Ants can be very annoying pests in the home and garden. Many toxic solutions are effective, but can be harmful to children, pets and people with allergies. Getting rid of ants naturally has many benefits. Most importantly natural solutions are eco-friendly and in most cases non-toxic and odorless. Some solutions such as mint remedies serve the dual purpose of getting rid of the pests while also doubling as air fresheners in your home.
Do not let the little varmints frustrate you. This article will offer natural solutions that are proven to work. Experiment with them until you find the ones that are most effective. If you see that ants become immune or are wise to you, try a different remedy. Just have patience; some solutions may take several days, especially if you are dealing with whole colonies of ants, but eventually you will conquer the problem pests. Below are organic and inexpensive lasting solutions to pest problems.
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Sweet Solutions
Peppermint plants and candy attract ants while eliminating them. Sprinkle crushed candies near the anthills or plant peppermint near the mounds and you will convince them to forage elsewhere. Peppermint soap and peppermint oil works just as well and will not be sticky when placed in small dishes around the house. You also get the benefit of a sweet smelling home. Spread ground cloves where ants like to congregate and watch them disappear.
Peel Away Ant Problems with Fruitful Endeavors
Peel away your ant problems while freshening your home using peels from citrus fruits. Boil peels from lemons, oranges, or grapefruit in water and let sit for up to twenty-four hours. Remove the peels and add several drops of dishwashing detergent to the liquid. The pesticides from the peels will kill the ants if the liquid solution does not drown them first.
Crossing the Finish Line
Diatomaceous earth that is found at garden supply stores can be used to kill traveling ants in their tracks. Sprinkle the earth in a line to form barriers. The ants are certain not to cross over into your home or garden because the razor sharp microscopic edges in the earth cut into the ants killing them instantly.
Another repellent that is an effective barrier found in Asian markets is Asian chalk. Draw a line and ants will not cross over. This also works with regular chalk.
If you need to keep plants from being plagued by ants, smear a line of petroleum jelly around the base of plant stems. The ants will repel or get caught up in the sticky stuff preventing them from crossing over to your plants.
Fit to Eat
Boric acid solutions are effective ways to kill ants by dehydration. When boric acid is mixed with sweeteners such as honey, watery sugar solutions, and artificial sweeteners and formed into small shapes resembling raw cookies, they will lure ants. The stickiness will adhere to the ants who take it back to the mound spreading it to other ants. Once ingested, the boric acid will dehydrate the ants killing them. If you are lucky, and the queen gets a taste she can no longer lay eggs and eventually the whole colony will perish. Also try sprinkling some boric acid powder inside electrical outlets where children or pets cannot get to it. While boric acid has a very low toxicity level it should probably not be used with pets and children in the home.
Another tasty ant killer, which is proven very effective for fire ants predominantly from the south, is grits. Sprinkle grits in places where ants congregate and they are sure to take the tasty morsels home with them to share. Once the grits are ingested, they swell inside the ants killing them.
Ants Be Gone
Hopefully these remedies will offer solutions to your ant problems causing them to disappear like magic, possibly preventing hundreds of dollars in damage. Once the ants are gone or under control, remember should a few show up, it is not a bad thing. They do like to eat other insects that are pests in your garden. With the above remedies you can be certain to have success while creating a safer environment in your home and garden.
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