what home remedies can i use to rid my home of ants?

Answer 1

A group I belong to was just discussing this subject and they all mentioned that they'd just heard/read several places that SPLENDA will kill ants.
Needless to say, I'm back to using simple, organic, raw sugar and leaving the Splenda to kill the ants.
Ugh...

I haven't tried it myself but the ppl on this group were chatting as if it worked. I'd give it a try.

Answer 2

Go to Lowe's and pick up ORTHO Max Lawn and Garden insect killer. It mixes with water and you will have to purchase an adapter that hooks up to your garden hose. It is safe on the lawn and plants - last year I even used this stuff on my tomato plants but not as often as I used it on the lawn.

The reason I use this stuff is the same problem you are having now. ANTS - the big black carpenter ants. Suggestion, spray this stuff on the trunks of the trees that border near your house. This is where the ants are harboring, hibernating during the winter etc. You can use this stuff about every 6-8 weeks and believe me IT WILL WORK. Now, if you have kids I would recommend you spray it on at Sunday evening just before dusk. It is not harmful to kids, but I would recommend that you be cautious - the bottle will in fact recommend that you give it 24 hours or so before allowing children to play in the area where you have sprayed.

Where I live it is a "no brainer" - you either use this stuff or prepared to get bit at night with the ants occassionally making their way to places where "invitation only" exists...if you know what I mean.

Take Care and I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Ants leave a trail for their friends to follow, so cleaning with vinegar or bleach eliminates the trail. There used to be some great stuff called diazanine that you could put around your house and it killed everything, but i think they don't sell it anymore. Still, you can get a weaker version of it at your local home and garden store, it's a granular that you just put a two inch line around your house, and when it gets wet, bugs eat it and it kills them. If all else fails, get an anteater as a pet, but I suspect then your problem will be not having enough ants.

Answer 4

I have heard that pouring Borax near the nest works I think they carry it back to the nest where it somehow casues them to explode when when they eat it! Its been so long ago I cant really remember. I have also used cream of tarter, pour a small line down and they wont cross it. yeah yeah.. the ant problem wasnt that bad and it was fun to watch the little buggers get all confused. lol Now I just put those little ant hotels in all the air vents, under the stove, under the kithcne sink and behind the fridge.

Answer 5

K....I didn't see this answer on here....so I'm gonna let you in on my secret "How to get rid of ants" When my children were smaller and on the floor most of the time, I didn't want to use any chemicals. My grandmother did this when I was young and I began to do it myself, with my own family. Grab your dish soap off your kitchen sink (or under) and follow the trail! That simple! The soap dries them out, and hides their own scent from each other. Thus...killing them! Hope it works for you!

Answer 6

Mix equal parts of Borax & Powdered Sugar, & spread some along the threshold of each door to the outside. If you notice them coming in anywhere else, make another line of the mixture there also.

The ants will take the "food" back to their colony where it will kill all of the ants. This will take several days.

Answer 7

Sand in their nest. Vinegar at the doorways. Bleach on their trails. Also get a magnifying glass and have fun on their hill...

Answer 8

Follow the trail of them out of the house and try to caulk the hole they're coming in. Pyrethrins can work inside, and clean up so they have nothing to come in for.

Answer 9

flamethrower is mighty effective, but mind your aim.

and watch out for the curtains.