You just wake up in the morning and go to the kitchen. How is it looks when you see that ants have attacked your kitchen? They are marching on your utensils. They are getting food for themselves but in return spoiling your food. It looks really gross! What can be the possible ways to stop ants from entering home naturally? Let’s find out
Why ants are invading your home?
Ants are always in search of food. The colony of ants needs sufficient food and moisture to build their nests. Our homes are the best place for their shelter. In our kitchens, they get abundant food and other places to make a home. They are less vulnerable to the harsh environment inside the house. For this reason, they stayed in our homes.
Why there is a need to stop ants from entering home naturally?
Firstly, it looks so creepy when ants move all over the floor. Above all, it is very unhygienic for us. Ants are the carrier of many bacteria and viruses. These pathogens can cause many medical issues. These issues include food poisoning, respiratory infections, and foodborne diseases.
The ants are feeding on the dead and decaying matter thus largely exposed to pathogens. When these ants enter our houses, carry these pathogens with them. Consequently, spread diseases. Last but not least they dig the soil and create the big holes in the floor. Briefly weakens our house basis.
Ants are blind and deaf. Then how they can locate the food?
Undoubtedly, the ants are blind and deaf (except for few ant species). Then the question arises how they invade our homes? The ants have very strong chemical receptors. They sense special chemicals called pheromones. The chemical receptors are present on the antennae in front of the head. When the odors practical strikes the antenna it stimulates the ant’s nervous system that help them to locate the food.
8 natural ways to prevent ants from invading your home
- Vinegar
- Juice of citrus fruits
- Cinnamon
- Pepper
- Different types of salts
- Essential oils
- Detergents and soaps
- Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth
How to use these?
1. Vinegar
The odor of white vinegar is unbearable for ants. Ants love sweet odor but vinegar, citrus acid smells, etc are unbearable for them. Thus, the vinegar can be ideal ant repellent.
Make a 50% vinegar solution. 50% vinegar solution means the half solution volume will consist of vinegar and half is water in the total volume of solution. Like if the total volume of your solution is 20ml then it will contain 10ml water and 10ml vinegar.
Spray a good amount of this solution on all possible pathways of ant’s invasion. These include windowsill, doorways, and other entrance points. Repeat this protocol once in a day.
2. Juice of citrus fruits
The aromas of citrus fruits are also very disturbing for them. It could be used as a tool to stop ants from entering the home. You can use lemon or orange for this purpose. There are many ways of their application;
- Prepare 1 part lemon and 3 parts water spray. Shower it on the entrance points of ants.
- Directly squeeze the lemon on the points of entry.
- Squeeze the lemons in the water bucket and clean the floor with it.
- Take warm water. Add peels of orange. Make a fine paste and apply it to the place of ant’s ingress.
- Or you can simply place the few peels of orange on the kitchen slabs and other places in regard to stop ants from entering the home.
3. Cinnamon
Cinnamon acts efficiently against ants. When ants accidentally inhale the cinnamon, it becomes out of breath and eventually dies. It can be used in different ways;
- Directly sprinkle the cinnamon on ants
- Mix the cinnamon in water and sprinkle the solution at the entrance points of the ants
- Put cinnamon and cloves on the ground. Especially at the entry areas, it will stop ants from entering the home
4. Pepper
Ants you can say, sweet lovers! Ants hate the peppers. Cayenne and black pepper both are good for use. Hence, can be used as a natural way to prevent ants from invading the home. Cayenne and black paper can be used in two ways;
- Directly dust the pepper powder on the access points
- Make the solution with water and spray it on all accusation areas
5. Different types of salts
Salts are valuable against bugs and different kinds of insects. Different types of insects are present at your house and in the market. These include Calcium Carbonate (Chalk), Sodium Chloride (Table salt), Boric acid, and Sodium Tetraborate (Borax). These salts are antiseptic and ants also dislike their smells. There are different methods to use them;
a. Calcium Carbonate or Chalk
Spray some chalk on the ants. The exact reason is unknown why ants hate this. Furthermore, chalk exceptional against different bugs.
b. Sodium chloride or Table salt
Your regular table salt can knot out ants from your house. One cause in different way such as;
- Spread the salt at the invading places
- Or you can make the solution in boiling water then sprinkle the solution at doorways, windowsills, etc
c. Boric acid
It is unfavorable for ants and other pests. Boric acid damages their digestive system and external shells. Boric acid is very poisonous thus keep away from the reach of your children and pets. It can be used in two modes;
- Take ½ teaspoon of boric acid, 8 teaspoons of sugar, 1 cup of hot water. Make the solution well. Soak the cotton balls and place them on the different areas of the entrance.
- Or you can mix the borax powder with different sweet syrups and place this paste where you found most ants.
d. Sodium tetraborate (Borax)
Just like Boric acid make a paste or solution with borax, sugar and warm water. And place this at various spaces.
6. Essential oils
Essential oils are very useful for many purposes. They should be present in your house. Despite facts their effects are admirable against pests, bugs, and insects like ants.
Put 10-15 drops in 1 cup of water. Spray the solution at different places. It will stop ants from entering the home. Additionally, your home will smell nice! But the insects feel thread in the presence of these odors. Thus, they refrain entry. Essential oils for this purpose are;
- Peppermint oil
- Tea tree oil
- Lemon eucalyptus
- Cinnamon leaf essential oil
- Neem oil
7. Detergents and soap
Combine glass cleaner spray and a liquid detergent. Clean the floor, slabs, dining tables, etc with it. Ants communicate with each other through specialized chemicals. These chemicals are called pheromones. Generally, the ants are deaf and blind (except few species). Majorly communicate through pheromones. Without these pheromones, they can’t communicate. The detergents wash off all the pheromones thus it becomes very difficult or impossible for them to reach the edible products.
Moreover you can use dish soap or hand wash if you don’t like the smell.
8. Food-grade Diatomaceous earth
Food-grade Diatomaceous earth is a very powerful insect inhibitor. It is a powder made of fossilized phytoplankton. It is so strong that it penetrates into the exoskeleton of insects and beaks off, therefore, kill the ants. The body of insects easily dries off without chitinous exoskeleton.
Make thin smear of its powder under different things like refrigerator, cabins, garbage can, etc. repeat this daily.
Author’s View
Ants are a serious problem for your house. They cause the contamination of food. This contamination leads to food poisoning etc. It can also give a gesture that you are unaware of your house. This can portray you as lazy and careless! You can use these remedies to get rid of them. It not only keeps ants away from the house but also increases your concern for home.
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