5 Simple, Natural Ant Control Remedies
April 21, 2010 in Homekeeping
A few years ago when I was trying to sell my home, the realtor called and said that a potential buyer was coming in fifteen minutes. As I raced around doing a last-minute pickup, I saw a ten-foot long ant parade marching across the center of my kitchen floor. I about died.
We know to keep kitchen sinks and counters clean and dry to prevent ants, but Marcy Tate from Networx shares other natural ways to keep ants out of your home in this guest post.
With spring in full force, tiny ants across the country are building their ant farms and reproducing by the millions. Spring brings upon a feeling of renewal, but it also brings upon a feeling of fear as ants successfully make their way into homes. A few ants here or there aren’t a problem, and most people aren’t afraid of an ant or two. However, when the ants living in the anthills on your front walkway start coming in the front door, you’ll need to do something about it.
The good news is that there are many simple, effortless and inexpensive ways to naturally control small ants in and around your home — and they actually work. In fact, the ingredients for natural ant control can be found right in your pantry. Keep in mind that if you have a major ant problem (or ants other than small brown ants), then chances are these natural tips won’t help the problem go away entirely. In that case, you may need to hire a professional pest control expert to handle it for you.
If you notice ants coming into your home and they are bothersome, try following some of these tricks:
Cinnamon Sticks & Garlic Cloves
Place cinnamon sticks or garlic in areas where you have seen ants enter, such as in window tracks, by doors and in corners around your home. While garlic cloves aren’t as aromatically pleasing as cinnamon sticks, they work really well. Just peel and slice a few cloves and place them where you notice the ants. Last year we had some unexplained ants that kept invading my daughter’s dresser so we placed the cloves on the dresser. After a day or two, we replaced them with fresh cloves and the ants never returned.
You can also place cinnamon sticks around the pantry for extra protection. Once, I ran out of cinnamon and used cloves instead – it worked just as well. I actually witnessed ants crawling away from the cloves.
Vinegar
Place white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray on areas where you have seen ants. The fungicidal and insecticidal properties in the vinegar help prevent ants.
Black Pepper
Sprinkle black pepper where you see ants. The ants will immediately scatter. Pay attention to where they run; chances are they will be exiting your house and you’ll be able to treat the entry area with pepper too.
Boiling Water
For serious anthill problems in your yard or walkway, pour boiling water over the anthills. It sounds a bit cruel, but pesticides can be equally, if not more, cruel.
Mint
Mint destroys the smelling capabilities of ants and prevents them from entering your home. There are several ways to use mint to prevent ant infestations. First, plant mint around your home, especially near doors and close to areas where you have seen anthills. Second, place mint leaves in and around windows. If ants are entering your pantry, place some mint leaves on the shelves and in the corners.
Other Plants
Here is a list of some other plants which have been known to be effective at warding off ants. The idea is the stronger the smell, the more likely the plant is to keep the ants away:
- Basil
- Chili peppers
- Eucalyptus
- Garlic
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Rosemary
- Thyme
Persistence is the key when trying natural ant control remedies. If one of these methods doesn’t work for you, then try another. You may need to repeat it a few times.
Marcy Tate is a blogger at Networx, the Home Improvement Network. She has been working with ant control experts for over a decade on ways to naturally control ants.
I have used powdered borax in my unfinished basement when ants burrowed in around the drain and were creating a large complex. We have used a commercial liquid borax compound in places the kids can’t reach (under the kitchen sink etc)
Cucumber peels! Sounds strange, but I’ve used it and it works! Apparently ants have an aversion to them. You can also use cucumber slices, but I found that the peels work best.
Sounds interesting, thanks for mentioning this tip. I am going to have to try this one.
This couldn’t have come at a better time! I’ve seen a few ants marching across my coutner this week. Time to get to work!
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I had never heard any of these, except the boiling water – very good ideas to try! I don’t like to use the powders and ant traps, especially with kids around. We used boiling water on some of the nests last year, but then the grass would die in that patch. it came back this spring, but looked patchy all last summer
do you think I could sprinkle enough pepper on a nest to make them all disappear? That would be excellent!!
The best and only one that has worked for me is to just smash a bunch of them and leave them there for a few days. All the others will carry the dead ones away and never come back!!! It works like a charm.
I think that’s the way the mafia takes care of their ant problem too.
That’s hilarious.
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If you place some cornstarch out they will carry it back to their nest to share with the other ants. Ants cannot digest cornstarch and it will kill them. This works very well!
I used corn meal. It worked and also it may have decreased houseplant pests.
Apparently it blocks the ant’s ability to digest. I don’t know if other insects have the same anatomy though.
My daughter and I put cornstarch on an ant hill and watched as the ants took it in the nest. After a few days, there were no more ants in the ant hill. My daughter thought it was a cool science project.
I DETEST ants. They gross me out. So if I see them, I usually call my husband in for help.
Borax! I have used the powdered kind you buy in the laundry aisle, sprinkling a little where they seem to be coming in. Works like a charm… which reminds me, it’s time to re-Borax a couple of areas.
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I had a case where the ants were coming in from behind a cabinet. I put clear packing tape over the entrance. I took it down over the winter, and they did not try to come back the next year. I also used the sprinkled borax on a doorway with some success – it did take a little while to take effect.
