How to Kill Ants

Homes with ants are a very common problem. A few single ants that pop up won’t pose any threat to you, but an entire colony of ants in the yard or around the house can cause a lot of problems. If you need to get rid of ants that are invading your home, try some of the methods below.

Table of Contents

Non-toxic natural ant killer

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Spread diatomaceous earth over the problem area. ^{[1] X Source of Study} Sprinkle a thin layer of diatomaceous earth in areas where ants are abundant, concentrated at entrances, their main food source, and their nests.

Only use diatomaceous earth used in the food industry. Some types of diatomaceous earth are used to clean pools but often contain chemicals that are toxic to pets and young children if swallowed. In contrast, diatomaceous earth used in the food industry is not toxic.
Diatomaceous earth is a sedimentary soil composed mainly of diatom shells, a type of unicellular marine organism.
Soil is highly abrasive and absorbent. After the ants crawl through, the diatomaceous earth breaks down the ant’s protective waxy outer layer. Ants do not die immediately, but will eventually die from dehydration.

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Set traps with baking soda and powdered sugar. Mix baking soda and powdered sugar in equal proportions. Spread the mixture in small amounts in areas where ants are found, as well as in areas where ants are suspected or concentrated.

Powdered sugar is used as bait, as sugar attracts many types of ants.
Baking soda is effective against ants. There is a special acid in the ant’s body that will react with the baking soda when the ant swallows it.
While the mixture doesn’t work immediately, it can be very helpful. Ants bring food back to the nest for the queen and other members to eat. As a result, you can destroy almost the entire ant colony.

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Use cornstarch. Sprinkle a small amount of cornmeal near entrances, ant nests, and main food sources.

Before the method achieves the desired results, the ants must swallow the powder. Normally, cornmeal is inherently very attractive to ants. If the ants haven’t touched the cornmeal after a few days, you can mix more sugar into the cornmeal.
Cornmeal disrupts the digestive process of ants. After swallowing cornmeal, ants do not die immediately, but will die a few days later due to starvation. Furthermore, since the ants bring the cornmeal back to their nest, many more will be exterminated.

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Sprinkle with coarse flour. Spread a generous amount of this popular breakfast cereal in the places where ants appear: entryways, kitchen cabinets, or anywhere else you can see them.

When ants swallow coarse flour, the powder will cause a reaction that causes the ants to swell. Within hours, any ants that ingest the mixture will literally explode.
Unflavored whole wheat flour will usually work, but if the mix isn’t appealing enough to ants, you can use a flavored one. Brown sugar or fruit flavored cornstarch can work well, but powders containing cinnamon should not be used as this repels most ants.

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Spray vinegar on ants. Pour pure vinegar into a spray bottle and spray any ants that appear.

White or apple cider vinegar has antifungal and insecticidal properties that are fatal to ants. ^{[2] X Research Source}
You can also spray vinegar in areas where ants are common, such as a primary food source.
If the nest is located, pour 1/2 or 1 liter of vinegar directly over and around the nest. This will kill ants faster and more effectively.

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Mix the chemical sugar mixture with apple juice. Stir 2 to 3 teaspoons (10 to 15 ml) of an artificial sweetener containing dextrose, aspartame, maltodextrin into 1/2 to 1 cup (125 to 250 ml) of apple juice. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray on any ants that appear.

This artificial sweetener acts as a neurotoxin.
You can also spray this mixture in areas where ants are present, including entrances and frequent gathering locations.

Other household ant killers

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Mix sugar and solder. Mix the sugar and borax in equal proportions, then slowly add a little water until you have a thick paste. Spread the mixture on a piece of paper or cardboard and place traps near entrances, food sources, as well as in areas where ants are frequent.

Boric acid, or sodium borate, is the salt of boric acid. This compound is commonly used as a cleaning agent and is sold over the counter in the store.
Hanh is toxic if swallowed, so you should place traps out of the reach of small children and pets.
Ants are attracted to the sweet substance in the mixture and bring it back to their nest for the queen to eat. Finally, the antler will poison all the ants that eat the mixture.

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Use dishwashing liquid. ^{[3] X Research Source} Mix 1 liter of water with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of dishwashing liquid and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of cooking oil in a large spray bottle. Shake the bottle well and spray the solution on the ants that appear.

The cooking oil makes the mixture stick to the ants and the dishwashing liquid dehydrates them to death.
You can also spray the solution around areas where ants are concentrated, but this will only work while the solution is still wet.

Chemical ant killer

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Set ant bait traps in the house. ^{[4] X Research Source} Buy a bait trap and place it in all rooms where ants are present, especially where ants are most likely to congregate. Replace the trap continuously until the ants stop appearing.

Ant bait has the effect of suppressing the reproductive ability of the queen ant. Worker ants bring bait back to the queen, and the poison prevents the queen from reproducing. When ants die naturally, no more new ants are born to replace them.
Ant baits are most effective indoors. The bait trap can be placed outdoors, but you should not leave it in a humid place or use it at low temperatures below 21 degrees Celsius.

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Spread ant bait seeds outside and indoors. Purchase and spread seed baits inside crevices, crevices, and on the surface of ant colonies. You can also sprinkle the bait on the anthill outside or use it indoors.

Unlike ant traps, ant bait seeds are not temperature-limited and can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Worker ants bring bait seeds for the entire ant colony to eat. The bait seeds poison the ants after eating.

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Spray insecticide. Buy insecticides specifically designed to kill ants. Following the instructions, spray on the ants that appear in the manner described on the label.

It is especially important that you follow the instructions on the label exactly. Otherwise, the spray won’t work, and you could harm the health of yourself and your family.
Make sure you use an ant killer. Certain insecticides and insecticides are most effective against certain species of insects. For example, bee repellent does not work against ants.
Some drugs kill ants immediately. Others coat the ants with toxic chemicals, killing them slowly to give the poison time to penetrate the nest.

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Call an exterminator if needed. Many ant problems can be solved at home with household products or natural solutions, but sometimes you have to seek help from professionals.

An exterminator will assess the situation and determine the best ant-killing agent. Chemicals used by professionals are often more effective than conventional store-bought chemicals.
If you have small children or pets, tell a professional so they can take the necessary precautions before spraying chemicals in your home.

Method without using ant killer

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Pour boiling water over the ants or nest. Use a kettle or small saucepan to boil water and immediately pour it over an anthill or large outdoor ant colony.

Ants can swim, so warm or cold water won’t kill them. On the contrary, boiling water will burn the ants and kill them effectively.

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Set glue trap. ^{[5] X Source of Research} Buy a yellow glue trap and place it in places where ants often gather. After a few days, the trap will be covered with ants.

Glue traps are non-toxic, but should not be placed within reach of pets as they could accidentally get trapped. This is especially important if there are rabbits, mice, ferrets or other pets that are allowed to roam freely.
You can also make your own glue traps by coating grease or a mixture of corn syrup and water on yellow craft paper.

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Smash ants. If all else fails, you can use old shoes, magazines, or fly swatters to swat the ants.

Of course, this will help kill the ants you see, but if the ants are nesting near your house, this method of ant swatting will not solve the problem completely.

Things you need

Diatomaceous earth
Baking soda
Powdered sugar
Corn flour
Raw wheat flour
Vinegar
Artificial sweeteners
Water
borax
Granulated sugar
Dishwashing liquid
Spray bottle
Ant bait trap
Ant bait seeds
Spray ant killer
Kettle or pan
Glue Trap
Shoes, magazines, or fly swatters

Steps

Non-toxic natural ant killer

Other household ant killers

Chemical ant killer

Method without using ant killer

Things you need

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