How to Get Rid of Ants With Borax & Sugar

Elena K, Hometalk Team
by Elena K, Hometalk Team
6 Materials
15 Minutes
Easy

I’ve been feeling a little bugged lately. Sounds familiar?


First, we got those pesky aphids all over the garden. Then, “something” ate the strawberries – whole berries evaporated in the nighttime. Now, I got ants!


Luckily, I have a secret weapon in my cleaning cabinet that will make them disappear in no time. Here's how to get rid of ants with borax and sugar:

Ant infestation

1. Identify the ants

Though the methods below should take care of your ant problem, it makes sense to try to identify ants first. For example, the sweet bait remedy may not work across the board.


Keep in mind that borax & boric acid can damage your soil and plants so another strategy is required.


So before we get to make this wonder, here are a few things to consider:


  • Do you have indoor or outdoor ants? Indoor ants are usually more receptive to boric acid, borax, and baits.


  • You may not be able to kill all of your outdoor ants, but you should be able to keep them out of your house and garden.


  • A separate category is termites: They are dangerous! (Trust me. I know by experience.) If you suspect you have an infestation, call an exterminator ASAP. Scroll down to see a pic.
Sugar, borax, and other items

Sugar or fat?

As far as indoor ants go, some have a sweet tooth while others are more likely to seek out fats and grease.


To test their preference, you can dissolve sugar in water, use jelly or honey—for ants that like it sweet—or use peanut butter or regular butter for those that are attracted to fat.


Before you settle on your recipe and want to experiment, mix 1/2-1 teaspoon of boric acid with 1 cup of a couple of different foods (sugary water or peanut butter) to find out which one draws the most ants.


CAUTION: Boric Acid is an effective ant (and roach killer) but it’s more toxic than Borax. If you have pets or young kids you need to leave your baits out of their reach.

How to make a bait trap for ants

Boric acid ant killers aren't effective against all species of ant. They work best against ants that are a nuisance in your home, such as the Argentine ant, the Pharoah ant, and the Odorous House ant.


These ants are small and usually black or reddish-black, often called sugar ants. The two indoor ants you should be most concerned about are Odorous House Ants and Carpenter Ants.


Odorous House Ants

These are medium-sized ants, approximately 1/8 inch long. They are uniformly brown to black. They can be identified by the rotten coconut odor they release when crushed.


Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants are large, ranging in size from 1/2 to 1 inch long. They range in color from yellow to black, although the most common species are dark.


Ok. So we know that most indoor ants like either sugar or grease. Time to make this sweet treat!

Mixing water, sugar, and borax

2. Make the bait


Supplies

  • 1-2 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons borax
  • Cotton balls, paper towels, or empty jar lids


Grab your water, add 1/2 sugar, and 1-2 tablespoons of borax. Mix well.

Labeling the mixture

3. Label

Now that you've finished your handy concoction, it’s time to label it! Grab a pen and tape, and write the ingredients and proportions.


TIP: Don’t forget to add the date and the name. Something descriptive is best, so everyone in the household knows its purpose.

Getting the cotton balls ready

4. Set the trap

Soak the cotton balls or paper towels and place them in shallow dishes near ant trails. You can also use empty jar lids to hold your sweet bait, or just the balls by themselves.


TIP: Resist the urge to kill all the ants you see! You want them to do the job for you by taking the bait to their nest.


Prevention

To protect your home from future infestations, replace damaged structural wood, repair water leaks, and make sure ventilation is adequate to keep structural wood in your home dry and sound.


Keep your yard free of decaying wood and trim plants back at least 1 foot away from your home. Seal cracks and crevices in exterior walls to keep ants from entering your home.

Diatomaceous Earth

For outdoor ants

Ants that normally stay outdoors, such as harvester ants or fire ants, may not be as receptive to borax ant baits.


CAUTION: Avoid using borax and boric acid in the plants or soil. Excess boron - and it takes very little to be an excess - will permanently damage your soil and plants won't grow.


But, here’s something that will work: diatomaceous earth (DE).


DE is a naturally occurring soft, crumbly, porous siliceous sedimentary deposit formed from the fossil remains of diatoms. It is crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder.


It is non-toxic and safe in gardens and flowers.


Not only does it work with ants, but also many other insects – both IN and OUT the home.


Diatomaceous earth works differently from other pesticides by using a mechanical reaction rather than a chemical one. It works by absorbing moisture from their exoskeletons so when ants come into contact with DE they begin to dehydrate.


This will not only kill insects but help prevent future infestations as well.


There are many places where you can buy DE: from a swimming pool supplier (it’s also used as a filter aid), to your home garden center (Home Depot), to your health food store (if you’re looking for food grade) and of course online, including Amazon.

Sprinkling the DE to get rid of ants

You can sprinkle it outdoors, in areas where you want ants gone. Use a flour sifter to lightly dust larger problem areas.


You can also put a pinch close to the nest or ant trails, or around the house in areas you want to protect.


