Cleaning & Organizing Pest Control Spider & Insect Control

20 Effective Methods to Get Rid of Ants Naturally

Try these easy home remedies to keep ants at bay

Ants can quickly invade a home and will continue to show up in large numbers if they find a food source. Fortunately, there are natural ant-repellent methods to get rid of ants without calling an exterminator. Here are 7 easy and natural methods for getting rid of ants in your home or yard.

illustration of 10 products that get rid of ants

The Spruce / Katie Kerpel

What Is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Ants?

It's understandable that you'd want to get rid of ants fast, and the internet is in no short supply of all-natural ant control methods. While there isn't a quick, steadfast way to get rid of ants, natural ant-repellent methods are very effective.

The best part is that your home is likely already stocked with a few of these natural materials to start working and diminish the problem before you have to phone a professional.

Tip

Depending on what type of ant you're dealing with, repellant products could make your problem much worse. For example, sugar ants are prone to coming back, but there are ways to prevent ants from being attracted to your home.

  • 01 of 20

    Brew Fresh Coffee Grounds

    teaspoon of coffee grounds

    Getty Images

    Keep your ant infestation at bay thanks to your morning cup of Joe. After brewing your morning coffee, take the leftover coffee grounds and sprinkle them around the infected area to deter ants from the scene. This is a temporary method that will need to be repeated or paired with another treatment, since coffee grounds' potency weakens as they dry.

    Why this works: Ants hate the smell of coffee and will look to leave where your grounds are placed. This method will force your ants out of the infested area until you mix together a solution that removes the problem completely and prevents them from coming back.

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  • 02 of 20

    Vinegar or Essential Oil Based Cleaning Sprays

    person spraying vinegar into a corner

    The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija

    While vinegar and essential oils shouldn't be used as repellant products in an ant situation, there is still a place for them in an all-natural ant control plan. This won't work as well if inside numbers are large, but if you're seeing ants here and there inside, spritz them down with your cleaning product and wipe them up with a towel.

    Why this works: Not only will your cleaning product spot kill the ants you're seeing, but it will also wipe up the pheromone trails the ants leave behind to signal food to their buddies. If they can't invite their friends, they won't want to come back and they'll move on to find other food sources.

    Warning

    Due to its acidity, vinegar is often too harsh for natural stone countertops. If you have granite, marble, quartz, or some other type of stone countertop, use your regular spray cleaner to wipe down your counters instead. It'll still help with the ants by eliminating scent trails.

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  • 03 of 20

    Borax

    person mixing borax and syrup

    The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija

    To use borax to make ant bait, you'll need to mix it with something that appeals to ants as a food source. This will entice them to eat it. Identification is the first and most important step in pest control, so what you use for bait depends on the species of ants you're dealing with:

    • For sugar ants and other sweet-seeking ants: use something sweet like jelly, syrup, or honey
    • For pavement ants and other ants that like protein and grease: use something like peanut butter or Nutella

    Mix together 3/4 teaspoon of borax with about 1/4 cup of the sweet or savory base of your choice. Then, place the mixture where the ants will find it. If you have small kids or pets, be sure to put it out of their reach. It may be natural, but borax is still toxic.

    Why this works: Once consumed, borax is a slow-acting poison. The ants that consume it will be poisoned, but not before leaving scent trails that guide other ants to this new "food source". The hope is to give them a food source so fantastic they feel the need to take it back to the queen. No queen, no eggs, no colony.

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  • 04 of 20

    Orange Peel

    Orange peels
    Orange peels are one type of food production scrap that may be added to cattle feed. (Photo: Charikova/Shutterstock)

    Peel the rind off one of the oranges you have in your kitchen to repel ants from the area they're flocking to. If you don't have oranges, but have other citrus fruits like lemons or grapefruits, these will work as well.

    Why this works: Most citrus peels contain a toxic acidic oil called D-limonene that kills ants. By placing these peels where your ant infestation is, you will be masking their trail and scent of the food source they were attracted to and prevent them from coming back.

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  • 05 of 20

    Baby Powder

    sprinkling baby powder to identify rodent pathways

    The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

    Sprinkle a line of talcum powder at the entrance point where you think the ants are coming in. Sprinkling the line will not kill ants but only distract their scent, unless the powder is sprinkled directly on top of your ant infestation.

    Why this works: Talcum powder works in two ways as a natural ant repellent. The smell alone is strong enough to deter ants from their trail, but it can also suffocate ants when poured directly on top of the critters since its main ingredient, talc, will seep through ants' tiny breathing holes.

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  • 06 of 20

    Ground Cinnamon

    Finely ground cinnamon in white ceramic bowl isolated on white wood background from above. Cinnamon sticks.
    etienne voss / Getty Images

    Cinnamon ant repellent deters ants from the original food source and forces them to leave. Use your handy ground cinnamon seasoning or whole sticks to lay out in the infested location to watch the ants deter away from the scene and leave the problem area.

