If  ants invade your home, you are probably looking for a way to get rid of them, because their company in the home is usually quite annoying: they attack our food, they make nests in inappropriate places and they can be a big problem causing even electrical breakdowns, for example.

Vinegar and Water

Vinegar is a widely used resource to improve the flavour of food, clean the oven and even to eliminate lice, here we show you how we use vinegar to eradicate these parasites .

Like lice, ants detest vinegar . To use it effectively you must make a mixture adding the same amount of water as vinegar and then submerge several sponges in that mixture. Place the sponges on small plates and distribute them throughout the house, especially through the passage areas of the ants. In a short time you will see how the number of ants decrease until they disappear.

Talcum powder

Talcum powder acts as an ant repellent. Although it may not seem a good idea to use talcum powder through the interior of  your house, ( although it smells better than vinegar!)  it can be used outside.

It is very common to see the route that the ants follow to get to your home, because they usually come and go through the same place. Spread powder where the ants usually pass and you will make them do a swift “U” turn.

Mint leaves

The leaves of mint are another good repellent. You just have to leave leaves in the target areas and the ants should leave quickly.

A good idea is to place the leaves in small bags of fine cloth and tie them with a cord at one end. If possible, use the string to tie them to the areas where the ants are penetrating.

Lemon juice

In general citrus fruits are enemies of ants . You can squeeze a couple of lemons and pour the juice in a spray can and sprinkle the soil with lemon. not only will it scare away the ants, but it will also serve as a potent homemade flavouring.

Garlic

Garlic also serves as a repellent for ants and other insects. Crush a couple of heads of garlic, throw it in a spray can and add water. Let the mixture stand a couple of hours so that the water acquires the smell of garlic well.

After that time you can use spray the passage areas of the ants. Do not forget to spray the outside and the terrace or the windows.

Orange

If you make juice in the morning for breakfast and you have ants in your house, you can keep the orange peel to place on the outside and inside of the house . If you leave them outside, you will attract more butterflies to your garden.

You can also crush the pips and place small portions in the path of the ants, it is common for them to pick up the pieces and take them with them to the anthill. If they do this, the orange will release a substance that is toxic to ants and this will make them abandon their anthill looking for a better place.

Bicarbonate of Soda and Sugar

Mix bicarbonate and sugar in equal parts and throw it in the areas of passage of the ants .

This mixture releases a substance that is toxic to ants, so they will move away from it as soon as they detect it, so it is a method that usually works very effectively.

(So now I am wondering what a mixture of vinegar, lemon, orange, garlic, mint, sugar and bicarbonate of soda would do!!!!)

Avoid the appearance of ants

Once you have managed to eliminate the ants at home using any of the methods mentioned above, you must take care that they do not reappear. Here are some very important tips you should follow to prevent them from returning:

    • Clean:  Not leaving tasty morsels on the floors or surfaces is really just plain common sense.
    • Use repellents:  you can use natural repellents like the ones we mentioned, although you can also use chemicals. You only have to spray the entrances of the house, doors, windows and any other place where the ants can enter.
  • Seal holes using silicone or plaster: this will prevent the ants from staying in those holes and even establish nests.

Now you know how to get rid of the ants at home and how to prevent them from returning for a home made feast. We recommend that you use more than one of the methods mentioned above, as the result  will be much faster and more satisfactory.