Cleaning your kitchen Sealing all food and removing all sources of sticky, sweet, greasy, and meaty foods from their access. Spread Diatomaceous Earth, some what heavily, along all of the edges (entry points) of the room. This will cut the exoskeleton of the ant, causing it to dry up and die in a matter of hours.
Vinegar not only cleans and disinfects, it is also an ants deterrent. Remove all sources of garbage and keep the kitchen bin shut tightly. Rinse all recyclable containers before putting them into storage. [3] X Research source
If you’re prone to forgetting to sweep and vacuum your kitchen area, you might want to try getting into the habit of doing it at the same time every day, like after breakfast or dinner.
For more details on the bowl of water technique, check out How to keep ants out of honey and How to keep ants away from cat food.
You may also need to seal fragrant items such as cleaning powders, deodorants, and the like in case these attract the ants’ initial attention. Be alert to any congregations of ants around non-food sources.
Popular routs of ingress for ants include things like gaps in the woodwork, cracks in cement, vents, screens, cracks in the floorboards, and so on. [5] X Research source
If you use a temporary sealant (such as poster tack), only use this until you can purchase a more permanent solution, as it will deteriorate over time and the gap will open again. [6] X Research source
Putting one teaspoon of liquid dish soap into a spray bottle and filling it with water. Add mint oil, citrus peels, or citrus rind oil to make this spray extra potent. [8] X Research source Spritzing the ants you see with the solution in your spray bottle.
Powdered charcoal A line of chalk Turmeric Cinnamon Citrus oil Black pepper, cayenne pepper, or red chili pepper. Vaseline (great for doors and windows) Baby powder Powdered cleanser White vinegar and water Desiccating dusts (such as diatomaceous earth or silica aerogel)
The great thing about these fragrant deterrents is that your own preferences for scent can be used to improve the overall smell of your household odors. Sprinkle crushed mint leaves in ant infested rooms and grow mint near the entrance areas. Dried peppermint is also effective. [12] X Research source Rub a raw clove of garlic over ant trails and entrances. Sprinkle lavender oil in ant afflicted areas and grow lavender near their entrances. Spread some oil of clove in ant zones or crush cloves and sprinkle it as a barrier. [13] X Research source
Over time, the ant repelling strength of these leaves and lose potency. Replace these every month for best results.
Once the ants consume the Splenda, they should die shortly after the fact. Be sure to replenish your Splenda as necessary. [16] X Research source
Be persistent and patient with your use of grounds. It may take a season before you start noticing an effect. It is important to reapply grounds every year, at minimum. Refreshing grounds more frequently will have a stronger, more immediate effect.
This technique is a great solution for dealing with ants that are invading windowsills.
When ants walk in or over boric acid, they ingest it and die. Boric acid is poisonous and should not be ingested or come in contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth. Handle it with gloves. [19] X Research source A sample boric acid bait could be made with boric acid and maple syrup. Drizzle a spoonful of syrup on a plate or saucer. Sprinkle this liberally with boric acid. Use a skewer, toothpick, or cotton swab to distribute the acid evenly through the syrup. Place your boric acid bait wherever the ants are frequenting. Keep it out of the reach of children or pets. This method can take a week to take effect. [20] X Research source
Corn meal. This method is especially great around pets or children, as cornmeal itself is not poisonous. Cream of wheat (farina). Spread this raw where there are ants. It will expand in their stomachs, killing them. Coffee grounds. Ants are sensitive to caffeine. Leave used coffee grounds where the ants will carry it home and eat it. This method takes a few weeks for results. [21] X Research source
Baiting them. They like sugar, so you can turn this against them. Use the boric acid method described previously. Vacuuming their nests out of infested walls, if possible. Calling an exterminator. Professionals can drill holes in the wall and blow in diatomaceous earth, silica aerogel, or boric acid inside to eliminate the infestation. Pyrethrin spray can also be used.
This kind of pest control is often poorly regulated. Some pest services are only “organic” or “natural” in name, but not in fact. Call exterminators and inquire directly about services, saying something like, “Could you tell me how your methods are all natural?”
If the ants must be sprayed, insist on the use of a bait that has an insect growth regulator, like abamectin, in it. [23] X Research source
For example, you may have looked high and low but were unable to find the ants’ entrance into your home. An exterminator could help pinpoint this for you.
If you want to make the water more deadly, add vinegar, insecticidal soaps, citrus oil, pyrethrum insecticide, or ammonia. [24] X Research source Repeat this process every day or so until it seems that the ants have given up and moved. This may take several days to take effect. [25] X Research source
