How can I make DIY solutions for getting rid of ants?

Karen
by Karen
  6 answers
  • Pamela Pamela on Aug 05, 2019

    Hi ! I use diatomaceous earth. It is an all natural substance that is safe to use around kids and pets . It has tons of uses for home , garden , pet's and people ! I got a bag of organic food grade at Amazon for $10 .

  • Shirley Kalinosky Shirley Kalinosky on Aug 05, 2019

    If it's outside, I have used sliced cucumbers on the ant hills. They are gone the next day.

  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Aug 05, 2019

    AMDRO ANT BAIT granules work. all these home remedies do nothing but kill the ants you see, if they even do that, most just disrupt the scent/trail/or the top of the mound/colony. FYI most DIY solutions are only repellents/deterents. MYTH: Cinnamon kills ants.

    TRUTH: Ants don’t like cinnamon but unfortunately it doesn’t kill or repel them.

    MYTH: Vinegar kills ants.

    TRUTH: Vinegar just removes the smell/trace of ants. While it may help confuse or throw off the rest of the colony, vinegar alone might not be enough to rid your home of these bothersome insects.

    MYTH: Boiling water repels ants.

    TRUTH: If – and only if – the water is boiling will it kill the ants that it is poured on. However, it will not repel future ants from invading your home.

    MYTH: Ants won’t cross a chalk/powder line.

    TRUTH: A chalk/powder line may temporarily stop the ants (it’s the smell that “ disrupts the scent trail”) but it won’t be long before they figure out a way around the chalk/powder. We probably don’t have to tell you, but ants are very persistent creatures!

    MYTH: Uncooked grains, like oatmeal,cornmeal,jiffy muffin mix or grits, will kill ants by expanding in their stomachs and then exploding.

    TRUTH: Despite popular belief, there is no evidence that ants can be killed off by dumping grains in or around the “hive.” What we do know is that only the oldest members of an ant colony can digest solid food. The adult, worker, and reproductive ants, can only digest liquids.Ants take organic matter listed above & store it in the nest.

    And the biggest ant control myth of all?

    As long as you kill or remove the ants you can see, your problem is solved.Diatomaceous earth does kill them but only ants that crawl thru it not the colony. To be really be rid of them I suggest either Boric Acid mixed with cornmeal or Amdro Ant Bait granules sprinkle a little of the bait besides trail ( not directly on it they will get disrupted and leave or not pick up bait)they carry bait to nest and it kills entire colony. Amdro works fast 2-24 hrs. huge colony gone.it is poison as is Boric Acid but just cover with something til the next day, don't mess with/block their trail tho' so they carry bait back to colony quickly.if you use liquid bait it kills only the working ants you see before they get back to colony, so the trail is gone then they just start a new one to & from colony elsewhere.So you only think you have killed them off. Another method is borax mixed with powdered confectioners sugar,this takes a little longer than boric acid or Amdro(best,fastest). Just use a little of the bait it doesn't take much, then clean up what is left after colony has been killed off. I put a milk crate, flower pot or saucer over the bait (just make sure it is not blocking their trail) to keep anything out of bait except ants. works indoors or outdoors.


  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Aug 05, 2019

    I like the ease of a commercial ant trap— both indoors and outdoors. The Terro brand that I have used with great sucess with -is recommended quite highly. You can check out the reviews and Q&A here— to see if it would meet your needs. I recently set them up a few weeks ago and —problem is once again —solved.


    Once you get these traps in place the ant problem is distant memory. They are very effortless, effective and cost-effective. They do not smell badly like an ant aerosol spray does.


    I sometimes also use Terro outdoor versions— outside around the foundation perimeter as the ants can be seen under rocks and in my seasonal flowering planters, the do like shade and moisture.


    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q3QQNC?pf_rd_p=a526cdf5-1d83-4a09-853e-0767afc685eb&pf_rd_r=S81T06EKESM8CMQ6TD62


    https://www.amazon.com/Ant-Killer-Liquid-Station-Terro-PCO/dp/B0047MDBP8


    https://www.todayshomeowner.com/video/this-bait-kills-all-common-household-ants/

  • Hi Karen - Those little buggers are relentless, aren't they?!? This is the most effective method and all-natural spray DIY that we use with ants. It's best indoors, but will also work outside with more frequent applications. It's even been featured on Hometalk! Hope this helps! Hugs, Holly

    https://pinkfortitude.com/ant-spray/

    PS - We have a FREE eBook with recipes for all of my homemade and all-natural cleaners. You can download it here --> https://pinkfortitude.com/thank#GreenClean