Ants: 22 home tricks to fight and prevent ants

Ants are often a problem, especially in the kitchen - whether in the home or apartment, it's almost always impossible to leave any food out of the refrigerator without them showing up. They appear especially in the summer and are attracted by sugars, meats, honey, and other foods common in the kitchen.

Even if you keep your house clean, ants still appear and invade cabinets, sinks, shelves, garbage cans, etc. When not inside, they are outside. Your garden can also suffer from the presence of ants that feed on flowers and leaves, bringing damage to your plants and crops.

Apparently harmless, it is necessary to be aware of their presence, since these little bugs travel along different paths, such as streets, garbage dumps, and sewers, and for this reason they can carry microbes, fungi, germs, and bacteria that contaminate food and harm human health. Check here for simple, home-made tricks to solve this problem:

12 Ways to Stop Ants

To fight the ant invasion you don't need to abuse insecticides. If you suffer from this problem, know that there are a variety of tips and other ways to help you in the mission to eliminate them from your home. There are several ways, more sustainable and healthy, to get rid of this insect - and without harming the environment, your health and the health of your family.

1. vinegar

To keep them away from the plants in your garden, you can use a mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar. Put it in a sprayer and apply it to the pots and plants. Or directly attack the ants that are visible around the house. Vinegar can also be used for cleaning environments. Spray a little on the kitchen floor and avoid the appearance of these insects. The acidity of this mixtureends up eliminating them.

2. grease

A tip to protect the trees in your yard is to use grease. Use a piece of cloth tied around the trunk of the tree and rub some grease on it. You can also use this technique with plastic buckets or cans, just add the grease on the inside. This will be an obstacle for the ants, as they will end up stuck to the grease.

3. detergent

Detergent can also help you with this mission - and it is also a cheap and easily accessible method. First, in a 200 ml glass, add half water (100 ml) and the other half complete with detergent (100 ml). Then pour the contents into a spray bottle and apply to cracks, crevices and cracks or other places where ants may be present. The mixture will kill them!

4. cornmeal

Spread piles of corn meal near the plants, the anthill, or in the ants' path. To make the meal more appetizing, add a little sugar to the kernels. The meal will hinder the ants' digestion process, which will result in their death within a few days.

5. sesame

Use sesame seeds scattered in the flowerbed, in the gardens, or in the ants' path. Sesame is toxic to the fungus that feeds the ants, so once inside the anthill, it will eventually eliminate them. A tip: avoid placing it directly at the entrance of the anthill, opt to scatter it in their path.

6. petroleum jelly

To get rid of ants from containers such as garbage cans, fruit bowls, or pet food containers, apply a little petroleum jelly to the edges. The petroleum jelly will act as a trap and stick to the ants that come near. With this technique, they will not be able to feed and will move away from your house.

7. rice

To eliminate anthills, place some grains of rice around them. The grains will be carried into the anthill, where they will be fermented and give rise to a fungus that contaminates and kills these insects.

8. sodium bicarbonate

Spread plastic lids around the house, over the sink or in strategic places, with a mixture of sugar and baking soda in equal parts. The sugar will attract the ants and the baking soda will disturb the balance of these insects, which will cause their death.

9. pepper and coffee

Cover holes and crevices where ants might be present with cayenne pepper to eliminate them. If the place is frequented by children or pets, opt for coffee grounds. Coffee grounds scattered in the pot or around the tree trunk will keep ants away from your plants.

10. peppermint oil

To get in the way of the ants' path through the sink and fight them off, you can spray peppermint essential oil. Let it dry naturally. Also spray around windows, doors or other places where ants are present. In addition to eliminating these insects, your home will smell nice!

11. coconut soap and rope tobacco

To combat ants that threaten your flowers, trees and plants, you can use this homemade recipe that uses the following ingredients: 10g of coconut soap, 5 cm of string tobacco and 1 L of water. Mix in a container: the coconut soap, the chopped string tobacco and water. Let it rest for 1 day and then strain to remove the remains of the tobacco. Spray the mixture on the plants. This will keep them away from theyour garden.

