Are ants taking over your home or yard? Here are some helpful ways to get repel them!
Ants can be a real problem, especially during the warm spring and summer months. They can ruin a picnic quickly, eat your precious plants, and some even bite! If you are sick of ants invading your space, there are ways to naturally rid your home and garden of them. Take a look below at these Tips for Repelling Ants so you can enjoy a space that is ant free! Here is what you need to know so you can handle ants now and prevent more from finding you.
Tips for Repelling Ants
1. Sprinkle talcum powder. Grab some talcum powder at your local dollar store and sprinkle it liberally where ants seem to be entering your home. Ants won’t want to cross it and will hopefully march right back outside. Some ideal spots to sprinkle include doorways, cabinets, and windows. This is also a safe method to use in your garden.
2. Spray some vinegar. Vinegar repels ants naturally, as they don’t like the odor it gives off. You can use vinegar the same way you use talcum powder. Just spray it where ants seem to be present and entering the home. Reapply daily in the same spots until the ants are under control. Plants may be sensitive to vinegar, so it is not advised you try this method around your plants.
3. Break up their colonies. If you know where the ant colony is, you can use boiling water to destroy it. Simply pour the boiling water down the hole to the colony. You may have a lot of mud on hand, but the truth is the boiling water will help the ants meet their demise.
4. Don’t give them a reason to visit. Most of the time ants visit because they are in search of food. Don’t give them a reason to visit! Instead, keep food items in plastic containers and air tight bags. Don’t leave food scraps or crumbs on the ground and wash and vacuum floors daily. Don’t leave anything out for their sniffers to find, and see if they go elsewhere. In the garden, pick food as soon as it is ripe and don’t let produce fall onto the ground or allow it to rot there.
5. Make things slippery with Vaseline. You can smear some Vaseline on the legs of chairs and tables, so that when you are outside eating the ants can’t climb up. This is a great idea when dining outside and can help keep your meal ant free! Plus, the Vaseline washes away easily with the next rain or a damp cloth.
6. Heat things up with hot pepper. Hot pepper flakes can help repel ants when sprinkled along their entrances, colony, windows, and other prime spots. Just sprinkle the red pepper flakes where ants seem to be an issue and they will quickly learn to go elsewhere. You can even sprinkle this around garden plants!
7. Behold the power of lemons. If ants are an issue in the garden, you can toss some lemon peels and lemon halves out and watch the ants flee. They hate the scent and the acid in the lemons can irritate them. Just a few peels can do the trick.
Are you ready to say so long to ants? Give these 7 ways to repel ants a try and see how they work for you! As you can see these are natural methods that are safe for use in home with children and pets, and are sure to be effective when it comes to dealing with ants. Give them a try!
More Pest Control Tips:
7 Natural Ways to Repel Rabbits from Your Garden
How to Make Natural Moth Repellent
7 Essential Oils to Repel Pests in Your Home and Garden
7 Safe Ways to Get Rid of Slugs in Your Garden
How to Make a Homemade Earwig Trap
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Jim Bridges says
I have kids and pets and am very interested in the repelling of ants
Rachel says
I’ve heard that both lemon and vinegar are great, natural ways to repel ants. I’ll definitely have to try spraying them in my kitchen and on our porch. Thanks for sharing the tips!