Introduction: How to Get Rid of Ants
Here's a way to get rid of ants without the use of filthy pesticides!
While this isn't exactly a 100% guaranteed way to rid yourself of ants forever, it will keep them out for awhile. Just repeat the process every now and again and they'll be out of your hair. :]
*Note: This method is not recommended if you practice Jainism or a similar religion, such as PETA.:]
Step 1: Materials
For these projects, you may need some or all of the following:
1) Soapy water (hot water + liquid soap in a spray bottle)
2) Caulking
Step 2: Find the Ants
Now if you're at this instructable, there's a good chance you know where the ants are, but they usually hang out near food...
Once you find them, give 'em a blast of that soapy water solution. Don't be afraid about it, really soak the little guys with the stuff. If you see a whole trail of them, go ahead and spray that, too. Spray the whole general area of where they've been.
Why spray soapy water? What'll that do? When ants find something they like, they secrete this weird junk from themselves that the other ants can pick up. The secretion serves as a trail for the ants. But the soapy water gets rid of the trail. Problem solved! Temporarily, at least...
Remember that the ants may come back; you'll have to repeat the process every now and then to keep them away.
Step 3: Plug Up Their Holes
This is where the caulking comes in hand.
If you follow the trail of ants, you'll find out where they're coming in. For me, the ants where feasting on the bread on our countertop, so they came in from the tiles on our kitchen wall through a hole in the tile. Spray the hole with the soapy water first, and then call in the caulking to seal it up. You can use grout, too. It's just my personal opinion that caulking is way more fun.
And if your little invaders are coming in from a hole in the drywall, just use joint compound to patch it up.
Hole in the cupboards? Use woodfiller. The list goes on and on. Those ants can chew their way through anything, it seems. Just use your better judgement when sealing their holes.
Step 4: You May Have Won the Battle...
but if you don't keep up these practices, the ants may win the war.
Keep an empty spray bottle around in your garage, utility room, kitchen sink, wherever, just for spraying ants' tracks. They might keep coming back. Keep sealing their holes. If you think you may have a problem, either call an exterminator or relocate. ;]
Either way,
Good luck, and I hope this helped!
23 Comments
7 years ago
I'm seeing a lot of suggestions for Boric Acid.
Although it isn't incredibly toxic, exposure is not good and I'd suggest you stay away from it if you can.
12 years ago on Introduction
Simpler, easier way- cardboard square, honey drops in the middle, Boric Acid Powder moat around the honey. The ants crawl over the Boric Acid to the honey, get sticky, they crawl back over the moat, the Boric Acid sticks to them, they take it back to the hive and everyone dies! Simple! Make as many as you need for corners, under fridge, appliances, etc.. Cost is minimal. Boric Acid Powder(32 oz.) is $1. in the Dollar store!
15 years ago on Introduction
i know another way. find a large entrance to hive. boil water. pore boiling water into hole 2 times a day for a week. (i havent tried it but i dont see why it wouldnt work.)
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Try adding a little borax to the water, that way it's a double whammy!
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
Borax does work for some others ideas check
http://trafficpestsolutions.com
I have a site with insect control information
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Borax might be a very temporary solution, but boric acid which sounds like it would be the same thing is a very different chemical and works a LOT better. This stuff is about 10 dollars US per pound, but you only need to use a couple teaspoons to treat a very large area. As an added bonus it also kills cockroaches and other bugs too and is about the same as table salt as far as being poisonous to humans goes. A pound of this stuff will literally last several years if not your lifetime, depending on how much you cover and how often you use it.
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
And then add some sugar and it's a triple whammy!
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
P.s/random much, love prayers of the refugee
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Me too.
13 years ago on Step 4
Thank you! I will be buying a spray bottle today!
This is very useful because it's non-toxic: with a newly-walking junior explorer in the house, I've rejected every other solution I've seen because in ridding ourselves of the ants, we could've poisoned our boy -- not a positive outcome!!
13 years ago on Introduction
Awesome, Ive been thinking about using caulking around my house but it would take a lot since they have hives in the house it seems. So far I just use black pepper to throw off their usual trails to my pet's food and such.
13 years ago on Introduction
the best way to get rid an ants is to spray it with a laquer thinner that use in paint
14 years ago on Introduction
another good way is: pouring oil into there nests pouring gasoline into the nests and set it on fire or use ant poison
15 years ago on Introduction
Not only would you destroy the trail, you clean whatever you are spraying! Cool!
15 years ago on Introduction
Yes this should kill those blasted ants in my room.
15 years ago on Introduction
sucks for u
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Oh, how polite >=P
15 years ago on Introduction
Finally, because I'm allergic to ants.
15 years ago on Introduction
Heh, funny Instructable!
Even though you were very funny throughout the Instructable, this does work, right?
Hehehe, the hole part is always funny.
+1 rating.
(added to favorites)
Reply 15 years ago on Introduction
Lol, thanks! Yeah this method really works... it's just that it works so well that I didn't have any real ants to take pictures of (seriously!)