Summer is finally here, and you know what that means. The season is full of sunshine, outdoor barbecues, patio drinks, and trips to the beach. But unfortunately, summertime also means ants.
The second the weather gets warm, ants always seem to find a way into our homes. A small ant problem can turn into a big ant problem really quickly, and professional exterminators can be super costly. So if ants start to invade your home this summer, don’t panic. Just try these cheap, easy, and quick fixes to rid your home of pesky ants.
source: Science News / Matt Bertone
Before trying these brilliant hacks courtesy of Do You Remember, it’s important to determine how the ants are getting into your home. As with any pest, leaving your door open for prolonged periods of time will attract them. So unless you have a screen, keep those doors shut! Ants are also very attracted to sugary foods. Keep food off your counter, have a sealed lid on your garbage can, and be sure to wipe down any sticky counters immediately.
If you’ve tried all of these things and the ants are still invading your home, it’s time to try these 3 tricks.
1. Cinnamon
source: The Health Site / Shutterstock
Ants hate cinnamon and will avoid any area where they can detect it. For this hack, you will need:
*1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil
*1 cup water
*cotton balls or a cloth
*cinnamon cloves (optional)
First, mix the cinnamon essential oil with the water. Then, soak either the cotton balls or cloth in the solution. Wipe down your counters or any other surfaces where ants are a problem. Try doing this once a day until *the ants disappear. You can also place cinnamon cloves near your doors and windows as an extra measure.
2. Vinegar
source: Livestrong / Michele Rider/Demand Media
As with cinnamon, ants hate the smell of vinegar. For this hack, you will need:
*distilled white vinegar
*water
*lemon essential oil
*a spray bottle
First, add equal parts vinegar and water to the spray bottle. Add in a few drops of lemon essential oil and shake the mixture well. Spray on your floor, countertops, baseboards, or anywhere else where you see ants. Repeat this daily until the ants are gone.
3. Borax
source: The Homemade Experiment
Although this isn’t quite as humane as the other two hacks, it’s certainly powerful. The point of this hack is to attract the ants, not deter them. They’ll take the food (mixed with Borax) back to their nests to share with the other ants, which will eventually kill them all. For this hack, you will need:
*2 tablespoons of peanut butter
*2 tablespoons of sugar
*1 teaspoon of Borax
*1 teaspoon of water
*plastic container with the lid
*an object to poke holes in the lid
First, mix all of the ingredients together in the container. Fasten the lid, then poke a few holes in the top of the lid and the sides of the container so that only ants can get in and out. With any hope, the ants will be gone in no time.
4. Borax And Cotton Balls
source: YaleSafe
Speaking of Borax, here’s another ant-removal hack that works wonders. Just mix one cup of warm water with 1/2 cup of sugar and two tablespoons of Borax. Soak up the mixture with cotton balls, then place the cotton balls near any areas you detect ants in your home. They’ll feed on the cotton balls, and be history by tomorrow!
5. Rinse, Rinse, Rinse!
source: Ottawa Citizen
Before throwing any containers into your recycling bin, make sure you rinse them well first. Any sugary residue will attract ants, even if you keep your recycling bins outside. If your ants are drawn to your backyard recycling bins, they will find a way to get inside your house.
6. Look For Ant Hills
source: Phys
Ant hills are home to thousands and thousands of ants. Take a tour around your yard and look for ant hills. If you find any, running a hose over top of the ant hill for a few minutes should take care of the problem. If you can deter the ants from moving from the outdoors into your house, you’ll be one step ahead of keeping them at bay.
7. Cayenne Pepper
source: Livestrong
Ants absolutely hate cayenne pepper. If you suspect you know where the ants are coming from, sprinkle a little cayenne pepper in those areas. However, if you have pets or young children, this probably isn’t the greatest idea! Cayenne pepper can irritating to skin, eyes, and more.
8. An Ounce Of Prevention
source: Reader’s Digest / iStock
As with anything, practice an ounce of prevention when it comes to keeping ants away from your home. Ants will generally start to invade in the spring (or whenever the weather gets more mild), so ensure you have any cracks filled, you keep your countertops and kitchen clean and free of sticky, sugary spots, and you clean surfaces in your home with the solution mentioned in #2.
