Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants

Got an ant problem? No matter how great a housekeeper you are, pests find a way into your home. And once pests manage to get into your home, it takes know-how to get them out. Ants are industrious creatures. They come in through doors, window, up pipes, on wires, and through holes and cracks in the foundation. Your task is to create barriers or repellents that get rid of ants and repel them from entering your home. Learn how you can get rid of ants in environmentally non-toxic ways that are safe for kids and pets and are relatively inexpensive.

Draw a chalk line. An old folk remedy to get rid of ants is to draw a chalk line across their entrance. They won't cross the chalk line. But in order to do this, you must see the ants entering your home and locate the entrance holes.

Spice up your home. Natural repellents that are safe for kids and pets are often edible ones. Spices and herbs fall into this category. Several natural ant repellents that you can use are bay leaves, cinnamon, black pepper, mint, cayenne pepper, and cloves. These can be used safely by spreading the spices or herbs where the pests enter your home, either outdoors or indoors. You can sprinkle spices along floorboards, across windowsills, around door-jams, or anyplace you detect the pests making an entrance into your home.

Soap them out. Soap is a natural ant deterrent. Ants don't care for soap, whether it's flaked ivory soap or dish detergent. One method you can try to rid your home of ants is to spray a soap film next to the house along the foundation or anywhere inside the home that ants have found a way in. One word of caution--be sure to avoid spraying soapy film on paint. It may cause it to bubble.

Powder the pests. Scented talcum powder across their exit or entrance spot keeps ants from enjoying your home. If you have difficulty finding where the ants are entering your home, simply dust around one ant and watch where it goes. Generally, an ant will head out the way it came in.

Use a white vinegar spray. Simply spray white vinegar where you see ants congregating. The great thing about white vinegar is that the vinegar smell fades away shortly, but the effect lasts. White vinegar spray is safe for counter tops and floors, it's nontoxic, inexpensive, and white vinegar is colorless.

Why spray poison in and around the home, when it's not necessary? Why spend on expensive repellents, when safe and inexpensive ones are already in the home? If you use any of these kid-safe, pet-safe, inexpensive, and natural ant repellent methods, pesty ants can be a thing of the past in your home.