Borax Ant Killer Recipes: Make Your Own Homemade Ant Killer

Dealing with an ant infestation? You may already have ingredients at home that will allow you to create an effective homemade ant control remedy. Here are some steps on making your own homemade ant killer using borax.

Borax Ant Killer Recipes

You can’t just sprinkle borax on the floor and expect the ants to feast on it. You need to lure the ants into the pile of borax by mixing it with something sweet. Here are a few examples.

Borax and Sugar
Yes, all you need is sugar and borax. First, mix three parts sugar with one part borax then add a little bit of warm water until the borax mix becomes a sludge. Pour the sludge into a small container then place the container next to the areas where the ants are frequently spotted.

As an alternative, you can also soak some cotton balls in the sugar-borax mix and place the soaked cotton balls next to the trail of ants. You should see the ants gather quickly.

Borax and Peanut Butter
Mix one teaspoon of peanut butter with two teaspoons of borax. Stuff the peanut butter-borax mix into a plastic straw then place the straw next to the ant-infested areas. This method works well for people who are trying to tackle ant invasions in narrow spaces.

Ants aren’t just attracted to sugar. Some species of ants may also seek a source of protein, which peanut butter could provide.

Borax and Honey
You can also mix borax with honey or syrup to bait the ants. Make sure the honey-borax mix is placed in a container that can be easily accessed by the ants.

What is Borax?

Borax, also known as sodium borate, is a naturally-occurring mineral that’s used in many cleaning products, such as detergents and multi-purpose cleaners. Borax is used as an active ingredient in many household remedies due to its effectiveness and inexpensiveness.

Aside from pest control, you might find people using borax for other purposes such as cleaning, flower maintenance, and mold removal.

Despite being a naturally-occurring mineral, borax isn’t 100% safe. Most if not all borax-based products will contain a caution label that warns users about the potential dangers. For example, prolonged borax exposure may lead to painful eye irritations. Make sure you take all safety precautions (e.g. put on a mask) when using borax.

Borax is often confused with boric acid. They are not the same thing. Boric acid is made by reacting borax with a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid. They are, however, both known for being good “natural” alternatives to traditional pesticide products.

How Does Borax Kill Ants?

Although borax has a low toxicity rate for humans and large animals, it is fatal for ants and other common household pests. Borax can eliminate ants via two mechanisms.

First, when an ant consumes borax, the powder starts to interfere with the ant’s digestive system and causes them to eventually die from starvation. Borax doesn’t kill ants immediately and this actually works to our benefit. It gives enough time for the ant to take some borax back to the colony and share it with other working ants.

Second, borax can also do damage without being ingested. The powder is abrasive enough to damage the ant’s exoskeleton, which then causes the ant to lose body fluid and dry out.

How Long Does it Take for Borax to Kill Ants?

It takes time for these two mechanisms to work their magic. Borax doesn’t lead to immediate results. You need to be patient and persistent for the borax method work against an ant invasion. You might start to see the effects trickle in after 48 to 72 hours.

A large ant colony, however, will take much longer to eliminate. You will need to set up the ant borax trap in multiple places and re-apply weekly. If all goes to plan then the ant trails should be no more after a few weeks.

Please note, however, that it takes more than just borax to control an ant invasion at home. You also need to put in the effort to eliminate the things that attracted the ants in the first place. This could include things like open food and water.

Will Borax Kill Ants in my Lawn?

The borax ant killer recipes are primarily designed for tackling indoor ant invasions but they could potentially work for outdoor ant invasions as well. You want to get rid of the yard ants as soon as possible before they start to build the tunnels and mounds.

Keep in mind, however, that an ant invasion in the backyard is a whole different playing field because you are dealing with a much wider and open space. By using borax, you are also increasing the chances of eliminating the beneficial insects in the garden and backyard.

Is Borax Safe to Use Around Pets?

Households with pets should avoid using borax. Just like to us, borax may cause physical harm (e.g. serious eye irritations) to cats and dogs that come into contact with the powder. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is a safer alternative to borax for pet owners.

If you, as a pet (both dog and cat) owner, insist on using borax then make sure it is kept away from the pet’s reach. The ants aren’t the only ones that will be lured into the sweet borax traps, your dogs or cats will be as well.