Ants can quickly invade a home and will continue to show up if they find a food source. Fortunately, there are natural and DIY ant-repellent methods to get rid of ants without calling an exterminator. Some homemade methods involve pantry items you already have around the house like, coffee grounds or cayenne pepper, while some pull out more targeted products, like borax and diatomaceous earth. Read on to discover easy and natural methods for getting rid of ants in your home or yard.
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Depending on what type of ant youre dealing with, repellant products could make your problem much worse. For example, sugar ants are prone to coming back, but there are ways to prevent ants from being attracted to your home.
Ants can be a nuisance when they invade homes and yards in search of food. Getting rid of them usually requires using commercial insecticides containing harsh chemicals. However Simple Green provides a safer and effective homemade ant killer alternative.
What is Simple Green?
Simple Green is a plant-based, biodegradable household cleaner made from naturally occurring ingredients like lemon extract, sodium citrate, and ethanolamine It cleans grease, oil, dirt, and grime without using toxic chemicals
Simple Green is non-toxic when used as directed and safe for people, pets, and the environment. It does not contain bleach, ammonia, phosphates, formaldehyde, or parabens. The gentle, pH-balanced formula makes it versatile for cleaning many household surfaces.
Does Simple Green Kill Ants?
Yes, Simple Green is highly effective at killing ants! When sprayed directly on ants, the solution can penetrate their waxy exoskeletons and cause dehydration. This quickly kills ants on contact.
Simple Green also eliminates the invisible scent trails ants use to navigate back to food sources and their nest. Ants will avoid walking over Simple Green residue. With their chemical trails disrupted, ants become disoriented and fail to return.
How to Use Simple Green as an Ant Killer
Follow these steps to use Simple Green to control ants in your home:
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Mix equal parts Simple Green and water in a spray bottle. Shake well to combine.
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Spray ants directly to kill them on contact. Aim for entry points like windowsills and baseboards.
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Spray along ant trails and anywhere you see ants gathering. This disrupts their pheromone trails.
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Spray around pet food bowls, trash cans, pipes, and other potential food sources to repel ants.
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After spraying, let the Simple Green solution sit for 10-15 minutes before wiping up. This allows time to penetrate ant exoskeletons.
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Reapply daily until ant trails are gone. Maintenance spraying weekly helps deter ants long-term.
Tips for Using Simple Green as an Ant Killer
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Focus on spraying entry points first to block ants at the source before they get inside.
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Spray around the exterior perimeter of your home, patios, and garden beds to keep ants away.
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If ants are nesting indoors, spray along baseboards, cracks, and corners where you see ants trailing.
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Spray kitchen and bathroom cabinets, appliances, sinks, and trash cans to discourage ants.
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Increase Simple Green concentration to 2 parts cleaner for heavy ant infestations.
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Test on an inconspicuous area first to check for discoloration or damage.
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Keep Simple Green out of the reach of children and pets when spraying.
Benefits of Using Simple Green for Ants
Using Simple Green as a homemade ant killer has many advantages:
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Non-Toxic and Pet-Safe: Simple Green will not harm children, pets or wildlife. This makes it ideal for homes with kids and animals.
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No Harmful Residues: Simple Green begins breaking down after drying so it does not leave behind toxic chemical residues.
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Multiple Household Uses: One bottle of Simple Green can tackle ants plus many other cleaning tasks like floors, countertops, windows, and more.
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Kills Ants Effectively: Simple Green quickly kills ants through contact and by removing pheromone trails ants need to navigate.
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Lasting Residual Effects: Ants avoid dried Simple Green residue allowing it to keep repelling ants for up to two weeks after application.
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Budget-Friendly: At just a few dollars per bottle, Simple Green provides an affordable alternative to commercial ant sprays and baits.
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Easy to Find: Simple Green is widely available at supermarkets, hardware stores, online retailers, and more making it easy to purchase.
