges as an ant deterrent, use some orange peels to make a paste with some water. Spread this paste wherever you think the ants are coming in and out and they should hopefully stay outside. You could also try leaving orange peels just as they are in places that you often find ants. As an added bonus, they can also help to make the home smell fantastic.
Home Remedy #2: Lemons
Lemons are similar to oranges in many ways, although their sourness means that you are unlikely to want to eat one. They are still often used in cooking, though, with lemon juice and lemon rind found in many dishes around the world. What’s more is that they are also able to help prevent ants from coming into your home.
Ants don’t like lemons and will keep clear when possible. This means that if you leave some fresh lemon peels near their favorite entrances, they will hopefully keep well away. You can also try placing some freshly squeezed lemon juice along the routes they commonly take.
Home Remedy #3: Salt
Salt is a popular condiment and ingredient that is found all over the world. There was a time when it was considered to be a luxury item, but it is now very common. While it is popular in the kitchen, it can also be used around the home in other useful ways.
To help keep ants away, mix some salt into boiling water and stir until all of the salt has fully dissolved. Then, wait for the solution to cool and pour it into a spray bottle. You are then free to start spraying wherever you have a problem with ants.
Home Remedy #4: Peppermint
Most of us will know peppermint well from gum and other breath fresheners. It is also found in some candies and has a quite unique and fresh aroma. While humans tend to enjoy the aroma, though, ants are not so keen on it and will generally try to keep away.
To use peppermint as an ant deterrent, mix some peppermint essential oils in with some water. You can then spray or sprinkle the mixture wherever you are likely to find ants, although you could also try doing the same with dried peppermint instead. It could help to keep ants away while also helping to make the home smell fresh at the same time.
Home Remedy #5: Chalk
Often used by artists or by teachers for drawing on chalkboards, chalk is used quite commonly around the world. Chalk is actually a fairly common natural material. In some parts of the world, you will find it openly exposed in the landscape such as on cliffs. It is also a fairly common solution for dealing with ants.
In chalk, you will find calcium carbonate, which is a substance that ants do not like at all. Wherever there are access points for ants, lay down some powdered chalk and they should hopefully stop entering. Bear in mind that the chalk that is used for chalkboards is often not really chalk at all, so make sure you get the right stuff.
Home Remedy #6: White Vinegar
White vinegar is quite potent. It is not often used in cooking, although it can be found in some Southeast Asian dishes. It is more commonly used for other things around the home such as a cleaning agent. Many people also use it to help keep the ants at bay.
The potent aroma of white vinegar is something that ants do not like. Mix some white vinegar with water and spray near access points and the ants should hopefully keep well clear. Many people prefer not to actually kill the ants if possible, in which case white vinegar is a good option because it simply keeps them away without doing them any harm.
Home Remedy #7: Pepper
Pepper is another popular condiment and most dinner tables are not complete without some pepper alongside a salt cellar. Perhaps the most popular type is black pepper, and this can come powdered or as whole peppercorns, which can then be ground at the table. People with an ant problem will also be pleased to hear that pepper can help to keep the little pests away.
If ants are a problem in your home, try sprinkling some powdered pepper and they should hopefully keep clear. Alternatively, you can try making a pepper and water solution, which you can then apply with a spray bottle.
Home Remedy #8: Cinnamon
Cinnamon is an ingredient that is often found in pastries, cakes, and some other foods. It has quite a strong aroma that many people find quite irresistible, but ants are not likely to agree. Ants can’t stand the strong smell of cinnamon and will generally do what they can to keep away from it.
Sprinkle some cinnamon around popular ant trails and they should hopefully decide against using them from then on. You could also try to enhance the effect by mixing it with some essential oils that will help make the smell even stronger. Remember, though, that leaving cinnamon cakes lying around may not have the desired effect.
Home Remedy #9: Coffee
The irresistible aroma of coffee is popular all over the planet, with millions turning to the beverage for a perk in the mornings and throughout the day. In addition to making a caffeine-packed brew, it is also sometimes used to add flavor to treats such as cakes and candies. It can also be used to help keep ants at bay.
As much as we may love the smell of coffee, not all creatures are so keen. Sprinkle some coffee granules where you will usually find ants and you should find that you find them there no more. Just remember that things can get sticky if you leave the coffee out for too long.
Home Remedy #10: Powdered Sugar and Baking Soda
Baking soda is one of those flexible ingredients that can be used for so many different things around the home. It is often used in cooking but it also has some very different uses. Baking soda’s properties also make it useful when it comes to cleaning and it can even help to unblock drains. It can also help to deal with ants.
Crush some sugar and then mix it in with some baking soda. Leave the mixture out on an open tray somewhere close to where you will usually see the ants. The mixture causes a chemical reaction in the ants that causes them to die. It may not be pleasant for the ants, but it is an effective solution for when all other efforts have failed.
