Have you ever noticed that as soon as the weather starts warming up, those pesky ants come marching in? Every summer, it seems like more ants find a way to invade your home.
Before you run out and buy expensive ant sprays or baits, you might want to try some natural ant killer remedies. These DIY recipes are easy to make, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly.
Why waste money on harsh chemicals when you can get rid of ants naturally using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry?
In this article, we’ll show you several homemade ant killer recipes using natural ingredients like citrus oils, borax, sugar, black pepper, and baking soda.
Here’s how to naturally kill ants:
1. Essential Oil Spray
Essential oils like citronella, cinnamon, orange, patchouli, clove, and pennyroyal naturally repel ants.
However, clove oil, cinnamon oil, citronella oil, and orange oil all work as all-natural pesticides for ants as they kill, not just repel.
Mix rubbing alcohol, orange oil, clove oil, citronella oil, and cinnamon essential oil with half a cup of water in a spray bottle. Start with 15 drops of each oil and 30 drops of alcohol.
Shake well to combine all ingredients. Your essential oil ant-killer remedy is now ready
2. Black Pepper Spray
Black pepper is another great home remedy for ants. It is a natural irritant that ants despise [1].
When mixed with water, black pepper is effective at exterminating ants.
To make a simple pepper spray, combine two tablespoons of freshly ground black pepper with one cup of water.
Mix well and strain. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray anywhere you see ants congregating or marching along.
This DIY spray can also work as an ant deterrent, as the strong smell will keep them at bay.
3. Vinegar and Water
Another simple DIY ant killer spray is equal parts white vinegar and water.
Mix one cup of white vinegar and one cup of water in a spray bottle. The vinegar kills them and leaves behind a strong scent that deters other ants.
Shake well to combine, and spray it directly on ants and around areas where you see them entering, such as cracks and crevices in walls.
These ingredients are also non-toxic and safe to use in homes with children and pets.
4. Peanut Butter and Boric Acid
Peanut butter is a natural ant bait for some ants because the oils and proteins in it attract them. Boric acid, a white powder, is a poison for these pests.
Mix 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter and ½ teaspoon boric acid powder.
Stir well to thoroughly combine the peanut butter and boric acid. Finally, place small amounts on little bait trays (like small pieces of cardboard) where the ants are.
This combo is deadly to grease ants, not sugar ants.
5. Diatomaceous Earth Spray
This powder can also kill some ants. It also works against many other small, soft-bodied pests.
Just mix four tablespoons of diatomaceous earth with one gallon of water.
When ants come into contact with this homemade diatomaceous earth spray, it sticks to their bodies and dehydrates them to death when it becomes dry.
6. Cornmeal and Boric Acid
Cornmeal and boric acid make a natural ant bait that the worker ants take back to the colony.
Mix 9 parts cornmeal and 1 part boric acid powder. The boric acid is poisonous to the ants, but the cornmeal attracts them.
Therefore, place small piles of the mixture near areas where you see ants.
7. Neem Oil Spray
Neem oil is an organic insecticide that repels and kills many insects, including all kinds of ants.
It works against fire ants, red ants, leaf cutter ants, black ants, and others. It is also safe to use in your vegetable garden.
To make DIY ant repellent spray, mix 5 ml of pure neem oil with 1 liter of water and 2 ml of liquid soap. The soap helps emulsify the oil, so it mixes with water.
Spray the solution directly on the critters as well as on their trails.
8. Borax and Sugar
Another killer recipe is borax and sugar.
Mix 2 tablespoons of borax, half a cup of sugar, and 2 cups of warm water. Pour some of this borax-sugar mixture into a jar and place it around the problem areas.
This makes a simple ant trap homemade trap. The sugar attracts the ants, while the borax kills them.
9. Baking Soda and Sugar
Baking soda and sugar make a simple ant bait that you can use around the house.
Mix 1 part baking soda and 1 part confectioners’ sugar. The sugar attracts the ants, while the baking soda is a lethal dose.
Therefore, place small piles of the mixture around areas where you see ants. Worker ants will also carry the bait back to the colony, where it will kill the other ants, even the queen.
10. Hydrogen Peroxide, Mouthwash, and Dish Soap
A few other bloggers have had success using hydrogen peroxide, mouthwash, and Dawn dish soap to effectively deal with their ant problems.
Here’s what they suggest:
Mix equal parts hydrogen peroxide, mouthwash, and dish soap in a spray bottle. However, do not add water.
Next, shake well and use it to spray the critters. Just be sure to sweep up the dead ants and wipe your floor afterward. This solution will make your floor sticky.
11. Baking Soda and Boric Acid
Baking soda and boric acid make great natural ant killers.
Mix one cup of sugar with half a cup of water in a plastic container. Next, stir in two tablespoons of boric acid.
Place the container in areas where you see the ants trailing in. The sugar will lure them in, and the baking soda will kill them.
The boric acid makes this recipe even more effective. Boric acid acts as a stomach poison and kills the ants.
However, make sure to keep it away from children and pets.
12. Boiling Water
Boiling water is an effective way to kill ants and destroy their colony.
Bring a pot or kettle of water to a rolling boil.
Next, carefully pour the hot water over the entrance of the ant hill outside. You can also pour it into any cracks where the ants are coming from.
The boiling water will kill the ants on contact and destroy their colony, including the ant queen and larvae.
However, be extremely cautious when handling and pouring the boiling water, as it can cause severe burns.
When done properly and carefully, boiling water can successfully eliminate ant permanently colonies in your yard.
13. Soap and Water
The simplest way to get rid of ants in a natural and non-toxic way is with a solution of dish soap and water.
Mix a few drops of dish soap into a spray bottle filled with water. Shake well to combine.
Spray the soap solution directly onto the ants and entry points to kill them and eliminate the scent trail. The soapy water will suffocate the ants and wash away their scent, so other ants can’t follow.
You may need to reapply a couple of times, but this cheap, homemade ant spray really works and is safe to use around kids and pets.
Takeaway
You now have some easy, natural, and effective ways to get rid of those pesky ants invading your home and/or garden.
Before you know it, you’ll have whipped up a homemade spray, trap, or repellent and freed yourself of the annoyance of ants marching one by one.
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