How to Get Rid of Ants the Safe Way
A home flooded with nuisance-causing ants can quickly become a matter of great distress. Save your home (and yourself) from becoming an infested colony with these fabulous failsafe tips on how to get rid of ants.
Ants are tiny creatures that appear harmless but, in reality, can cause significant problems for homeowners. They can contaminate your food with harmful bacteria and spread diseases, putting you and your loved ones at risk.
Ants are often looking for easy food sources, and once they find it, it is only a matter of time before they get comfortable, settle in, and make your space their ‘home sweet home. That’s why ant infestations are so common in places where leftover food is kept, such as your kitchen.
But luckily, there are several ways to prevent an ant invasion and stop these pesky crawlies from multiplying in number without the need of an exterminator.
Further in this post, we have shared 6 failsafe tips on how to get rid of ants in the house (including most targeted areas like the kitchen and garden) – the safest way.
How to Get Rid of Ants in The House
If you look up “how to get rid of ants” on Google, you’ll be swamped by myriads of different methods and suggestions listed on your screen. That said, keep in mind that not all of those suggestions are safe for you since some of them entail harmful chemicals.
But don’t worry, that’s what we are here for.
Below we’ve listed six effective materials to kill ants safely:
1. Chalk (calcium carbonate)
Nobody really knows why this material works in getting rid of ants, but our best bet is that it interrupts the scent trail or perhaps ants don’t like the taste of it. Whatever the reason may be, one thing is for certain: chalk can annihilate ant infestations practically overnight.
Simply draw a line with chalk on the areas from where the ants enter your space to create an impassable barrier. Refresh the chalk line regularly to ensure it keeps working.
2. Vinegar
Create a mixture of half part white vinegar and half part water. Use this mixture to wipe down areas (cupboards, countertops, shelves, etc.) where you mostly spot ants. Since ants do not like the smell of vinegar, they tend to stay away from it. Vinegar also eliminates the scent trails that the ants use to roam around. Just be sure to repeat the process multiple times throughout the day to maintain the effectiveness of this remedy.
3. Mint Oil
The smell of another scent that ants detest. Although it won’t kill the ants, it will help you to naturally keep them at bay. Just pour some mint oil on spots most prone to ant infestations. You can even use mint leaves.
4. Cloves
The strong smell of cloves can quickly get rid of ants from your entire home as long as you cover all probably entry points. For this hack, you can use cloves in the form of essential oil, powder, and even whole uncrushed cloves from your spice box. Scatter some cloves on spots most prone to ants as well as entrance points both from the outside and inside.
5. Cornstarch
This easily available grocery store item is super effective in smothering ant colonies in one single sweep. To kill ants with cornstarch, you can either liberally pour the material over a cluster of ants and pour water on top. After a while, you will be left with several dead ant bodies swathed in cornstarch which you can easily clean up later.
Another easy way is to sprinkle cornstarch on the ants and then vacuum them up. Be sure to dispose of the sealed vacuum bag outside of your home immediately.
6. Neem Oil
This ant-killing material is especially useful for preventing garden infestations. Since neem oil is a natural insecticide, many gardeners advise using it around plants, especially in areas where ants or aphids (tiny sap-sucking pests) exist. The neem oil will poison both types of pests and leave you with a garden that’s healthy and thriving.
Last Few Words…
Let these six ant-killing tips and hacks motivate you to get rid of those infested nooks and corners for a home that’s safe, healthy, and comfortable. Please note that there are several other ways to keep your home and garden free from ant infestations. Nonetheless, these X ideas are a good place to start.
So, roll up your sleeves and dig in.
We would love to know if this post on “How to Get Rid of Ants” helped you in any way at all. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you have any other foolproof hacks under your sleeve.
If you’re searching for more useful lifestyle guides or home cleaning tips, be sure to check the rest of our blog section. It is always our aim to ensure every reader is equipped with the necessary knowledge to make a decision that’s best for them.
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