Ants are everywhere. No matter what you do, these tiny critters will show up no matter what food you have. They’re also a nuisance, especially if you want to keep your sweets at bay; they will always invade. Not only could they damage your house, they could also carry unwanted bacteria and even viruses in your homes.
It would definitely lead to the infection of your house and your loved ones. Yes, we all hate them and it can be frustrating seeing them around but with the right move and solution, you can minimize the damage these ants will do.
Clean up food residue
Food residue such as fruit peels, juices, crumbs, or leftover food attracts ants. Make sure to clean your kitchen now and then to avoid ants from creeping on your tabletops. Also, clean your dining table or any other places in your home where there is food. Cleaning food residue removes the ants’ food source, which stops them from entering your home.
Try a mixture of borax and sugar as ant bait.
Using borax is a sure-fire way to get rid of ants safely and easily without the hassle. Borax is a substance that is non-toxic to humans (but its small amounts can be to pets) but highly toxic to ants.
Borax easily kills ants as it damages their digestive system and their outer skeleton. Mix sugar and borax with the ratio of 3:1, add just enough water to make it into a thick paste and leave it to where the ants mostly gather. Ants will gather to the mixture, and this will kill the colony too. Just make sure to keep it away from pets (if you have one).
Spray repellents on ant entry points
It is unsafe to spray ant repellents inside your home, but you can spray repellents on ant entry points if need be. Several repellents and carpenter ant killers choose from online and in hardware stores. But before you decide to buy and use a certain product, make sure to read the ingredients and instructions to avoid accidents at home. Also, store your killers and repellents in hard-to-reach areas as some contain harmful chemicals that might bring more damage to you and your family.
Use natural ingredients such as fruits, herbs, and spices.
Many ingredients repel ants. Citrus fruits such as lemon and oranges keep away ants as ants hate bitter and sour tasting fruits. Keeping citrus fruit peels on ant-ridden corners helps get rid of ants.
Also, add some orange paste or lemon juice for more effectiveness. Herbs such as peppermint, cinnamon, salt, chili, garlic, and other herbs that give off a strong and pungent smell stave away ants.
Use vinegar instead of soap when cleaning.
Switching from soap or any detergent to vinegar when cleaning countertops, floors, and other areas in your home can deter ants. Dilute vinegar in a mixture of water (1:1) can deter ants from entering that area again. However, vinegar doesn’t kill ants, and it just repels them. Bait is still needed to kill off ants.
Use bait indoors and repellents outdoors.
It can be tricky to eliminate ants with just bait alone. They will just come back as soon as they can find a new food source in your home. Sometimes a little combination of both ant bait and repellents might do the job.
Ant baits can be borax and sugar, but they can be anything else. Anything sweet mixed with toxic substances can fend off ants indoors, while repellents outdoors can get rid of ants and their nests. Make sure to drench the nest properly to get all the ants.
Apply chalk on entryways and ant trails.
Chalk contains calcium carbonate, a substance that ants don’t like. Scatter powdered chalk or draw chalk lines in your entryways, as well as in ant trails to prevent ants from going further. However, the chalk powder/lines must be removed and applied often to make it work better.
Apply Essential Oils on ant-infested areas
Pure or essential oils help fend off ants and can be used as overall bug repellents. Essential oils such as peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus drive away ants due to the strong scent. Somehow, ants hate strong scents, whether it be good smelling or pungent.
Sprinkle cornstarch around infested areas.
To effectively smother many ants at once, pour a big amount of cornstarch on infested areas. Ants won’t wrinkle out of the cornstarch. To clean up, apply water (this can be messy) or vacuum the cornstarch (just be sure to put the vacuumed cornstarch in a sealed bag afterward for disposal).
Remove ant-infested plants and place them outside your house.
Ants tend to burrow or feed on plants, may it be fruit-bearing or just plants in general. Check your plants often and observe if the ants infest your plants. If it does, place the plant outside to contain the infestation. If you have plants or trees outside, check the plant if it is sticking or if the branches are leaning on your house. These plants can become a bridge for the ants to enter your home.
To sum it all up
It’s tedious to drive ants away. You can do many options to get rid of them, but ants, knowing as they are, are hard to get rid of permanently. This is why having discipline, order, and cleanliness goes a long way in maintaining an ant-free home. It’ll take time to get used to doing these easy ways, but you can choose the one you’re comfortable in doing, and if it’s done correctly, maybe, just maybe, the ants will no longer be at your home.
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