We know that photos can be an amazing source of design inspiration, so this article may contain affiliate links that will direct you to a particular decor item. Clicking on a link may result in a portion of proceeds being paid to www.decoist.com
Some of the most annoying things in life can be things that seem trivial in the grander scheme of things. A home that is often infested with ants is definitely one of those. Once ants settle in, it seems almost impossible to remove them entirely, and using modern chemicals to rid your home of ants brings with it another set of complications. In a house with kids and pets, a chemical-filled solution is just not acceptable. So now you need to find out what kills ants instantly but is still a natural option.
This is exactly why we have for you some of the best and most natural methods to get rid of ants in a jiffy. A few of these remedies kill ants instantly and others kill the ‘ant problem’ by keeping them away forever! Step in to discover these pet-safe home remedies to get rid of ants.
1. Diatomaceous Earth
This is particularly a great idea for those who want to rid their small garden or deck that is filled with plants and other greenery. If you’re not familiar with it, Diatomaceous Earth is non-toxic, eco-friendly and you will never see ants again as long as you have it around.
Diatomaceous Earth is pretty inexpensive too which makes this 5lb bag a worthwhile investment! Just spray a bit of this ‘magic dust’ in the garden and let it do all the hard work without harming your other plants!
2. Sidewalk Chalk Works all the Time
There are plenty of fancy chalks out there specially designed to keep out pests. But what many homeowners do not know is that a simple line from the daily chalk that you use on boards is both safe and helps drive away ants. Once again it is the story of the chalk breaking up the chemical scent path of ants and even though this might look a touch ungainly, the idea never fails to give you results.
3. Baking Soda
This is undoubtedly an explosive solution to your ant problem. Mix a bit of sugar to the baking soda to encourage ants and make sure they taste your special mix. Baking soda disturbs the digestive process of ants and soon their insides will be on the outside and even if that sounds bad, you can rest assured that the pest problem is all but gone.
Depending on the size of your pest problem you might need quite a bit, so you can get this 5lb bag of baking soda from Amazon for less than $8.
4. Lemon Juice
Just like the peel of citrus fruits, you can go a step further by just spraying lemon juice wherever you find an infestation. Lemon juice also contains citric acid and its strong smell makes sure ants just cannot thread in the same area.
An easy way to do this is also by soaking some cotton in lemon juice and placing them at door entrances, window sill, and other openings to ensure ants stay out forever. Grab a gallon of organic lemon juice from Amazon.
5. Peppermint Essential Oil
If you love gardening and the smell of fresh peppermint, then you are in luck as a few of these plants in the garden can make a big difference indeed. For those who are not avid gardeners, spraying a bit of peppermint oil mixed with water around the house can do the trick. Once again, this is a trick that ensures ants simply cannot communicate with one another to form that annoying line that eats away at all things sweet in your home.
You can get this 4oz bottle on peppermint essential oil that will not only keep away pests but can be used in a diffuser too!
6. Boiling water and Dish Soap
Much like the baking powder solution, this is another one of those explosive ideas that kill ants almost instantly. This can be used both within the house and to remove stubborn ant hills in the garden that you just do not want out there.
Pouring boiling water along with some grease-fighting dish soap quickly clears out the ants and wipes things clean. You will not have to worry about any side effects either.
7. Dry Peels of Citrus Fruits
The strong smell of citric acid and other organic acids from dried peels of citrus fruits is strong enough to keep ants away. Be it oranges, lemons, or anything else citrus, these dried peels will kill a few of the ants and easily drive away all the others.
If you don’t have fresh fruit on hand frequently, you can easily substitute this with citrus essential oils. This set of three oils includes lemon, sweet orange, and tangerine while also giving your home a fresh beautiful fragrance.
8. Coffee Grounds
The most effective way to get rid of ants without completely killing them is by removing their chemical communication trail. A smart and fragrant way to do this is by unleashing the aroma of fresh coffee grounds.
Much like those peels of citrus fruits, this is definitely a smell we can live it and the ants will hate. If you use coffee pods you can even open those out and scoop the used coffee grinds. A smart solution that works in more ways than one!
9. Making Things Spicy
Anything from the spice rack keeps away ants almost instantly and you can take this as a general rule since we have tried this first hand. Ants are not really fond of strong, pungent smells (as you would have known by now), and keeping those sugary items close to the spice rack will easily keep the ants away. You can even use a bit of this spicy overdose around the house in form of pepper powder to drive away the tiny critters.
10. Garlic and Pungent Smells
Continuing with the theme of strong smells and ant-killing properties, garlic is another item from your kitchen that can turn away ants with ease. Once again, a bit of garlic here and there works or you can even use its paste to ark out edges where you frequently find those fiery red ants. As an added feature, you will not have to worry about vampire attacks either!
11. Bay Leaves
Bay leaves might seem innocuous, but they can be powdered up and used to kill ants almost immediately and to keep them away forever. You can sprinkle dried bay leaf powder in the garden or outdoors as well and it is easy to see the results almost instantly. Another great pet-safe and child-friendly way to keep out ants!
12. Salt and Talc
Looking for a quick and cheap way to kill those ants and keep their irritating line away from your goodies? Talc or even salt does this effectively and cleaning up is not a hassle here. In fact, salt does much more than just drive ants away. It dries them to a point of death and you will see them drop away and wither within not time at all.
13. Vinegar
While ants are attracted to many substances or products you have in your home, vinegar is not one of them. The strong odor from the vinegar will serve as a permanent deterrent to the pests.
Mix equal parts of water and white vinegar into a spray bottle, then spray the mixture onto the areas of your home where the ants are congregating or the areas that are most susceptible to ants. If you are dealing with a serious infestation, you can swap out white vinegar for a stronger solution with apple cider vinegar.
14. Cinnamon
Cinnamon in various forms is an option for killing ants as well as repelling them in the future. Ground cinnamon can be sprinkled on the ants’ path or around an anthill to kill them.
A few drops of cinnamon essential oils mixed with water and sprayed onto ant paths, as well as around cracks, windows, or doors also works as a deterrent. Even leaving cinnamon sticks in commonly infested areas like corners of your kitchen can work.
