Got ants inside? Easy solution

[noboundaries]

My apologies to the folks who work as exterminators, but there's an easy solution to pesky ants in the kitchen, bathroom, etc. Spray their access points or trails with a cleaning solution, any cleaning solution.

We had seasonal ants every year without exception. I hated using ant and bug spray, especially in the kitchen. I'd spray and they always came back.

Several years ago while looking for a less hazardous solution I read about spraying ant trails and access points with a cleaning solution, any cleaning solution. Don't wipe where you spray. Let it dry. Evidently, it disrupts the scents they use from previous ants to find food and water.

WTH have I got to lose? Nothing else is working. I sprayed with some food safe cleanser. Two days later, zero ants. And they didn't come back.

The next years, the instant I saw an ant, I grabbed a cleanser and did a quick spray. No more ants the rest of the season.

I've used 409, Clorox cleansers, etc. They all work.

Got ants? Give it a try.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Amdro, ant bait. It is a granular bait ( size like raw sugar) they see this as “super food” and take it back directly to their queen. She eats and dies as does every other ant in the colony. Super effective ant killer.

 

[kilo charlie]

Great tip! Thank you for sharing!

 

[GaryHibbert]

I just mix up a solution of 3 parts Borax (20 Mule Team), 5 parts sugar, and enough water to make a thick syrup, and set a 2 or 3 plastic bottle caps of it where the ants gather. They take it back to the nest. The borax destroys their digestive system and the whole nest dies.
Gary

 

[SmokinEdge]

I just mix up a solution of 3 parts Borax (20 Mule Team), 5 parts sugar, and enough water to make a thick syrup, and set a 2 or 3 plastic bottle caps of it where the ants gather. They take it back to the nest. The borax destroys their digestive system and the whole nest dies.
Gary

I’m covered in ants. I will have to give this a try. The Ambdro kills em in less than a week they are gone. But if this does the trick, even better.

On a side note, those darn European wasps, are a real nuisance here. I just blast them with brake cleaner or carb and choke, or even just ether. They die in motion. Fall from the sky and done type die. Way cheaper than wasp spray and kills way faster.

 

[Hamdrew]

Put a few drops of this in a spray bottle and fill with water. Peppermint melts insects exoskeletons and they can smell that it's poisonous to them. Spraying the perimeter of the porch will keep out a ton of insects, to the point where if you ever jostle a hornets nest or something you can spray a circle around yourself and probably stay safe.

Great for plant pest control, too.

 

[bbqbrett]

Amdro, ant bait. It is a granular bait ( size like raw sugar) they see this as “super food” and take it back directly to their queen. She eats and dies as does every other ant in the colony. Super effective ant killer.

Just used some a little over a week ago. Works great and the ants swarm it and take it back to the nest quickly.

 

[Fueling Around]

Use the nasty ant killer outside.
Seal the passages to the inside.
Use friendlier killer indoors such at Tempo or Telstar

 

[chef jimmyj]

Thanks. Ive not seen any this year but, we have had a big problem with Ants in the past...JJ

 

[indaswamp]

Yep...I too use the borax and sugar mix....works great!

Thanks for the tip on the cleaning solution...I'll give it a try.

 

[forktender]

White vinegar and a few drops of Dawn dish soap works great as well.
Most of the time ants are after moisture not food, although they will hit the food once they find the moisture 9x out of 10. So how I keep the ants outside where they belong is to water the lawn or plants regularly.
It works most of the time out here in CA where it's dry as a popcorn fart in the summer.

I'll try the 409 or the cheap $.99 store Awesome cleaner.
Thanks for the tip.

 

[SmokyMose]

Great ideas here. It's not a major problem but highly annoying...
Seems to me it's worse when the ground outside is saturated (like it is now!).

 

[GaryHibbert]

I’m covered in ants. I will have to give this a try. The Ambdro kills em in less than a week they are gone. But if this does the trick, even better.
On a side note, those darn European wasps, are a real nuisance here. I just blast them with brake cleaner or carb and choke, or even just ether. They die in motion. Fall from the sky and done type die. Way cheaper than wasp spray and kills way faster.

I've been told that Borax works on wasps too. I just tried it on our yellow jackets today, so can't really say if it does or not. Seems like you can just use the borax mixture in a larger container or add it to a sugary soft drink and they'll carry it back to the hive/nest and kill all the wasps there. So just for insurance, I put out both kinds of baits. About a week from now, hopefully I'll see some results.
Now if I could just find something to kill off our plague of HORSEFLIES.........
Gary

 

[indaswamp]

The borax will work on any insect that grooms it's body....roaches, wasps, ants.....ect... they have to ingest it for it to work.

 

[noboundaries]

Now if I could just find something to kill off our plague of HORSEFLIES.........

Can't help you there. I have so few, if one shows up, I'll grab the chopsticks.

 

[SmokyMose]

Now if I could just find something to kill off our plague of HORSEFLIES.........

Haven't seen one since I moved from the country to the city.
Thank God. When you see a cow flinch you know they can bite....
I'll bet they get really big up there like the Mosquitos.

 

[tropics]

I am going to try the Borax on carpenter ants, hope it works Thanks for the tips.
Richie

 

[Bearcarver]

I just mix up a solution of 3 parts Borax (20 Mule Team), 5 parts sugar, and enough water to make a thick syrup, and set a 2 or 3 plastic bottle caps of it where the ants gather. They take it back to the nest. The borax destroys their digestive system and the whole nest dies.
Gary

LOL---I used to watch those old "20 Mule Team Borax" Westerns all the time!!!

Bear

 

[chopsaw]

I didn't have a problem until I made that mustard . Now they're everywhere outside . Not in the house yet .
I used my map gas torch on 'em .