The Basics.
Over the past week, as the weather warms, I’ve noticed a lot of ants both inside and outside my house. As much as I love spring, I don’t love the ants that come with it. Ants are nasty little critters, especially ants that decide to hang out in my house. Unfortunately, many homes in our area suffer the same fate.
Last week, I was asked for advice on how to get rid of ants naturally outdoors. Many Gabby Followers have young children and pets, so controlling and eliminating ants naturally is the only option.
My Best Suggestions for Controlling Ants, Outdoors
Number One Solution is Hot Water
My grandmother and mother did this, so I know it works!
If you have an ant colony in your yard, boil a kettle of water, take it outside very carefully, and pour it directly onto the colony. You may need to do this several times over a few days to eliminate all the ants. If the colony is big—I’ve had a few of those in my yard—you should open up the ant hill with a shovel and pour the boiling water directly inside. Boiling water kills ants on contact.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint is a natural insect repellent that effectively repels ants. Mix 10 to 20 drops of peppermint essential oil with two (2) cups of cool water in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray this solution on hard surfaces like sidewalks and driveways and allow it to dry. You will need to re-apply the peppermint solution after it rains.
Another great solution is to apply a few drops of peppermint essential oil directly to an ant hill. Ants don’t like peppermint and will hit the road.
Please Note: Peppermint oil and eyes don’t mix. If you get peppermint oil on your hands, make sure to wash it off thoroughly before touching your face.
Ground Cinnamon
Ground cinnamon is a great solution if you can find the ant path or opening to an ant colony. Sprinkle ground cinnamon directly onto the path or colony, and when the ants inhale the cinnamon, they suffocate. Bye-bye, Ants!
Vinegar, Dish Soap, Epsom Salts, Vegetable Oil and Water
In a spray bottle, mix 1/3 cup of white (cheap) vinegar, a squirt of dish soap, three tablespoons of epsom salts, and a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil. Then, fill the rest of the spray bottle with water and shake well. This solution can be applied to areas with a high concentration of ants or poured directly onto an ant colony. The soap and oil enter the ants’ exoskeleton system and suffocate them, rendering them dead.
If you’re still reading, this vinegar, dish soap, epsom salts, oil and water mixture is a great way to get rid of unwanted weeds in lawns and gardens. I’ve dumped a bucket of this solution on a few nasty thistles growing in my back gardens, which killed them. And they haven’t come back. However, it’s crucial to note that this solution will burn plants and grass. If you use it as a weed eliminator, it will burn anything it touches! Be extremely careful to protect the plants you want to keep from the weeds you want to burn out.
Say bye-bye to ants naturally!
Lexi Dearborn