    Why this works: Cinnamon has a strong scent that's very potent to ants. By sprinkling a line around the infestation, this spice will deter ants rather than kill them.

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  • 07 of 20

    Cayenne Pepper

    Cayenne pepper
    skhoward / Getty Images

    If you don't have cinnamon but have a jar of cayenne pepper, sprinkle the powder around the entrance of your home, baseboards, or problem area. Just make sure the mixture is away from any pants or children.

    Why this works: Cayenne pepper is similar to cinnamon in that it has a strong smell that is irritating to ants. This natural ant repellent removes ants from your home by stifling their trail to mask the scent they were attracted to in the first place, thus confusing them.

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  • 08 of 20

    Soap or Cleaner Spray

    bottles of spray cleaner, lemons, and baking soda

    The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija 

    An easy, natural ant repellent is dish soap and glass cleaning spray. Not only does this get rid of your ant problem, but it also cleans your house.

    Grab a spray bottle and mix together your dish soap and water or opt for just your glass cleaner. Whichever mixture you prefer, spray on the entrances of your house ants are coming in or spray on top of the ants.

    Why this works: Soap and glass cleaners contain chemicals that kill ants on contact. This is a great way to minimize the problem fast for an ant-free home.

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  • 09 of 20

    Diatomaceous Earth

    Diatomaceous earth white powder sprinkled alongside exterior house wall to repel ticks

    The Spruce / Sarah Lee

    Diatomaceous earth is another powder to sprinkle in your home's ant-infested area to reduce the activity of the colony. This powder should be sprinkled around your baseboards or entrance area to begin working.

    Diatomaceous earth is powerful enough to take down a small colony in a matter of days, but the trick is sprinkling this powder over the entire colony. For larger infestations, this method may take longer to work since the key is finding all of the hiding ants.

    Why this works: Diatomaceous earth contains silica, a component found in rock. When this silica comes into contact with ants, it absorbs through the ant's body, causing them to dehydrate and die.

    Warning

    It's crucial to purchase the right form of diatomaceous earth as there are food-grade and pool maintenance options. The safest form is the food-grade diatomaceous earth since the one for pool maintenance is toxic.

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  • 10 of 20

    Use Boric Acid

    homemade roach mix of boric acid and powder sugar pile in home just outside door frame

    Treehugger / Alexandra Cristina Nakamura

    Boric acid (not to be confused with Borax) is another variation of the same compound found in its similarly-named competitor. This method involves a boric acid powder mixed with equal parts sweet foods (think peanut butter or powdered sugar) and water. Sit this paste in the open near the ant infestation for the ants to feed on for the boric acid to work its magic.

    Why this works: Ants are attracted to the sweet ingredient mixed with the boric acid to lure them to the trap. Boric acid will damage the ant's nervous and digestive systems and cause them to die.

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  • 11 of 20

    Cloves

    Close-up of clove/spice in a ceramic spoon
    Veena Nair / Getty Images

    Cloves are another spice similar to cinnamon that ants are not a fan of. This method requires mixing at least two tablespoons of cloves in a bottle of warm water to spray on infested areas.

    Why this works: Cloves have a strong smell that repels ants from the source they are attracted to. If you've noticed ants coming in your home or hanging around your sugar jar, spray this clove mixture and watch your ants retreat from the area.

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  • 12 of 20

    Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar

    Sprinkling baking soda on dog urine odor coming from the deck

    The Spruce / Michelle Becker

    Another natural ant-repellent is baking soda and powdered sugar. Sprinkle this chalk-like mixture around your home to attract and kill ants.

    Why this works: The sweet scent from the powdered sugar lures the ants to the baking soda concoction to feed. The acid in baking soda will settle in their systems and can cause the ants to perish in a matter of minutes.

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  • 13 of 20

    Boil Some Water

    Pot of boiling water on stove top
    Lew Robertson / Getty Images

    One instant ant-repellent to take care of your infestation is boiling water. Bring a pot of water to a boil before carefully pouring on the ant colony.

    Why this works: The extreme heat from the boil is too severe for ants to survive, plus they will drown in the water. This method is one of the easiest to eradicate a whole colony, but the trick is making sure you've found all of the ants.

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  • 14 of 20

    Draw a Chalk Line

    person using chalk in a corner affected by ants

    The Spruce / Taylor Nebrija

    Chalk is a safe way to distract ants from their trail and control the problem before you use another method to eradicate the infestation yourself or call a professional. Start. by taking a chalk stick and drawing a line around the infected area or ground up a stick and sprinkle the powder.

    Why this works: Chalk contains calcium carbonate that confuses the original scent the ants smelled. This method will only confuse the ants and not completely diminish the problem, so it's not a tactic to rely on to remove the infestation entirely. However, drawing a chalk line in front of the entrances to your home prevents ants from coming in in the first place.

