10 Natural Ant Killer Remedies That Work

10 Natural Ways to Control and Prevent Ants

Has this happened to you? You open your kitchen cupboard to grab the sugar, and you’re confronted with a long line of ants running to and from the bag...and disappearing somewhere into your wall or floor. What a nightmare!

There’s nothing worse than having a kitchen full of ants. Fortunately, though, there are natural approaches to ant control that are safe and non-toxic. Give one of these natural remedies a try to control ants in and around your home. Remember, too: if you can’t seem to get your ant problem under control, you can always contact an environmentally friendly ant control company here in South Carolina for help.

Ready to give one of these natural ant remedies a try? Keep reading to learn more about our top 10 ant killer remedies.

1. Lemon Juice

Here in South Carolina, it’s pretty common to have a few lemons in your fridge. After all, who wants to drink sweet tea without a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass?

Aside from garnishing your tea, lemons can also be extremely helpful when it comes to combating ants in your home. The smell of the lemons masks the scent trails that they use to get to and from food, and also generally deters them from taking up residence. Try sprinkling some lemon juice in and around the area where you’re seeing ants, or putting a few slices of lemon peel in your cupboard.

2. Cinnamon

Much like lemon juice, the smell of cinnamon discourages ants from trying to search your kitchen cupboards for food.

While ground or whole cinnamon can be effective if you scatter it around your cupboards, it can also be a bit messy. As an alternative to the mess that cinnamon can cause, consider mixing half a teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil with a cup of water. Then, use the solution to wipe down the area where you’ve found ants.

3. Essential Oils

Cinnamon isn’t the only effective essential oil out there. In addition to cinnamon, consider using peppermint, tea tree, clove, or orange oil. You can dilute these oils with water and wipe down the insides of your cabinets, or you can place cotton balls soaked in essential oil along the trails that you’ve seen ants using.

4. Coffee Grounds

At this point, you may have detected a theme with these deterrent methods. Indeed, one of the best ways to get rid of ants is to disrupt their sense of smell, making it hard for them to find food and return to the same spot where they found it.

Coffee grounds sprinkled around the area where they’re entering your home or kitchen can work much the same way as essential oils, cinnamon, or lemon juice. If you have some extra coffee laying around, consider giving it a try.

5. Hot Water and Dish Soap

If you’re looking to do more than just deter ants, hot water and dish soap are an option. Both are capable of killing ants on contact, and can be incredibly helpful when it comes to ant control.

To take care of ants that are showing up in your cupboard, consider filling a spray bottle with a little natural dish soap and some water. Then, spray the soapy water on any visible ants. If there are large ant hills outside your home, heat up a pot of boiling water and pour it onto the hills. Just be careful: if they’re fire ant hills, the ants could attack you -- something that’s potentially quite dangerous.

6. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth, or DE, is a less familiar but incredibly effective way of dealing with ants. This powdery substance is made from the ground up remains of tiny, fossilized sea creatures called diatoms.

While it may look like a smooth, floury powder to the naked eye, diatomaceous earth is actually quite sharp and spiky at the microscopic level. When ants encounter it, diatomaceous earth causes tiny cuts on their exoskeleton. The ants then quite literally dry out as moisture leaves their bodies, and they eventually die as a result. Consider sprinkling diatomaceous earth around areas where ants are entering or exiting your home.

7. Vinegar

Nearly everyone has a bottle of vinegar in their cupboard or under the sink. Aside from using it in cooking and for cleaning purposes, did you know that vinegar makes for a great ant deterrent? It masks ant scent trails just like essential oils and citrus, and can also help clean up areas that may be attracting ants due to trace amounts of food.

Simply mix equal parts vinegar and water, spray around entry points and cupboards, and wipe dry. Feel free to add a couple of drops of essential oil to the bottle, too.

8. Citrus Peel Spray

If you don’t have vinegar or essential oils on hand, you can still put together an effective spray that will rid your home of ants. Simply put citrus peels in a pot and add just enough water to cover the peels. You can add vinegar, too, if you have it.

Heat the water until it steams, remove the pan from the heat and turn off your stove, and let the pan sit with the peels in it overnight. The next day, strain the mixture into a spray bottle and use as above. Keep in mind that the citrus and/or vinegar can react with certain types of pots if left overnight, so exercise caution.

9. Baking Soda & Powdered Sugar

If you’ve seen ants around your kitchen but aren’t sure of what area to treat, consider this option.

First, combined equal parts baking soda and powdered sugar in a bag. Shake until thoroughly and evenly mixed. Then, pour the mixture into shallow dishes and place around your kitchen and cupboards. The sugar will attract the ants, and the baking soda will exterminate them.

10. Cayenne Pepper

Like many of the other scents above, cayenne pepper can make for an effective ant deterrent. If you know where ants are entering your home, just sprinkle some cayenne pepper there to keep them from coming in. Keep in mind, though, that cayenne pepper can be hazardous to children and pets if they come into contact with it.

Professional Safe Ant Control

We hope the above natural ant killer remedies work for you and solve your ant problem! If you still have ants in your home after trying the natural approach, consider contacting Home Pest Control. We offer non-toxic, safe, environmentally friendly ant control solutions at affordable prices.