Ants can be harder to get rid of than the extended family after Christmas. Ants love your leftovers, and the warm weather means over-eager relatives aren’t the only ones who’ve made themselves at home over the holidays.
Recently I learned that as satisfying as it may be, killing them on the spot isn’t the answer. In fact, it could make it worse as other ants can follow their pheromone trail. The key is eliminating the colony.
I used to think the only option to remove ants from my home was picking from a range of supermarket products with ingredients whose names I can’t pronounce. It never felt right leaving toxins around the home for little hands (and paws) to get into.
This natural gem I’ve come across is safe, inexpensive and effective, my favourite combination!
Here’s how.
What you need:
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1 squirt Dishwashing detergent |
½ cup warm water |
2 Tablespoons Borax (I found mine in Coles for about $4) |
1/4 cup icing sugar |
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Cotton buds |
Bottle lids or small Tupperware container lids |
½ cup white vinegar |
Spray bottle |
What you need:
|
|
|
1 squirt Dishwashing detergent |
½ cup warm water |
|
|
|
Cotton buds |
Bottle lids or small Tupperware container lids |
|
|
|
2 Tablespoons Borax (I found mine in Coles for about $4) |
1/4 cup icing sugar |
|
|
|
½ cup white vinegar |
Spray bottle |
Note: Keep an eye on children around the bait. Borax is a mineral but it’s best not ingested by kids, or pets for that matter, so best to err on the side of caution.
How to remove ants from my house
There are a few different species of ants – this method works best on house ants.
You’re going to have to work out where the ants are coming from. Follow their trail for a few days. It should give you a good idea where the colony is at and where best to place your baits.
To start, mix your detergent with some warm water and sponge the area where you’ve spotted the ants to eliminate the pheromone trail.
Combine the icing sugar and Borax, then put the mixture in bottle lids or tupperware lids and place near the trails and entry points. Place the baits along the trails but be careful while doing this. You don’t want to attract more ants!
So why does it work? Ants can’t tell the difference between the icing sugar and the Borax, and the Borax will kill them.
The best news though? The ants will help you finish the job, as they travel back to the colony with the powder mixture still on them, effectively eliminating the rest of the nest.
Have kids or pets at home? Mix the sugar and borax with warm water, then soak some cotton balls in it and place along the trail for the same results!
To get longer lasting results, combine water and vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz along door seals, entry points and baseboards twice a day just for a few days after you’ve put the baits out. The theory is that the smell of vinegar will repel any more ants that might still be coming in.
How else can I remove ants?
Try to keep a tidy house. Keep sticky or sweet pantry items in secure containers, and try to keep on top of spills, crumbs and rubbish. Easier said than done, I know, but removing the ants’ food source is a sure fire way to keep them out.
Did you know peppermint essential oil can kill ants? Put a couple of drops on a cotton ball or tip and place them in the ant-populated areas at your place.
You could also sprinkle cinnamon along the ant trail. It’s brutal but the ants inhale the spice and it suffocates them. Sprinkling cinnamon at the entry point helps too, as the ants don’t like the smell.
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