How to Get Rid of Ants Fast Using Home Remedies

You are here because you are trying to figure out how to get rid of the sudden onslaught of ants that are terrorizing your house. Here are some home remedies that may help get rid of ants quickly.

Find the cause

Pests like ants won’t ever go away until you have found and cleared out the original source of the infestation. Here are some clues to start your investigation.

Food crumbs and residues

Ant colonies send out their worker ants to find food. A few worker ants from a nearby colony may have found plenty of food to forage in your house and have left a scent for other ants to follow. The ant infestation is unlikely to disappear until your home is clear of any food residues left out in the open.

Search for water

Ants may occasionally come inside in search for water, especially if the weather has been hot and dry for a prolonged period of time. There could be some easy targets in your house, such as a leaking faucet or overwatered potted plants, where ants can easily find water.

Shelter from bad weather

Storms and heavy rain may cause ant nests to flood. This forces the ants to seek shelter and relocate to nearby structures such as your home. The same could happen when there is a heat wave. As explained earlier, ants may infest your home in search for moisture. There could be cracks and gaps along the external wall that allows the ants to easily enter.

Home remedies for getting rid of ants

Get rid of all food crumbs

Ants will eventually disappear from your home if you no longer give them a reason to come in. Start with making your home spotlessly clean. Vacuum the floor and carpet religiously. Keep leftover foods stored in tightly-sealed containers. Use airtight kitchen bins. Ants can use their antenna to detect food from a far distance.

Reduce moisture and dampness

Make sure there isn’t any pool of water (big or small) around the house. Check the bathroom and kitchen pipes. Make sure there is nothing that is leaking. Clear out all the debris that may have accumulated in the drains. Make sure you aren’t overwatering your plants. This especially applies to those that live in a place with a dry climate.

Close off all entry points

Groups of ants usually move in a line. You should be able to find out where the ants are coming from by following the trail. Try to repair any crevices and cracks if the ants are making their way through the external wall. Apply weatherproof seals if the ants are making it through the gaps around doors and windows.

Ants could also be making their way inside your house via tree branches and bushes. Trim the plants if the foliage or branches are making contact with the external walls.

Set up ant bait traps

The most effective remedies don’t kill the ants on the spot. You need to repel or get rid of the whole ant colony if you don’t want the ants to infest your home again. One way of doing this is by having the worker ants bring back ‘poison’ back to their colony. Borax is an easy method for this.

Mix equal parts of borax, warm water, and sugar. This will result in a syrup. Leave a bit of the borax syrup near the trails of ant. The ants will think of it as food and take it back to their colony. Borax is toxic to ants and the ingestion of it will eventually lead to the ant’s death.

You can expect ants to disappear from your home within a few days if the bait traps work as intended. Don’t want to get your hands dirty? Terro ant traps work the same way and are well-known products for ant control.

Create a barrier using diatomaceous earth

As a natural pest control, this natural powder can work some magic. Food-grade diatomaceous earth acts as a desiccant. The powder will stick to the body of any ants that it comes into contact with. It will pierce through the ant’s body and cause death by dehydrating the ant. Sprinkle a thin layer of diatomaceous earth (food grade only) along the ant trail. The powder will lose its effectiveness when it becomes wet.

Frequently asked questions

What scents do ants hate?

There are a variety of scents that ants may hate, such as the scent of cinnamon, essential oils like peppermint, and vinegar. You could try using scent to repel ants but it’s unlikely to get rid of ants permanently on its own.

Will Ziploc bags keep ants out?

Storing your food in Ziploc bags is one effective way of preventing an ant infestation. Make sure the Ziploc bags are tightly-sealed. A small opening could leave out a strong-enough scent to attracts ants into your home and kitchen.

Are ants bad for a home?

Ants are usually harmless unless they are of certain species like carpenter ants and termites. These ants can damage the structural integrity of your home. These ants are bad for your home and must be dealt with promptly.