How to get rid of ants?

Question

We have the little black ants throughout our home. Stripped the kitchen of any food items on the counter and continually ripe down the counter tops. We've tried numerous name brand ant sprays, ant bait, sticky mouse pads, vinegar, alcohol, dish detergent and peppermint and tea tree oils inside and out. Every attempt to get rid of these pest are short lived; they usually reappear within the day. ANY other SUGGESTIONS?

Mad29883817 · Answer

Ortho Home Defense works good for me but if u live on concrete slab chances are there are cracks in concrete as I found out lifting up carpet

Sharon · Answer

Sometimes you have a colony in the crawlspace or nearby. I like to get the Command type traps where they eat the poison that then goes back to the colony to kill them. I also sprinkle 20 Mule Team Laundry Borax in a jar with a lid with lots of holes punched in the top, all over the carpets, leave for 3 hours, then vacuum up. I use a natural non-toxic ant insecticide in the house, EcoLogic or EcoSmart are lemongrass based, and Victor's is mint based. Both kill on contact, and the residue wiped on counters, doorways and floors will repel them.

The ants are very strong this year, and because its hotter than normal they are also looking for water in addition to food. Keep food in jars, even zip lock baggies, tins etc.

I have also found spraying the outside foundation with a insecticide, I like the carpenter ant and termite spray from True Value in the white pump bottle. Wear gloves and a mask. I do this 2x a year, spring and fall.

Oliva · Answer

Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.), sprinkled at their points of entry/your home's perimeter. You need to liberally apply distilled white vinegar to walls, counters, tile floors, to destroy the scent trail the ants are leaving for others. Wipe a diluted version from a damp cloth on wood floors.

Tena Carpenter · Answer

use a big box of Cinnamon around the area you think they are coming in at. It deters them they hate the smell and does not harm anything else.

Cindy · Answer

You could spritz good, old-fashioned, white vinegar on those ants. You can do it indoors and outdoors. I also agree with above comments to spritz the entire perimeter of your house. Repeat in 3 or 4 days.

Ginny · Answer

Terro ant products/traps.

Redcatcec · Answer

Hi Msc,

A box of Jiffy cornmeal mix-unbaked-sprinkle it where they are coming in-outside the kitchen is the usual place. They love it and take it back to the colony and it gets wiped out. In the meantime keep your kitchen counters clean. Vinegar destroys the pheromone trail they put down when they travel so there will be nothing to attract more-in other words, they lost the scent and abandon the hunt.

Ginny · Answer

I was in Home Depot a few weeks ago purchasing Terro, and a gentleman who owns a pest control company said it is about the best you can get. He mentioned that borax and some of the other home remedies don't work. So on that note, I would call a professional. LOL.

Debbie/Dragonfly Treasure · Answer

I use packaged cornbread mix that says it is sweetened and put it where they are. They will take it to the mound, everyone will eat it and die, they can't digest the cornmeal, but will take it because it is sweetened. Little goes a long way.

I read this from : Itsmemic

Medicated powder from the Dollar Tree. It has eucalyptus in it...menthol...I puff it around my homes foundation..and inside under my birdcages in the cracks under moldings. Work immediately and they never come back. I do this at the first sign of ants..in one day..GONE. The powder is in a very large container and lasts quite awhile too !! And smells great !

Not toxic to my birds OR dog

What if you make a barrier around the house.

I did some research, since we know what works for one person doesn't always work for another. I found this site and it's pretty informative. I know some tips you may not be able to use but there are some good ones also that will hopefully help.

https://www.familyhandyman.com/pest-control/how-to-get-rid-of-ants/view-all/

Ants are so weird. One time I found them inside the freezer in the garage!! What would possess them to go inside a freezer only to die? They must have sent signals back or something ~ there were no ant trails only a freezer full of dead ants. Hasn't happened since.