Imagine this – You have very lovingly made dinner for the family. As you put it on the table, what is it that you see? Is that jeera in your rice or is it.. wait.. ANTS! We can agree that ants can cause a lot of nuisance in your home. Once they enter, it can be hard to get rid of them. Unless it’s an infestation, you can get rid of ants through simple home remedies without the use of chemicals and toxins. Let’s find out how to get rid of ants in the kitchen naturally.
Did you now that there are over 12,000 species of ants in the world? Some ants, like red fire ants and bullet ants, can give serious bites to the humans. Carpenter ants destroy building material while the black ants are commonly found in our kitchens.
Table of Contents
What Can Help You Get Rid Of Ants Naturally?
1. Black Pepper
It’s no surprise that ants LOVE sugar and find the smell of black and red pepper irritating. Clean the area with a wet cloth first and use red and black pepper in two ways:
- Sprinkle black and red pepper at the source. The place where the ants are entering your home should be sprinkled generously with pepper. This way, the ants will not return to the source.
- You can make a red and black pepper liquid and spray it in all the nooks and corners of the house.
2. White Vinegar
A common in any kitchen pantry, vinegar can be a handy ingredient to repel ants. Make a diluted solution of vinegar and water, spray it in all susceptible corners of the house. Clean surfaces with this solution if you can. White vinegar can help kill and repel ants easily. The strong smell of vinegar can help disrupt the ant pheromone trail and prevent them from returning.
3. Cinnamon
Cinnamon has been used as an ant repellant for years. You can sprinkle some powdered cinnamon in the areas you think ants can enter your home from. Not only powdered cinnamon, cinnamon leaf essential oil can help repel ants too. In a study, it was shown that using Cinnamomum Osmophloeum Leaf Essential Oil can help terminating red fire ants.
4. Peppermint
A natural insect repellant, peppermint can help repel ants, mosquitos, and even small bugs. The smell of peppermint is overpowering for the ants and they won’t return to the place where even small traces of peppermint are present. You can use peppermint essential oil to eradicate ants. Apply peppermint oil in all the corners and entrances of the house.
5. Cloves
Ants in the sugar jar? A tried and tested way to repel ants from sugar is adding 3-4 cloves (laung) in it. Cloves do not kill ants, but the strong smell of this spice can help repel them.
6. Neem Oil
It has been noticed that dry neem leaves are not as effective as concentrated neem oil. Neem oil can also help repel other insects and bugs. You can buy neem oil at any local home supply store or online too.
7. Lemons
Lemons, like cloves, can only repel ants. They do not kill them but can help remove the trail of pheromones. You can use lemons in two ways –
- Use lemon juice in your mop bucket. While mopping the house, squeeze a lemon in the bucket. Not only will you disinfect the house, but it will smell great too.
- Keep lemon peels near the source of the ants or near the entrance of the house.
8. Boiling Water
It is as simple as it sounds. If you see any ant colonies in your garden or backyard, which usually are the source of ants pour boiling water in it. It will kill most of the ants immediately.
9. Borax And Sugar
One of the easiest ways to kill ants is by feeding them a borax, sugar, and water mix. For this, you will need to mix all these ingredients together and make a thick paste. Soak a thick paper or cotton in this and keep it in places where ants usually attack or come to eat food. The sugar will attract the ants and they will take a bite out of this mix and go back to their colony. Once this is done for 1-2 weeks, it will eventually kill the queen ant and kill the entire colony.
Caution: Borax is NOT safe for children and pets, keep it away from their reach at all times.
10. Chalk
Drawing chalk lines is a temporary process and does not kill the ants. It might keep them away for a while before you can find a permanent solution.
Looking For Some Herbal Ant Repellants?
Herbal ant repellents can be found online easily. Here are a few of them –
1. Green Dragon’s Organic Ant and Roach Killer
- Non-toxic
- Contains plant oils
- Organic
2. Pai Organics Spray
- Contains neem, clove and peppermint extract
- Avoid direct contact as it contains clove oil
- It is a non-staining product.
3. Herbal Strategi Ant Repellent
- Nontoxic
- Contains plant extracts and herbal oils
- 100% herbal, no chemicals
4. Amish A Ant Repellent
- Easy to use
- Odorless
- Kitchen safe
Have you used any home remedies to get rid of ants before? Let us know in the comment box below.
FAQs
Does vinegar kill ants?
Yes. Vinegar can help kill and repel ants. The pungency of vinegar can help disrupt the ant pheromone trail which will prevent from them returning. Clean corners and surfaces frequented by ants to get rid of them.
What is the fastest way to get rid of carpenter ants?
According to many tried and tested methods, the most sure shot way to get rid of carpenter ants is the borax and sugar method. It will not only get rid of them, but eventually get rid of the entire ant colony.
About The Author
Nishtha Asrani Sethi, born and brought up in Delhi, is a content writer who has previously worked with NDTV and Resolver. Her roots are deep within the food industry, thanks to her family business and a keen interest in contemporary food products. Nishtha loves to serve her articles with a side of humor. Her Bachelor’s degree in Home Science comes in handy while researching the science behind the food. When she is not trying to win a battle of fries vs fruit with her daughter, she is busy experimenting with her huge joint family with crazy recipes.
