Ants are the worst. They infest, they bite, they are just generally awful. Apart from obvious places like your sugar and cookie jar, you can find ants in some very unlikely areas. From dirty laundry baskets and stovetops, to kitchen sinks and other places in your home, ants can be found anywhere!
It’s hard to keep these tiny pests at bay, but there are some safe and effective ways to keep them out of your home. And more, they are made of safe household products that you probably already have, so you can do this on the cheap.
Regular Chalk
Ants hate chalk. The calcium carbonate in it is strongly disliked by them. And there are multiple chalks meant for repelling ants, but these are not safe for your children or pets. Instead regular chalk will get the job done just as well. The only issue is that chalk wipes off rather easily. But when used around table legs and counters, you wont have to worry about any ants climbing upward.
Bay Leaves.
We associate bay leaves with luxury, ants associate it with death. If you can spare a leaf or two, put it in a cabinet or food container where the smell will be contained, and it will act as an ant repellant. If the leaves are flavoring your food, just put it on top of the lid and viola, ants don’t want any!
Cayenne Pepper Powder
Cayenne pepper powder is spicy, and ants don’t like spicy. While it will look a little messy it is only temporary! Place this where you don’t want the ants and they will not only avoid the area; they will tell the other ants in their hive to as well. A couple of days of this and the ants won’t come back and now you can clean up. Temporary mess, long lasting results!
Clove Oil
Clove oil is a little more expensive compared to the other ingredients we have mentioned, but the tiniest amount will do a superb job of repelling ants. A few drops put on a surface with a cotton swab will do the trick! The smell will last a couple weeks which can permanently make the ants stop returning. But if you want to use less oil, just mix in a drop or two of water and get similar results.
Lime/Lemon
While most of us love a fresh lemony scent, ants hate it! They will turn tail as soon as they get a whiff of the lime or lemon smell. If you have a persistent ant problem, pour the juice directly along the entry, as well as the areas where ants can be found.
White Vinegar
Vinegar is so useful. It has so many cleaning uses, but it also gets rid of ants! All you need is a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray in your problem areas and watch them be gone! And for ant holes and anthills, pour straight vinegar in to eradicate the hive once and for all!
With this knowledge in your armory, ants won’t stand a chance. And all of this with things you most likely already have.
