Ants do not belong in a house. Yet, often, they seem to find their way in. Since a reader recently asked how to solve this problem, I thought I would share several frugal solutions.
Ant Bait
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup baking yeast
½ cup molasses
6 – 3×5 inch index cards
Mix all ingredients together and then smear a thin layer on each of the index cards. Spread the mixture on the cards. Put the index cards in places that you have seen ants.
Vinegar
Vinegar has soooo many uses! Spray vinegar on any area you’ve seen ants and they are not likely to return.
Baby Powder
Sprinkle baby powder on any ants you see and around the area they are entering the house. You can also dust items like the sugar bowl with baby powder to keep ants away.
Cinnamon
Ants don’t like cinnamon for some reason so it can be used in a way similar to baby powder.
Chalk
If you know where ants are entering your home, draw a circle around the opening with chalk. For some reason, they won’t cross over the line.
Mint
Ants are repelled by the smell of mint, so consider planting mint around your house to prevent them from entering your home.
Other Herbs
Basil and rosemary have insect repelling properties so chop them up on the counter or put a bunch where the ants are entering. Thanks SortaFrugal!
Boric Acid
Mix boric acid powder and sugar (or powdered sugar) together and leave it where the ants are congregating. They will take it back to the rest of the army and die. Thanks 4PrettyBabies!
Ant Spikes
Ant Spikes can be placed next to either side of door entrances, next to patio areas, along foundation of house, garage, next to ant mounds, in garden, etc. Worker ants find the bait and carry it back to the nest, bait is eaten by workers and queen to help destroy the colony. Thanks Tech4Mommies!
Lighter Fluid
A reader emailed to say she has lined the screen door with lighter fluid to keep the ants from coming in. Thanks Marie!
What suggestions do you have for keeping ants away? Let me know and I’ll add them to the list!
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for sharing these poison-free ways to fight ants. We don’t have ants in our kitchen now, but we do from time to time and they are quite annoying. I’ll know to come back to these solutions.
.-= Rebecca at Toothwhale´s last blog ..Summer reading suggestions =-.
Basil leaves. I found ants in my pantry a few years ago. I cleaned everything out then threw in a whole bunch of dried basil leaves. I haven’t seen an ant in there since.
I think this might be related to the mint idea. I’m no botanist, but basil sort of has a minty flavor to it.
.-= mom2fur´s last blog ..Like I died… =-.
I tried the vinegar thing a few weeks back and it seemed to work. I am now only finding an occassional tiny ant here and there. I think I need to reapply it every so often, though, so they stay away for good! We have recently been finding the larger ants here and there in the house and I don’t know where they’re coming in! Need to find out so I can try the vinegar there, too!
I’ve also heard of using boric acid powder and sugar (or powdered sugar) to get the ants to take it back to the rest of the army, they eat it, then die. Sounds like a plan to me! I only worry about setting the stuff out when you have little ones, since the boric surely isn’t good for them to ingest…
Back to the vinegar! (Although that chalk idea really intrigues me!) ;)
.-= Beth´s last blog ..Lightbulb Moment =-.
Oh my word. Every summer – the ants in my bathroom! I am totally trying this.
.-= Stacy´s last blog ..I’m Sorry. Go Fish. =-.
Loving the “ant bait” recipe! Thank you!!!
.-= Grace Wheeler´s last blog ..Potty Training and Remodeling and Teething…OH MY! =-.
Great ideas! Thanks. I’m going to give these a try!
I so needed this…with little ones in the home I hate using chemicals! Thanks and I will be trying these!
.-= Alison@howdoesshe´s last blog ..$40 in Hannah Banana Boutique Bucks =-.
Thanks for the tips! Our house is on a slab, so the ants can just come right on in!!
We do have our outside sprayed every other month, and I LOVE the ant spikes that you put in the ground outside your house. Once I hammered those into the ground all around our house we never had an ant problem again!
.-= Sarah Kimmel {Tech4Mommies}´s last blog ..Basic Internet Safety Tips =-.
I don’t have any ant ideas.. but I do now! Thanks for the tips!
This could not have come at a better time. We are over run with ants in the yard, they are eating the doggers up! (not that they spend that much time outside anymore with all this rain)
And just like last year the little buggers are invading the house. I’ve already but the “NO WATER ANYWHERE” (no drinks left sitting, no dishwater left, carefully mop up any ice spills and for goodness sakes clean up after Jake (Great Pyrenees that drools and drips water everywhere)
We got the spikes but haven’t put them out yet, we need a dry day for that.
Thanks for all the wonderful tips. If the doggers and catnips don’t eat it the first one should be pet friendly. I’ll be mixing up a batch tomorrow!
I read this ant control recipe over at Passionate Homemaking:
1 tsp. borax (borax is an natural laundry boosting powder available in the laundry section of the store, normally on the top shelf)
2 cups hot water
6 Tbsp sugar
folded paper towel
small shallow cup (like a creme burlee dish)
Disolve borax in hot water. Stir in sugar. Dip the folded paper towel, using tongs, in the solution till completely saturated with solution. Cram the paper towel in the dish. Place in location where you have seen the ants. This solution will be eaten by the ants and taken back to the nest to share with the other ants and thus eradicate the entire nest. Keep away from children by placing on a countertop or cupboard, if possible.
Here’s Lindsay’s site: http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2010/05/frugal-natural-pest-controls-fruit-flies-ants-be-gone.html
.-= Sarah´s last blog ..The post you’ve all be waiting for… =-.
We use homemade cleaners with citronella essential oil in it. The ants hate the smell and I love it so it is a win-win.
-Phyllis
.-= Household Ways´s last blog ..Pasta Salad =-.
Very interesting. What kind of cleaners? Laundry cleaners?
My mom and I make a Dr. Bronner’s Tea Tree oil liquid soap dilution and add a couple drops of mint oil for an even better scent. Just spray on the ants, pest fighting and cleaning all in one!
Oh, I bet that smells great! Its amazing how great mint works at repelling ants. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this.
Lighter fluid sounds like a dangerous solution… I think I would pass on using that. You might end up with FIRE ANTS and your house burnt down. Becareful on whatever you use.
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