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The cinnamon sticks worked for me a few weeks ago when it warmed up quickly and I had ants coming in my kitchen. I place a few in the cracks between the dish washer and the cabinet and by the refrig and also in the track of my glass slider doors.
Great list! I’ve used the cornstarch one too and that seemed to work.
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Great post! Thanks for sharing.
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I’ve had success with vinegar in a spray bottle, but I’m glad to hear of these other methods too!
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What great tips that I never knew about! I just buy over the counter ant traps but really don’t like to have them laying around. So glad to have more tricks up my sleeve.
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We have a heap of ants that come out when it rains. If it rains really hard they vanish back into the walls. If it is dry they stay indoors! but when it is misty or a light drizzle they come out in their bazillions!!! We don’t mind them – we don’t really see them and they never come into the house. But why don’t they like a gentle spattering of rain? I would love to know? Is it some sort of ant thing?
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This is the first year we have had ants. My husband went out and bought some of those icky ant traps, which I wasn’t very happy about. Thankfully now I have some natural alternatives to try first!
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I have found one of the best things is dried bay leaves, put in cupboards, just near where the ants are coming in etc. The bonus is the nice smell, I leave a couple of leaves in the pantry and have never been bothered with ants since.
Perfect timing!!! This past week I’ve had 5-10 ants invade a day. I vacuum and mop after every meal and snack w/ vinegar and while it seems to be helping, they keep coming! I’m going to try garlic!
SALT! Ants generally invade the kitchen and living room right before it rains. Ants usually won’t cross a salt barrier – not sure why! This and vinegar have worked REALLY well for me but I’m glad to have the cinnamon and cornstarch back up plan!
Great post! Thanks
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Thank you, thank you! I had been searching for ways to get rid of ants but too lazy to do the extensive searching on google. This might save me yet. I don’t want to use the powder for killing ants due to have an inquisitive toddler on hand.
I’ve used baby powder and that has gotten rid of them before too. I don’t know what it is about it but they don’t like it.
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I can vouch for the cornstarch and the baby powder. Here in South Texas, our ants sting and many children are allergic to the stings. Worst case, treat stings with unseasoned meat tenderizer. I have seen nasty swelling on little feet go down in minutes. I make a paste and smear it on.
Not sure if it’s been mentioned, but my mom swears by this remedy: mix a batch of Borax & honey together – then just leave it out for them to come & eat it. They eat it & take it back to their nest & it kills all of them. It worked for a bit for us but eventually they just kept coming back – but they would always go to the bowl of Borax & honey. So, at least it contained them!
Wow, baby powder, great idea. I am going to test it out here and see if it works for me too. Thanks for the other great ideas like salt, borax and cornstarch. Thanks for sharing!
Cayenne pepper!
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Thank you so much for this very timely post. I live in South Florida where ants are a constant nuisance. I was wondering though, if you have any suggestions for natural solutions to FIRE ants?
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We have had great success getting rid of ants by using baby powder (the kind WITH talc). The ants usually clear up about 3 days after we sprinkle it around the edges of the counters, and they’re gone for the rest of the summer!
This is perfect timing for me – my girls bedroom has been invaded and nothing seemed to be getting rid of them – will start trying out this list! Thanks
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this was super helpful…thanks so much…as summer quickly approaches, i was beginning to cringe knowing that my little black 6-legged buddies would be back…i have tried vinegar and it works but i hate the smell. i am definitely going to try cinnamon and mint. thanks again…
Love these ideas for when I manage to find where they are making their entrance, which can be quite difficult.
I have fought ants on four continents now, and keeping everything clean with vinegar works well for us. I ran our of white vinegar and tried apple cider vinegar (ACV) one time – it attracted even more ants!! So I stick with plain white vinegar these days.
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I have always used any talcum powder… sprinkle around their roadway and leave it there a few days, soon no more ants and you don’t see them for a long time afterwards. I have used this is several cities, and 2 countries (hot and temperate), always works.
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Found this via simple mom…and it is just what I need. Thanks for these remedies! I’m off to battle now!
I take the caps from 2 liter bottles of soda, fill them with corn meal, and add a wee bit of honey in the center. The ants take the corn meal back to the queen, and there is no more reproduction. The honey is a lure. This takes time, but it is safe if you have animals at home, which we do. Over time, it is a wonderful cure!
I have heard that ants can not digest cornmeal. They will take it back to their nest and after they feast on it, they will die. However, I saw several responses in the discussion that mentioned cornstarch. Does anyone know if its cornmeal or cornstarch? Or both? Thanks.
Borax and a little icing sugar mixed in.Works every time.
I came to your site to look at your chocolate syrup recipe and have had an enjoyable browse. Really like the philosophy that shines through here.
This year, I did something new about the ants that arrive with each spring in our second story apartment: Nothing! If they were completely in my way, I brushed them aside, but other than that I just let the little dudes hang out. No one got hurt, no one died. And I didn’t notice any more ants than when I sprayed like mad with gosh knows what in previous years.
Living insect free is not a healthy goal, living pesticide free is.
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I have not found anything that works, but I have not tried anything on your list, so I plan to try them all! Thank you so much!!!!!
Cinnamon works amazing.. sprinkle it over the anthill or wherever you see them congregating. Works well in conjunction with the cinnamon sticks in the windows and doorways
Does anyone know how to get rid of “CARPENTER” ANTS? They are terrible up here in Alaska. They come inside and make tunnels through the walls.