12. garlic

Another efficient recipe to fight ants is to use a solution with garlic and water. This natural ingredient helps to eliminate this insect and keep the house protected. For this you will need several cloves of garlic and water. Put the water in a pot and add the garlic. Let it stand for 24 hours. Then, strain the solution and apply it directly to the nest or where there are ants.

10 Ways to Prevent Ants

Better than fighting ants is preventing them from getting into your home or garden. The first and most important step is to keep your home clean at all times. There are also other easy tips and home tricks that will make it easier and help you prevent ants from getting into your home. Check them out:

1. cleaning

The main form of prevention is to keep your home always clean. Avoid dirty dishes in the sink, food leftovers and crumbs scattered on the floor. Keep garbage cans always well covered. Clean the kitchen floor and the sink countertop frequently. Keep food, especially sweets, in jars and well-sealed containers.

2. clove and cinnamon

To prevent ants, fill a jar with cloves without a lid (or even a small bag of tulle) and put it in the kitchen, pantry or cupboards. The same procedure can be done with cinnamon sticks. Change the contents frequently - about 2 weeks - to maintain efficiency. You can also add cloves around cake plates and inside the sugar bowl to keep the ants away.ants far away.

3. lemon and orange

Another tip to keep them away from the sugar bowl is to place a piece of lemon peel or the peel of some other citrus fruit, such as orange, inside the container. You can also place the peels around the anthill to exterminate it. Lemon juice is also effective in preventing the appearance of these little pests. Spread it around the edges of windows and kitchen doors. The strong smell of fruitCitrus bothers ants and will keep them away from your home.

4. eliminate gaps and cracks

Check frequently for cracks and crevices in the house, both in the walls and in the floors and tiles. It is in these small holes that ants make their nests. Cover them with sealing paste or soap and avoid the appearance of these insects.

5. repellent plants

You can grow some plants in your garden that are natural repellents, such as mint, garlic, green onions, marjoram, coriander, lavender, and loosestrife. For vegetable gardens, plant around the entire contour of the garden bed. Growing these plants is often very effective in preventing ants from getting started.

6. talc

To avoid the invasion of ants in your garden, just use... talcum powder! Add some around your plants and this will keep the insects away. talcum powder can also be used to avoid the appearance of ants in electrical outlets and ducts, just pour a thin layer and they will go away quickly. But remember, in this case, you must turn off the electricity in yourhome to use the talcum powder without the chance of getting shocked!

7. chalk

Ants don't like to cross chalk lines, so draw barriers in your home. Make lines on doors, windows and near any openings. The calcium carbonate in the chalk will prevent them from entering your home.

8. salt

Salt spread on windows or doors also prevents ants from entering your home. Ants don't like salt, so it serves as a repellent and inhibits an invasion. You can also boil water with some salt and sprinkle this mixture directly into areas and crevices where ants might appear.

9. plant leaves

Place sprigs of rue, camphor, lavender or bay leaves inside cupboards or drawers. The smell of these leaves will prevent ants from appearing there. Bay leaves can also be placed inside spice jars. Change them frequently to maintain their effectiveness.

10. physical barriers for trees

To prevent ants from attacking trees and plants, create physical barriers in the yard. Use a circular material slightly larger than the area to be protected, such as a bucket or leftover pipe. Place the sphere around the plant or tree. Bury it approximately 1 cm below ground. This method is very effective and will prevent ants from reaching the leaves, flowers and fruit.

Remember that ants have their importance in nature and also bring benefits to the environment. Protect your home and use mainly the prevention tips, they are the best way to prevent ants from living in your home. If the above solutions do not solve your problem, seek professional help to assist you. And to keep your home safe from pests andinsects, see also tips on how to scare off flies.