Ant poison: 12 homemade poisons to make them disappear

Only those who have seen ants on the table, stove, counter or even climbing the walls know how unpleasant it is to find these tiny insects in the kitchen – or throughout the house. They can also transmit various diseases, as they carry bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is common for ants to appear during the heat, as in the winter they are hidden, surviving on the stock of food they gathered in the summer. But how do you get rid of them? What is the best ant poison?

6 homemade ant poison recipes

First of all, it is important to check how cleaning is going in your home. Ants are attracted to food crumbs that can be invisible to our eyes. But if you’ve done everything and they keep coming, some homemade recipes can help you.

1. Homemade poison with water and white vinegar

• Add 100 ml of water and 100 ml of white vinegar to a spray bottle;
• Shake well and spray the solution directly onto the ants.

An easy pesticide to make with ingredients you have in your own kitchen, ideal for eliminating ants.

2. Homemade poison with diatomaceous earth

• Sprinkle some diatomaceous earth over the paths where ants tend to roam around your house.

Efficient insecticide, diatomaceous earth is composed of elements that dry out the exoskeletons of ants. Spread it on baseboards, around windows and wherever else you need it.

3. Homemade poison with boric acid

• Spread boric acid in areas where there is ant traffic.

Like diatomaceous earth, boric acid damages ants’ exoskeletons. It is a non-toxic pesticide, but it is recommended to avoid using it in pantries (where there is food) and near children and animals.

4. Homemade Poison with Borax and Corn Starch

• In a dish low enough for the ants to climb, add a mixture of cornstarch, borax and a few drops of water;
• Mix until a paste forms and wait for the ants.

Ants only feed on liquids, but they can carry pieces of solid food to the nest. By bringing the cornstarch with boric acid to the larvae (which turn the pieces into liquid matter for the worker ants), the insects will be ‘infected’ in continuous cycles. A functional way to get rid of the anthill without much effort!

5. Boiling water or warm water with detergent

• Boil enough water and pour it directly into the anthill channel.
• If the anthill is indoors, choose the mixture between warm water and detergent so as not to damage the floor or furniture.

If so far nothing has gone right, the ideal solution is to destroy the anthill. Boiling water will kill them on first contact, as will a mixture of warm water and detergent.

6. Seal the corners of your house

• First identify the ant spawning points, where there are likely to be thousands more;
• Fill any holes you find with caulking.

Despite all efforts, ants can be insistent and come back regardless of the homemade poison used. In this case, seal the corners of your house and prevent them from reappearing.

It is possible to find in the markets specific products to eliminate ants, but following easy recipes with accessible ingredients that we have at home, we can make them disappear. In addition to the tips above, we also separate a list of homemade tips to ward off and prevent the emergence of these nasty insects. See below:

6 homemade tips to prevent ants

If you don’t want to go straight for the poisons, you can prepare homemade recipes that will just keep the ants away. For this, you will need specific ingredients that contain substances that act as repellents.

• Cloves and cinnamon: place a pot without a lid with a handful of cloves and ground cinnamon in the desired environment. The mixture of these spices scares the ants away without killing them because of the smell. To maintain effectiveness, change the contents of the pot every two weeks.
• Vaseline: Apply a small amount of Vaseline to the corners of walls, the edges of containers that sit on the table, counter and also the outside of your pet’s food and water pots. Vaseline forms a barrier that prevents ants from spreading. So pass it in strategic places.
• Cayenne Pepper and Coffee Grounds: To keep ants away, put some ground pepper or coffee grounds in the small cracks and crevices where they tend to emerge.
• Lemon juice: with a high acidity content, lemons are great for chasing away ants, which are bothered by the strong smell of citrus fruit. Spray the juice in outdoor areas.
• Orange and lemon peels: the ants’ favorite place is definitely the sugar jars. To avoid their presence, add orange or lemon peels inside the pot.
• Mint: The aroma of mint may be pleasant for us, but not for ants. That’s because the dried leaves of the plant serve as a natural repellent that keeps them away.

Did you like our tips? Now just prepare one of the homemade recipes and leave your house free of ants! It is worth mentioning that they will not disappear completely and forever. Therefore, it is necessary to always be attentive and verify the need to apply the poison or repellent again in strategic places.