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  • 15 of 20

    Clean Up Food Messes

    Red ants eating sugar over messy table

    RHJ / Getty Images

    If ants are able to find a verified food source inside, controlling them and getting them to move back outside could be tricky. Ants have one mission: collect resources, feed the queen, protect the colony. If there are crumbs under your sofa or food residue on your counters (even in your couch cushions), this might be the source of your indoor ant issue. No food source is too small for an ant—even a few crumbs are enough.

    Why this works: If ants are not able to find a verified food source inside your home, they're likely to move on with their day. Their primary interest is collecting food and signaling other ants where to find it, too. By removing potential food sources, you're eliminating an ant buffet!

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  • 16 of 20

    Seal Entry Points

    Ants crawling on baseboards and wall in house

    Cherkas / Getty Images

    There are a number of ways to approach this step. Start by considering where you see ants entering your home, then:

    1. Make sure window screens are hole free and in good, functioning order
    2. Seal cracks around windows and doorframes, as well as cracks in your tile
    3. If ants are a repeated issue inside your home and they come up from behind the baseboards, it may be time to caulk your baseboards to seal out ants (and other pests like spiders!).

    Why this works: If ants can't get it, they won't be able to find food, and if they can't find food, they're not likely to become an established problem inside.

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  • 17 of 20

    Landscape Around Your Home

    Woman cutting off wilted flowers on lilac bush with pruners and gloves

    Valeriy_G / Getty Images

    Make sure that the plants in your yard are well kept and trimmed back, especially up against the house. Plants should be cleared at least 18" around the foundation. Also, make sure that any shrub or tree limbs hanging onto the roofline or along the gutters are trimmed back, too.

    Why this works: Ants are a worldwide problem, and keeping them out of your yard entirely is impossible. The main goal is to keep them outside where they belong, and plants and limbs against the home can become highways for ants hoping to get inside your home to look for food.

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  • 18 of 20

    Keep Pet Food Away

    Dry cat food in white ceramic bowl and scattered pellets on concrete floor

    OlekStock / Getty Images

    Ants love pet food, especially ants like the pavement ant. Pavement ants love greasy, protein-rich foods and will happily feast on your pet's breakfast, lunch or dinner. When your furry friend isn't enjoying their meal, put the food away, keep stray pieces swept up, and don't leave food oustide!

    Why this works: Pet food is a commonly overlooked ant food source. Leaving pet food around for ants can be asking for ant trouble, and if you're leaving it outside (especially at night) you might be attracting other animals, too, like raccoons.

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  • 19 of 20

    Address Moisture Issues

    Water on laminated wood floor in living room

    Nadya So / Getty Images

    Carpenter ants, moisture ants, termites, and other wood-damaging pests look for moisture-damaged wood to nest in. By staying on top of your home's maintenance needs and ensuring that leaks and water damage are repaired quickly, you'll avoid creating an ideal breeding ground for an ant problem.

    Why this works: Leaving an unattended leak to damage the wood in your home is, in a way asking for ant trouble. Moisture-damaged wood can lead to all kinds of problems for your home, including inside ant nests. Address leaks quickly and replace any moisture-damaged wood to protect your home.

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  • 20 of 20

    Treat Infected Houseplants

    Removing tiny white bugs from a houseplant

    Andrey Zhuravlev / Getty Images

    Ants of all kinds look for sweet smells, which is exactly the fragrance your indoor blooms produce. It's possible that your indoor plants can cause an infestation of ants, but routinely observing your potted babies and treating the first signs of an invasion keeps your plants healthy and your home ant-free.

    If you begin to notice a swarm of ants around your potted plants, spraying your botanicals with a garlic spray will remove the problem and keep your plants healthy. To create the garlic spray, you will need:

    • 1 garlic clove, peeled
    • 1 tablespoon of non-bleach dish soap
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 2 cups water

    Combine all of these ingredients in a spray bottle before spraying all over your plant's leaves and soil. For an even more effective solution, mix in 2 tablespoons of baking soda and a quart of water so the ants will digest the baking soda and die.

    Why this works: Ants hate the smell of garlic and will flee the plant once they catch a whiff of the spray.

If These Methods Don't Work

Some of these natural ant repellents only deter ants in another direction instead of killing them on contact. If you try several of these tactics and are still seeing ants, there are other measures you can take like spraying your home with pesticides or calling an exterminator.

Your local hardware store will have pesticides available to purchase DIY style, but it's important to take precautions when using these potent solutions. Always remember to wear safety gear such as gloves and closed-toe shoes, and spray around the home away from the body. Store your pesticide bottle in an area that's out of reach for children and pets as these solutions can be deadly when ingested.

Originally written by
Erin Huffstetler

Erin Huffstetler is a frugal living expert who has been writing for over 10 years about easy ways to save money at home.

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  5. Ants, University of Minnesota Extension.