Asked on May 14, 2017

How do you get rid of ants in your mulch?

Becki armington
by Becki armington
I have a zillion ants in my mulch. When I put large potted flowers on top of the mulch they are all over my flower plants. Eventually they make their way into the house. I just set off bug bombs in the house.
  7 answers
  • Caroline Caroline on May 14, 2017

    Over and out granuales works great and all season.

  • Terryt Terryt on May 14, 2017

    Borax Ant KillerRecipe.

    Materials: ·

    1/2 cup sugar ·

    1 ½ tbsp. Borax (find in laundry aisle pretty much anywhere.

    2 cups water ·

    Empty jar with lid (I used an old peanut butter jar) ·

    Cotton balls ·

    Tin foil/ coke bottle lids, milk lids, yogurt lids

    Directions:

    1. Boil water, then pour in empty jar

    2. Add sugar and borax to hot water and stir until completely dissolved

    3. Soak cotton balls with mixture and place on a small tin foil piece or old drinking lid. I sometimes just put the cotton ball on top of dirt where ants are.

    4. Place cotton ball wherever you have ants!

    5. 24 hours later, get your summer back, your car back, your kitchen back!… ant free.

  • Becki armington Becki armington on May 14, 2017

    Thanks I will try that!

  • Becki armington Becki armington on May 14, 2017


    does that work on all kind of ants? I don't have fire ants thank goodness

  • Judy Riley Judy Riley on May 14, 2017

    1 box baking soda mixed with an equal amount of icing sugar placed in small containers in the mulch. The ants cannot separate the soda from the sugar, will take it home to the nest and the soda will make the formic acid in the ants, explode, killing any ants that eat the mixture. Much like when you mix vinegar and baking soda.


  • Becki armington Becki armington on May 14, 2017

    Awesome! I am going to try this tomorrow. Does it need to be in containers or can I sprinkle it around?


  • Laila Laila on Jan 01, 2019

    Did baking soda + powdered sugar work? I have the same issue you did. And I can’t use anything toxic due to adjacent young trees and small children