![Home Remedy to Get Rid of Ants](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/what-is-the-best-home-remedy-to-get-rid-of-ants.jpg?output-quality=75)
Ants have their nests outside around the home. Ants tend to enter the home by following a chemical trail to the food that is found by their nestmate.
The first step for getting rid of ants is by eliminating things that attract them. Avoiding attractants over pesticides may have long-term control; pesticides may give only short-term control. Other preventive measures include:
- Sealing all the cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and pipes.
- Discarding all sources of food particles.
- Wiping up ants’ chemical trail using soapy water or vinegar-water solution.
- Vacuuming the ants trapped in the house and discarding the bag in the end.
- Keeping vegetation and mulch at least 12 inches away from the base of the house to forbid the nesting of the ants.
- Making sure that the tree branches and shrubbery do not touch the house because ants may use this as runways to enter the house.
- Always clearing the gutter of decaying leaves and other matters. Ants like to nest there.
- Repairing leaky sinks and pipes.
- Removing the trash from the kitchen at the end of each day.
- Storing food, such as snacks, sugar, syrup, honey, and pet food, in well-sealed containers.
- Wiping spills and cleaning counters, tables, and floors with a microfiber cloth or paper towel.
- Regular cleaning of floors and kitchen appliances to eliminate grease and crumbs.
- Looking for small piles of sawdust and moisture-damaged wood inside the walls or attic, basement, windows, skylight, and other areas of the house.
- Using citrus-based cleaners, peppermint soap, cayenne pepper, or cinnamon to remove the invisible chemical scent trail ants leave for other ants to follow.
- You may make a solution of boric acid and sugar and soak cotton balls in it. Place the balls in the areas where the ants are frequently seen. This will get rid of the ants. Handle boric acid wearing gloves.
- Using aerosol sprays that include naturally occurring substances, such as limonene, phenylethyl propionate, thyme oil, hot pepper extract, cinnamaldehyde, neem oil, clove oil, linalool (from mint and citrus plants), and allyl isothiocyanate (a garlic extract), can be sprayed on the ant nest. However, the use of aerosol sprays is generally not recommended because it may cause more harm than benefit to the people.
- Keeping your pet’s food and water bowl outside the home. Make sure that the pet’s bowl remains clean and always clean up spilled food or water promptly.
- Cleaning the clutter because the clutter provides places for ants to breed and hide. Get rid of things like stacks of newspapers, magazines, or cardboard.
- Checking for ants in packages or boxes before taking them into your home.
- Applying pesticides that are safe for domestic use. Always read the instructions before handling the pesticides.
Home remedies | Effect on ant | Effect on the environment |
Instant grits | None | None |
Orange peels | Some repellent action | None |
Gasoline | Kills a few ants | Potential movement into groundwater |
Bleach | Kills a few ants | Potential movement into groundwater |
Diatomaceous earth | Kills a few ants | None |
Ammonia | Kills a few ants | Potential movement into groundwater |
Hot water | Kills a few ants | Potential personal injury |
PennState Extension. Got Ants? Eliminate Them With IPM. https://extension.psu.edu/got-ants-eliminate-them-with-ipm
Pesticide Research Institute. Indoor Ant Control. https://www.pesticideresearch.com/site/pri-resource-centers/pest-mgmt/pest-mgmt-bulletins/ant-control/
Top How Do You Get Rid of Ants Inside the House? Related Articles
Bad Bugs: Identify Insects and Bug Bites
What do bug bites look like? How do you treat bug bites? Why do bug bites burn? See spider bite pictures and learn how to identify bug bites from mosquitoes, bees, bed bugs, wasps, and more. See what their bites & stings look like and how to treat bug bites. For more details, enter a search for the specific insects or bugs as this slideshow is a brief introduction to the topic.Bed Bugs Slideshow
What does a bedbug look like? Learn to ID bedbugs and bedbug bites. Get tips on how to prevent, treat, and get rid of bedbugs.Bedbug Bites Picture
The first sign of bedbugs may be red, itchy bites on the skin, usually on the arms or shoulders. See a picture of Bedbug Bites and learn more about the health topic.Common Medical Abbreviations & Terms
Doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals use abbreviations, acronyms, and other terminology for instructions and information in regard to a patient's health condition, prescription drugs they are to take, or medical procedures that have been ordered. There is no approved this list of common medical abbreviations, acronyms, and terminology used by doctors and other health- care professionals. You can use this list of medical abbreviations and acronyms written by our doctors the next time you can't understand what is on your prescription package, blood test results, or medical procedure orders. Examples include:
- ANED: Alive no evidence of disease. The patient arrived in the ER alive with no evidence of disease.
- ARF: Acute renal (kidney) failure
- cap: Capsule.
- CPAP: Continuous positive airway pressure. A treatment for sleep apnea.
- DJD: Degenerative joint disease. Another term for osteoarthritis.
- DM: Diabetes mellitus. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes
- HA: Headache
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease. A name for two disorders of the gastrointestinal (BI) tract, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
- JT: Joint
- N/V: Nausea or vomiting.
- p.o.: By mouth. From the Latin terminology per os.
- q.i.d.: Four times daily. As in taking a medicine four times daily.
- RA: Rheumatoid arthritis
- SOB: Shortness of breath.
- T: Temperature. Temperature is recorded as part of the physical examination. It is one of the "vital signs."
8 First Aid Kit Essentials for Scrapes, Cuts, Bug Bites, and More
Are you always prepared for a first aid crisis? See which basic first aid items to pack to treat minor scrapes, cuts, and stings when you're on the go.Summer Skin Quiz
When it comes to summer, there plenty of hazards under the sun! Take the Summer Skin Hazards Quiz and clue in on the dangers to your summer skin!What Is the Best Home Remedy to Get Rid of Ants?
Ants and their colonies can be difficult to get rid of, but there are several ways to eliminate them at home safely using natural, nontoxic solutions, which are easily available and won’t add chemicals or toxins to the environment.What Is the Best Homemade Ant Killer?
Ants in the house are a big nuisance. Professional ant extermination services are expensive and may also require toxic chemicals. Instead you can give home remedies a try. Some of the best homemade ant killers include diatomaceous earth, soap and water, vinegar and water and sugar and borax paste.