Despite the fact that they are generally harmless, no one wants to see ants in the kitchen or anywhere inside the home. Yet, they get into our food and can damage the property, so everyone wants them far from the home.
If you don’t want to see any ants crawling on your kitchen countertop, it’s time to take action, and do get these nasty little creatures out of your home. How to this?
The most important thing when entering a battle is knowing your enemy. You have to learn how to identify ants. Spring is almost here, and you don’t want any unknown crawler wandering around, right?
Yes, you have to act like some sort of a detective. Eradicating ants can be pretty challenging, and you have to do your homework first. Learn more about the type of ants that have invaded your house. This is of utmost importance, because each species acts differently, and they don’t like to “munch on” the same food, you know.
Some ants appear in specific areas, meaning you’ll have less to do when it comes to these species. The most common ant types are pavement, carpenter, pharaoh, acrobat, and odorous house ants.
Odorous house ants are the most common type. These follow their own trail, and you won’t stop them by just smashing the ants you see. Their “friends” will come in a minute, and you’ll see them crawling again. That’s the last thing you need, right?
In other words, you have to get rid of the entire colony. This may sound like a hard thing to do, but it isn’t. Soapy water will do the trick for you, and you’ll just have to spong the ants using the liquid. Follow the trail, and use homemade ant baits to shut down the “entry points” in your house.
Ants have a strong sense of smell and love sugary foods, so make sure you do not leave any food on the table, cupboards, or countertops, throw the garbage often, and even wash empty soda can, as they can smell the sugar remains in them.
Yet, dealing with them can be quite difficult, as most commercial products we use fail to keep them at bay, but are full of harmful chemicals.
Therefore, it is always better to try to deal with them in a natural, toxin-free, and still, effective way. Here are some of the best natural ways to keep ants out of the home:
- Vinegar
Ants hate the smell of vinegar, so here is how to use it to keep them away:
Ingredients:
- Distilled vinegar
- A few drops of Lemon essential oil
- Water
Instructions
In a spray bottle, mix distilled vinegar and water in equal amounts. Then, add the lemon oil, shake the bottle, and spray all over the places where ants love to appear.
- Peppermint
Ants hate the smell of peppermint too, since it prevents them from detecting other smells from foods.
In a spray bottle, pour 10 drops of peppermint oil and a cup of water. Then spray all over the house twice daily to get rid of ants.
You can also sprinkle dried peppermint around the house, on garbage areas, doors, entryways, or in the garden.
- Cinnamon
Ants detest the smell of cinnamon, so it can be your ally against them. Here is all you have to do:
Ingredients:
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil
- A cup of water
- Cinnamon cloves (optional)
Instructions:
Add the cinnamon essential oil in the water, stir, and soak a cotton ball or a cloth in the mixture. Wipe all the areas in the home where you have noticed ants once daily.
You can also leave cinnamon cloves near the doors and windows to prevent ants from entering the house.
- Borax
This is a way to attract ants and then kill them. You will trick them to take some of the borax mixture, and bring it to their home to share it with the rest of the ants, so you will destroy most of them.
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of borax
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
Instructions:
In a container, mix the borax, peanut butter, sugar, and water. Cover with a lid, and poke it with some sharp object on the lid and on the sides. Ants will be able to enter it through the small holes, and leave, taking a bit of the mixture.
Good sanitation practice also matters. Moreover, it’s one of the best ways to clean your house and keep any impostors at bay. Get the garbage out of the house on time, and clean up the mess after every meal store your food properly, and keep sweet foods in sealed containers.
Zip-top bags work well, too. Ants also like honey and jam, so try to clean up any drips on the jar. Can you read between the lines? Cleaning your house properly is the best way to keep ants away! Source : www.healthy-lifebox.com
