Eco Friendly Home Maintenance

Published on October 27th, 2012 | by Chris Keenan

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DIY Eco Friendly Ways to Eliminate Ants

diy ant control

It’s that time of year when the ants return. We’ve all dealt with fighting off a trail of ants at one time or another. Unfortunately, in some parts of the world, army of ants are constantly invading inside homes, sometimes causing a full-out war with the human residence. Fortunately, there are easy, DIY eco-friendly ways to battle the ants when they invade, using simple items that you probably already have lying around the house!

Find the Point of Entry

Ants have to have a point of entry in order to get into your house. If possible, locate the point of entry and seal it up (along with any cracks) with caulking.

Sprinkle a Powdery Substance Near the Point of Entry if You Cannot Block It

This is where every day household items come in. You don’t have to buy toxic pest control poison powder  in order to defeat the ants. Typical powdery substances you have on hand, such as cinnamon, baby powder, black pepper or nutmeg, will work just fine. Sprinkle the powder near the point of entry. The powder causes suffocation when the ants walk through it.

Water, Boric Acid and Sugar

Dissolving boric acid and sugar into water and sprinkling it near the point of entry can wipe out the entire colony of ants you are fighting against. The worker ants will carry the boric acid back to the queen (or larva) and will die from ingesting it.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous Earth is a natural occurring rock that is easily crumbled into fine residue. Cool stuff – it’s actually comprised of of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. When ants march through this powder it cuts into their bodies, which causes them to dehydrate and die.

Vicks Vapor Rub

Vick’s Vapor Rub can be used for a lot of things, but did you know it can also be used as an ant repellent? If you’re able to locate the point of entry, simply dab a generous amount of the Vick’s Vapor Rub around the entry point or any cracks in the area. The ants are unable to walk through the stuff due to all the fumes, and will go away (hopefully never to return!).

Citric Acid

The trails that ants leave can be eliminated with citric acid. Citrus sprays and cleaners are great for eliminating the chemical trail left by the ants. Got a lemon or orange on hand? Then you can get rid of that persistent trail!

Corn Meal

Sprinkling corn meal around the ant’s entry point is also a good way to eliminate the little buggers. Ants are unable to digest the corn meal, so it kills them.

Next time you spot a trail of ants – or even a single ant or two roaming through your kitchen – don’t panic and call a pest control company. Just grab some of these household items and nip the problem in the bud before it gets out of hand. The ants might be clever and find another point of entry, but as long as you stay on top of it, you CAN win the war on ants!

Image credit: Some rights reserved by Yug_and_her


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About the Author

is a green and general blog writer. He also maintains a personal cooking blog. Find Chris on Google



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