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Looking for a pesticide-free way to get rid of ants in your home naturally?
In this article (and video), pest expert Kevin Carrillo from MMPC shares some natural methods to get rid of ants in your home without using pesticides.
First, a disclaimer:
Ants can be a nuisance, but unless you have fire ants, they’re not the type of pest that will bite or attack you. In fact, most ants are very non-aggressive.
There are several natural deterrents for ants, but it’s sort of a give and take—using them isn’t always your best option. Many of the things you might apply to deter ants from coming in can be just as annoying to have in your home as the ants themselves.
How to Get Rid of Ants Naturally
Ants become disoriented and agitated when you clean areas that they’ve been through. When you apply products that remove their chemical scents, it’s as if they’re on a highway with no signs — and they won’t want to be on that highway anymore.
You can make a vinegar-water solution, using a 50:50 ratio of vinegar to water, to spray along the perimeter of your house.
If ants have already been coming through, the vinegar solution will break up the communicative chemicals (pheromones) that they’ve laid down to tell them what routes to travel on.
Natural Deterrents for Ants
Vinegar, bleach, and strong lemon scents all work this way, and these examples are relatively less noticeable to humans — although some people can’t stand the smell of vinegar.
For something slightly stronger, you can also use cayenne powder and diatomaceous earth — which is similar to what you would use for bed bugs.
Diatomaceous earth is an extremely fine powder made of broken-down fossils and silicate. If you lightly sprinkle these along the edges of an area, it will agitate the ants enough that they won’t want to enter that area.
What We Recommend
The easiest way to deter ants is to just clear their pheromones trails whenever you see them.
You have to stick with it — since they might come back a few more times — but you’re likely to see less and less ants as long as you keep erasing their communication lines.
Video: What Is a Natural Deterrent for Ants
Kevin Carrillo is a pest control specialist and a senior project manager at MMPC, as well as a contributor to wikiHow.
Based in Long Island City, MMPC provides reliable and eco-friendly pest solutions for clients of all sizes in and around the Tri-State Area. With over 25 years of experience, MMPC is one of NYC’s highest-rated pest control companies.
If you need help with ants or other pests, call (212) 219-8218 or click the button below to contact us today!