Ants, even though most of them do not pose a threat to us, they can ruin our foods, and home looks unsanitary. There are many ways to eliminate and prevent ants from invading your home, lawn or garden. However, if you prefer using an insecticide, ensure you follow the manufacturer’s instruction or contact your local pest control operator before buying a product. This article will teach you how to get rid of ants outside your home or business sites using natural products or homemade ant exterminators.
What you need
✓ Diatomaceous earth
✓ Dust mask
✓ One teaspoon liquid dish soap
✓ Boiling water
✓ One and a half tablespoons canola oil
✓ One quart distilled white vinegar, five percent concentration
✓ Three tablespoons of cayenne pepper sauce
✓ Peppermint essential oil
✓ Orange peels (you can use replace it with cucumber peels)
✓ Crushed or grounded red pepper flakes
✓ Whisk
✓ Funnel(optional)
✓ Spray bottle
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth or DE is derived from the remains of diatoms, which are one-celled fresh algae. The soft fossilized particles come in a fine powder and can be used to get rid of ants or other pests around your home.
How does DE work?
Diatomaceous Earth works by piercing or puncturing the ant’s internal organs or skin when consumed. Ants or any other pests cannot build a resistance to it because it is mechanical and not chemical. If you have snails and slugs ravaging your garden, DE can help you stop them from destroying your plants as well.
How to apply Diatomaceous Earth
Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in your yard, ensure you focus on areas of high ant concentration. If you have located their nest, do well to pour inside; pouring DE in their nest will eliminate ants in your home and yard. When applying diatomaceous earth, make sure you wear a dust mask to prevent you from inhaling some of the dust.
Dish soap
Dish soap is another fast way of getting rid of ants from your environment. Pour a cup of boiling water inside a bowl, then add ½ teaspoon liquid dish soap, 1½ tablespoons of canola oil, and mix with a whisk. Place a funnel in a spray bottle, pour the mixture and shake thoroughly. Spray infested areas. However, you need to add to the quantity if you want to pour in their nest. This method incapacitates their spiracles and suffocates them.
Vinegar
Using white distilled vinegar is an easy method of eradicating ants from your environment. Pour one quart of white distilled vinegar with a five percent concentration in the nests. The effect is instant because ants cannot tolerate low –pH acidic conditions.
Cayenne pepper sauce
Pour three tablespoons of cayenne pepper sauce, with ½ teaspoon liquid dish soap and one quart of water inside a bowl and mix with your whisk. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it to the ants, and pour the solution into their nests. The mixture will smother and burn the ants as soon as they touch the mix.
Three ways to prevent ants from entering your home
Remove trash bins, compost piles and organic waste that are close to your lawn
Sprinkle blended or crushed peppers flakes, and spray peppermint essential oil on ant trails and anthills.
Keep your lawn and soil healthy; ants move to areas where they are stressed plants and soil. However, you can hire a professional pest control operator if you think you cannot handle the stress of getting rid of pesky pests in your home or garden.
