Last updated on April 30th, 2021
There’s a lot to like about ants – they work as a team, help one another, and are supremely organized creatures. But, what happens when you see a line of ants marching towards your kitchen countertop? Not a great feeling, right? As surprising as it may sound, ants can even contaminate your food with harmful bacteria like E-coli or salmonella. Here are a few simple ways to banish ants from your house, for good.
Make it a Habit to Keep the Kitchen Countertop Clean
Ants love to feast over spills, crumbs, and basically any mess that people make. So, one of the easiest ways to fend off ants from your home is to practice cleanliness. Ensure all your food items are stored in air-tight containers. Additionally, make it a point to clean up after cooking, and wipe-off any food or oil spills from the sides of bottles and containers.
Use a Deterrent
Another easy way to discourage ants is to use a deterrent. Peppermint oil is an excellent ant deterrent. So, think of planting mint around your house, or mix 5-10 drops of peppermint oil in water and spray over the infested areas, or anywhere you have spotted ants before.
Preventing and deterring ants is a great idea to get rid of these tiny creatures. But, what if ants are already an issue? In that case, you will need a few ant killing remedies. We’ve found a few DIY measures to banish ants once and for all.
Ant Killer 1: Multipurpose Cleaner & Ant Killer
Make a solution by mixing 1 cup of vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of castile soap (an olive oil based soap), and 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle. Now, shake it well, and use the solution on the affected surfaces and areas.
Ant Killer 2: Borax
Borax is an excellent ant killer. Mix a spoonful of peanut butter with a tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of borax in a small bowl. Now, stuff the mixture into a plastic straw and cut it into small pieces. Spread these pieces of straw around the ant trails. The sugar will attract the ants, and the borax will kill them.
Ant Killer 3: Baking Soda
Mix equal parts of baking soda and powdered sugar, and dust it over the affected areas. The ants will get attracted to the smell of sugar, but will eat the baking soda too, and instantly die.
