Ants - Controlling Them Inside The House

Controlling Them Inside The House

The first line of defense is making your place unattractive to them. Make sure to wipe up spills immediately and wipe off counters, tables and stovetops regularly leaving no crumbs behind. Sweep and wash floors regularly. Don’t leave dirty dishes around the house or in the sink. Keep dry foods (like flour, cereal, sugar, oats, etc.) in air tight containers. Take out garbage regularly and wash out all food packaging and pop bottles before putting in the recycle bin.

Although a sloppy environment will attract them, having them in your home doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a poor housekeeper–they could be after water. If it’s dry outside and there’s not a nearby water source, they will be inside on the hunt for water. They’ll find it in houseplants, sinks and drains, pet water dishes and cups left out containing liquids.

List Of Natural Repellents

Look for cracks or holes in the house where they are coming from, spread any of these repellents around the holes (or combination of items on the list). Also spread around window sills, along baseboards, in corners and outside doors. The theory is that since they are repelled by these items, they’ll turn back. Success of the repellents can depend on the species of ants in your home.

• Cinnamon
• Ground Black Pepper
• Bay Leaves
• Whole Cloves
• Red Chili Powder (sprinkle liberally or make a paste with water and apply at entrance)
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt
• Used Coffee Grounds
• Sage
• Cucumber Peels
• Essential Oils: Peppermint, Lavender, Eucalyptus. Swab these around entrance points.

Tip: Plugging holes and cracks with caulking or filling with vaseline will physically block them from entering.

Food Barriers

The ants could be attracted to your pet’s food dish, a potted plant or dish of candies. Either keep food sealed until needed or surround it with a water barrier so they can’t get to the food. Fill a baking pan with water and set the pet food dish (or potted plant, etc.), in the middle. Mixing in a little liquid dish detergent with the water will be a strong repellent as well as prevent the water from becoming a water source for them.

If it’s a potted plant that’s infested, repot the plant in a fresh pot of soil, washing roots clean of previous soil. You can try submerging the pot in a bucket of water for about 15 minutes to make them flee, but this won’t remove larvae that may be present.