Alternative Uses for Simple Green
Aside from killing ants, Simple Green can be used to clean many areas of your home:
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Floors – Mix with water in a mop bucket to clean wood, tile, laminate, and other floor types.
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Walls and baseboards – Removes grime and disinfects.
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Windows and mirrors – Mix with water and use as a streak-free glass cleaner.
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Appliances – Cleans and degreases ovens, microwaves, and stainless steel.
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Bathroom surfaces – Sanitizes and cuts through soap scum on tubs, showers, sinks.
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Outdoor areas – Patio furniture, grills, shutters, driveways.
Simple Green is an effective and versatile cleaner making it a staple for every home. Keeping a supply on hand lets you tackle ants while also cleaning the rest of your house.
Simple Green offers a safe, natural way to kill ants and stop them coming back. Its non-toxic formula won’t harm kids or pets, yet effectively terminates ants through contact and trail disruption. Mix up this budget-friendly solution to conquer ant infestations without exposing your family to harsh chemicals.
Seal Entry Points
There are a number of ways to stop ants before they get a chance to enter. Start by considering where you see ants entering your home, then make sure window screens are hole free and in good, functioning order. Seal cracks around windows and doorframes, as well as cracks in your tile. If ants are a repeated issue inside your home and they come up from behind the baseboards, it may be time to caulk your baseboards to seal out ants (and other pests like spiders!).
How to Prevent Ants in Your Home
Ants have one mission: collect resources, feed the queen, protect the colony. And food messes dont only attract ants in the kitchen. If there are crumbs under your sofa or food residue on your counters (even in your couch cushions), this might be the source of your indoor ant issue. No food source is too small for an ant—even a few crumbs are enough. If ants are not able to find a verified food source inside your home, theyre likely to move on with their day.
How to Kill House Ants Fast & Easy
FAQ
What is the best cleaner to kill ants?
Soapy water, vinegar, even lysol, windex and bleach are all excellent at killing ants on contact & repelling them for a short while, and are safe for use around pets & children (once the sprays are dry).
What does simple green kill?
What kills ants instantly?
Baking soda and vinegar: Sprinkle some baking soda over the ant colony and spray white vinegar on top of it. It forms soda foam and kills off the colony. Baby powder: Sprinkle some baby powder across the ant’s trail.
What do ants hate the most?
Ants dislike strong scents, particularly those found in certain plants, spices, and essential oils.
Does dish soap kill ants?
Mix 2 ounces of dish soap and 32 ounces of water in a spray bottle; use it to spray and remove the pheromone trail left behind by the ants. It also kills them on contact: “Dish soap sprayed directly on ants will kill ants by penetrating their exoskeleton, which suffocates them,” he says.
How do I get rid of ants in my garden?
Ants usually take their food back to their nest, so by carefully observing where they take your food is one of the best ways to find and then destroy the ant nest along with the queen. 1 Use food-grade diatomaceous earth to get rid of ants from your home and garden.
Does vinegar kill ants?
According to Vincent Luca, a licensed pest control technician and the owner of On Demand Pest Control, you can create a homemade ant-deterring solution that stars vinegar—one of the most versatile natural cleaning ingredients there is. As for how it effectively mitigates your pest problem?
How do you make ant killer?
To make this ant killer, Luca says you’ll need to mix equal parts confectioners’ sugar and baking soda in a cup. “Using confectioners’ sugar is essential in this case. Regular sugar can easily be separated by ants from the baking soda,” he says. Once you’ve mixed those two together, add another touch of sweetness to really draw the ants in.
Does cinnamon kill ants?
A 2008 study found that compounds in cinnamon leaf essential oil, including trans-cinnamaldehyde, could be effective at killing and repelling ants. Saturate cotton balls with the undiluted cinnamon leaf essential oil. Place the cotton balls in areas where you typically see ants in the home.
What is a good ant repellent?
Ground black or red pepper Black or red (cayenne) pepper is a natural ant deterrent, as the insects may find the smell irritating. Sprinkle pepper around baseboards and behind appliances. 5. Peppermint