Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Fighting ants
• Part 2 of 3: Killing ants
• Part 3 of 3: Keeping out ants
• Tips
• Warnings

Small ants inside or in the garden can be a constant nuisance. When the ants are really bothering you, there are some easy things you can try to get rid of or destroy ants.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Fighting ants

1. Look for the entryways that ants use to gain access to your home. The two main reasons ants come into your home are: finding food to take back to the colony, and seeking shelter in cold weather. Ants are able to enter your home at many different points, so during your inspection, focus on cracks and crevices near windows, doors, lights, and other possible entry points. If you see an ant path in the house, try to follow it to see where the ants are entering your home.
   • If you find specific entry points that ants use to enter, focus your ants' repelling and control efforts on these areas. This will reduce the chance that the ants will again use the same access points to enter.
2. Seal access points. When you have found points that ants use to enter your house, try to block and seal them. Consider sealing cracks, seams and cracks with silicone caulk. You could even put a repellent (borax, cinnamon, coffee grounds, bay leaves) in the crack and then seal the opening with sealant.
   • Latex and acrylic sealant are not good options if you want to seal entry points for ants, as ants can break down these sealant variants.
3. Create a barrier. Consider creating a barrier around your house or yard to avoid nuisance from ants. Sprinkle coffee grounds near the foundations around your house, along the outer edges of your yard, and where you have observed ant trails and large numbers of ants.
   • Consider planting mint or pepper plants around your home or garden. These plants are known for keeping intruding ants at bay.
   • You can also use diatomaceous earth to create a barrier along the outer edge of your yard or around your home. Do use the variant that is suitable as a dietary supplement. Sprinkle the powder near the foundation of your house or in the garden, and try to create a barrier by scattering the diatomaceous earth around ant mounds and ant nests as well.
   • Diatomaceous earth will rip open the ants when they crawl over it and this will dry them out. The powder is not toxic to humans, but try to avoid inhaling the dust particles of the powder at all times.
   • Chemical pesticides (insecticides) can be used outdoors, but keep in mind that such agents are usually dangerous to people, pets and sometimes even the environment.
4. Eliminate ant trails. Since ants use scent to create pathways for other ants, it is wise to remove them with soapy water if you find them. Make a simple mixture by adding dish soap to water and using a sponge to remove the pathways and clean the rest of the area. This action ensures that the ants can no longer use the paths that have been created with the help of scent.
   • You can also remove the ant trails with vinegar. Spray white vinegar on the areas where many ants seem to congregate, and wipe the surface where you previously observed ants.
5. Use herbs and spices to repel ants. Cloves are a very suitable repellent, and can be placed in several places around your house to prevent nuisance from annoying ants. Place whole cloves in areas where you have seen ants (countertops, baseboards, etc.). In addition to cloves, there are a number of herbs and spices that you can place in and around your house or plant in your garden. Some other examples are:
   • Cayenne pepper
   • Bay leaves
   • Peppermint
   • Cinnamon
   • Garlic
6. Try to repel ants with other natural ingredients. In addition to herbs and spices, there are a number of natural products and ingredients with which you can successfully repel ants. Sprinkle these various ingredients near entry points, areas where you have seen ants, or in your yard. Some examples of such natural products are:
   • Coffee grounds
   • Cornmeal
   • Lemon juice
   • Oatmeal

Part 2 of 3: Killing ants

1. Poison the ants with borax (sodium tetraborate). Borax is a chemical that is toxic to ants, but not toxic to humans. To try to deal with ants at the source, it would be wise to make bait with borax that attracts ants and then take them back to their nest. Mix one part corn syrup (or another sweet, sticky substance) with one part borax, and spread the mixture on an index card. Place the index card where you have seen many ants congregating. The ants will take the sweet poisonous mixture back to their colony, and the poison will slowly but surely eliminate all ants.
   • Consider placing the bait later in the evening as ants tend to hunt for food at night.
   • You can also make a poisonous mixture with borax and powdered sugar. Mix one part borax with three parts icing sugar. Fill small containers with the mixture (bottle caps, spoons, etc.), and place them near the points that ants use to enter your home.
   • If you have pets or children who may come into contact with the mixture, consider mixing a cup of warm water with half a cup of sugar and three tablespoons of borax.Soak cotton balls in the mixture, then place the cotton balls on shallow saucers near known entry points.
2. Place commercial traps with bait. Commercial traps eliminate ants in much the same way as borax traps, but they often work a little faster (although these variants also have a retarding effect), and can target a specific food preference of the ant species that is bothering you. For example, there are bait for ants based on sugar, fat and protein. Which variant you can best use depends on the ant species you are dealing with.
   • When in doubt about what kind of bait to use, consider putting in one of each variant.
   • If you notice that the ants are ignoring the bait, you may need to change the type of bait or move the bait to a place with more activity.
   • When using bait, make sure all other food sources are removed. The presence of other food sources is likely to make bait less effective.
   • When the ants start to eat the bait, leave them alone and offer them the option to take the bait back to their colony. Over time you will see the amount of ants decrease.
3. Pour boiling water over the anthill. If you follow the ant trails and have found a nest or anthill, consider pouring boiling water with salt into the opening of the pile. You will probably need a fair amount of water, but it is a good way to get rid of a large amount of ants.

Part 3 of 3: Keeping out ants

1. Keep your countertop clean. Since ants love small food scraps, it's a good idea not to leave dishes and dirty utensils in the sink for too long. After you've done the dishes, it's best to wipe the counter with a paper towel to make sure you've removed any sweet residue from the surface.
   • Consider pouring a small amount of bleach or vinegar down the drain to rinse away any leftover residue. Remnants left behind can attract ants again.
2. Wipe the surface with bleach. Bleach, like vinegar, can remove the odors from ant trails, which will reduce the number of ants. Thoroughly clean surfaces such as countertops, kitchen cabinets and other areas to keep ants at bay.
3. Clean the kitchen floor. Kitchen floors are the perfect place for ants to find crumbs and small food scraps to take back to their colony. Make sure to regularly (maybe even every night) sweep and mop the floor with warm water and bleach to prevent ants from crawling on the floor. The amount of crumbs, food scraps, or other food spills does not have to be large to attract ants.
4. Vacuum the places where people eat. In addition to sweeping and mopping, it is also wise to vacuum in places where people eat. This can be the living room, dining room or kitchen. You need to make sure to clean up all crumbs and food scraps to avoid attracting ants.
5. Empty your waste bins regularly. Leftover food or leaking fruit juice packs will immediately attract ants. Make sure to empty bins every day and use strong, durable trash bags that are less likely to tear and leak.
6. Store food in sealable containers. Ants will look for food in your home, they often don't care what kind of food, so it's important to store food safely and keep it in tightly sealed containers. Consider keeping sweet, sticky products such as honey, syrup, and syrups in the refrigerator.
   • Consider storing baked goods (sugar, flour, etc.) and cereals in airtight containers or bags.
7. Replace rotting wood. Inspect your house and look for rotting pieces of wood. Think of planks, skirting boards, frames and window sills. Ants like to make a nest in rotting pieces of wood and also use them as a passage for them to enter your home. If you find rotting pieces of wood, consider replacing them with materials that are more resistant to ants.

Tips

• Cleaning surfaces in your kitchen with bleach or white vinegar can help prevent a real ant infestation.
• Since many ants are active at night, it is wise to set traps at night.

Warnings

• Use extra caution at all times when using pesticides, insecticides, or chemical pesticides in the presence of children or pets.