Instinctively, most of us just want to get rid of ants as quickly as possible, whether that means stomping around the house killing ants one by one or dousing an ant hill with entire cans of pesticide. But the best way to know how to get rid of ants naturally has to start with understanding why they enter your home and how you can leverage their food desires to eliminate them en masse without using toxic means.
Natural Methods
People will always have doubts on whether natural, non-toxic alternatives actually work in killing pests. While this is understandable for larger pests (e.g., scorpions) or small animals (rats), organic methods work just as quickly and unsparingly in getting rid of ants naturally.
Some of the more common natural methods include citrus oil spray, soapy water, and vinegar cleaner. Citrus oil is a popular pest control method that combats several varieties of pests, including cockroaches and wasps. Soap water sprayed over ant hills is also effective, as well as cheap, since it all it uses is water and dishwashing soap. Lastly, countertop cleaners infused with vinegar are naturally-based to ward off ants while remaining undetectable to humans.
Flour and Cornmeal
Ever wonder why boric acid comes in powder form? Ants thrive in moisture and powders help get rid of it, which is why flour and cornmeal are perfect forms of natural ant controls. When spread over cracks and other entry points, they not only seep the moisture from the ants but they also get consumed and kill ants from the inside out, since ants cannot digest flour.
Prevention, the Most Natural Pest Control
The most natural method in how to get rid of ants is to set up preventative measures to keep them from coming in the first place. Seal up entry points and fix small cracks; don’t allow the dishes to piles up or go weeks without wiping the floors and counters. Put food in air tight containers, as this not only keeps ants from going free range on your food, but also keeps it fresher overall.
Effective prevention eliminates the need to use any chemicals at all, even the “good” ones, and saves much more time and effort later on when ant infestations have the potential to get out of control. Practice these basic methods in how to get rid of ants naturally and you can keep ants away for good.