TIP: DE will ONLY work when it's dry. You’ll need to reapply after it rains or periodically if the area gets wet.

Making a barrier with DE

You can also use DE to make a “barrier” around the areas of your house you want to protect—like doors or windowsills—or areas you notice ants coming in.


Put your gloves on to apply a little powder right there and in other susceptible areas or entrance points.


Targeting an ant nest

I haven’t tried this method—luckily I never needed to! But I thought it was worth it to include here:


To target a nest, you need to open it and eliminate the queen. Use a shovel to open it and get to the tunnels as well. Then apply a good amount of DE to the area, including the area within a 1-foot radius.

Paprika and Murphy Oil soap

Other remedies

Although I haven’t tried any of these, except for the borax or boric acid, I thought it would be interesting to add them to the list.


If you have any experience, please share.


  • Sprinkle powdered red chill pepper, paprika, dried peppermint, borax, or boric acid where the ants are entering, to prevent them from doing so.


  • Ants can also controlled with boiling water to kill the queens.


  • You can use citrus oils like orange oil, chopped garlic, canola oil, and liquid soap like Murphy Oil soap to create barriers.
Dead ants

My results

Since—luckily—I couldn’t find any indoor ants to test the borax & sugar bait, I decided to take it out and give it a try.


After closely examining the storm door, I realized there were small red ants outside—the same kind that are common indoors—around the step. Sure enough, I could see a few small holes, the entrance to their nests.


First I made a barrier with DE. Next, I applied boric acid around the holes. Finally, I set up a few baits along their trails, both as cotton/paper balls and as a jar lid.


Ants gathered around the baits in no time, but didn’t care much about the lid—perhaps because it wasn’t as accessible?


The next morning there were a bunch of casualties so I changed the baits and added more to secure my positions.


The war is not over yet!


I’ll continue to monitor results within the coming days, but I’m glad to report my sweet arsenal is working.

Borax and Boric acid

Borax and Boric acid


Borax

Borax is a naturally occurring mineral, soluble in water generally used as a cleaning agent and laundry detergent. It can deodorize, inhibit the growth of mildew and mold, boost the cleaning power of soap or detergent, remove stains, and can be used with attractants such as sugar to kill cockroaches and ants.


Boric acid

Boric acid is toxic, it is a pesticide, it is an insecticide, and it can cause serious illness to pets and children if they ingest it. It is a common active ingredient in many pesticide bait formulations and some dust formulations. It is also used in cosmetics.


Both can irritate (sometimes severely) if direct contact with the eyes and skin occurs. Among the two, boric acid is an insecticide and therefore more “toxic” than borax.


I’d say—used with caution—they’re much safer than most commercial pesticides out there, especially borax and, of course, diatomaceous earth.

Termite or ant

Termite or ant?

Yes, termites—especially the winged reproductive—can be confused with flying ants. They're not the same! Take a look at the graphic and notice the differences.


Termite soldiers have big heads and mandibles. (Guess what's that for!)


If you suspect you have an infestation, don’t try to “take care” of them by yourself. If you've seen the swarmers in your home around springtime, you likely have a nest. You’ll need professional help to get to the queen and eliminate the colony.


If swarmers are outdoors, passing by, they may be looking for a suitable nest.


In any case, it's a good idea to keep your eyes open and check with an expert.

Suggested materials:
  • Borax   (Supermarket, Drugstore, Online)
  • Boric Acid   (Supermarket, Drugstore, Home Center)
  • Sugar   (Supermarket)
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 9 questions
  • Sandra Sandra on May 21, 2018

    I live in Australia and we have what’s called ‘Midges or sand flies’ they are so tiny, one can’t even see them, they apparently look like a tiny fly and are disgusting little pests as they wee on you and they bite. The bite leaves a really bad itch which can last up to 3 weeks.

    I react badly to the bites so I’m hoping someone may have a suggestion to get rid of the stinky little pests????

  • PamPam PamPam on Jun 03, 2019

    Any home remedy for getting rid of roaches in Florida?

  • Cesley Cesley on Jun 11, 2019

    I've used them separately but do you think it would work to mix the Borax recipe and Diatomaceous earth on my entrances for both the sugar and the tiny fire ants, to keep them BOTH out of my house? I live in south Florida and those tiny fire ants are horrible jerks with a tremendously powerful and painful bite that love my house too!

Comments
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3 of 59 comments
  • Mary Coakley Mary Coakley on Apr 19, 2020

    Great information.for ants.an.easy.way to get rid of.aphids.a few squirts.of dish soap.in water.and.spray on plant.does.not harm.plants

  • Msg13246390 Msg13246390 on Apr 22, 2020

    did you know equal will kill ants just sprinkle it around if it dosen't work sprinkle more and spray a little water on it, they all seem to like it. Wet or dry one or the other works and i don't worry about the dogs or kids

    • Jamienoble05 Jamienoble05 on Feb 10, 2021

      Sugar substitutes can be deadly for dogs. Especially small dogs. Check with your local veterinarian before you use them as insect repellant.

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