Get Rid Of Ants In Your Home
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There’s a lot to like about ants—they are hardworking creatures, they work in a union, they indulge in eating other pests, they even play the part of adorable characters in the movie “A Bug’s Life”. But irrespective of how hardworking or cute these creatures are, they are always like the unwelcome guests at home, right? Irksome visitors, in fact!
Discovering an entire colony of them surely isn’t your summer wish, right? Ants not just gorge on the sugary treats on your kitchen countertop, they bring along with the dirt and contamination. Imagine they had walked through some garbage before reaching their destination (your house); they’re sure to bring along salmonella or other kinds of infection-causing germs and bacteria.
Generally, when we see ants in our homes, we don the detective hat. We try to find out from where on earth (like literally) did they get the notice about sugar lying in the kitchen. But, what if there are solutions that can totally keep them away? If you’ve always been on a lookout to find ways to evict these unwelcome guests then you definitely need to read further. We have a few tricks to keep these ants out.
1. Cinnamon
For some weird, but thankful reason ants just cannot stand the smell of cinnamon. So let’s use this as a way to keep them away.
What You’ll Need:
- A cup of water
- Half teaspoon of cinnamon oil
- A piece of cloth
- Cinnamon cloves
What You Should Do
Mix the oil and water well. Soak a piece of cloth in the mixture and wipe all those areas of your house that are prone to an ant attack. Do it at least once in an entire day and notice that ants wouldn’t like your home anymore. You can also place the cinnamon cloves near the window sills or doors.
2. Vinegar
It’s all got to do with the smell. It’s the smell that lures people to the food and that’s exactly how the small creatures like ants set on an expedition. The smell of vinegar is likely to repel ants, so feel free to use this generously.
What You’ll Need:
- Water
- Distilled water
- Spray bottle
- Some lemon oil
What You Should Do
In the ratio of 1:1, mix vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Now, add in a few cups of the lemon oil and shake well. All that you have to do now is spray this mixture in areas where the ants have appeared or had appeared before. Remember to shake well before every use.
3. Borax
It’s basically like a trap for the ants or any kinds of insects. The ants get lured thinking it’s food. They take it to their nests and share it within their community as food.
What You’ll Need:
- Plastic container
- 1 tablespoon of borax
- I tablespoon of water
- 2 tablespoon of peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon of sugar
What You Should Do
Mix all the above ingredients in a plastic container. Close it with a lid and make some holes in it. By doing this we are creating space for the ants to enter and exit. The mixture contains borax which will rupture the ants intestine once the ants have consumed it (too cruel? We think so too).
4. Baking Soda
It can kill the ants or let’s say it can explode them. No, we’re not asking you to make an explosive here. Neither are we asking you to be sadists who enjoy being cruel to insects.
What You’ll Need:
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda
What You Should Do
Mix equal quantities of both the ingredients. And place them in all those corners of the house where you last found the ants. The baking soda interferes with the digestive system of the ants and kills them.
5. Cucumber Peel
Ants hate cucumbers, it tastes bitter to them.
What You’ll Need:
Peels of cucumber
What You Should Do
Place fresh peels of cucumber to drive away the ants. You will have to keep replacing with fresh peels every day to watch the ants say bye-bye to your home.
6. Cayenne Pepper
The strength of ants lies in their communication. By using cayenne pepper, its strong smell is bound to distort their communication signals which will prevent the ants from heading back home safely, thereby, lowering their chances of survival.
What You’ll Need:
- Cayenne pepper (1 teaspoon)
- Turmeric powder (1 teaspoon)
What You Should Do
Mix equal parts of both these ingredients and place them in areas of exposure. It is bound to act as a communication barrier for the ants.
There are a hell lot of such ideas to drive away the ants on the vast cyberspace. These were some of our picks which we thought were interesting and most effective. Why resort to insect repellants or agencies that offer pest control services when we can do all of it on our own. DIY is the prime game to play in the present time.
Have you tried any such techniques to drive ants away? Let us know in the comments below.
