There is no need to spray poisons around to keep ants out of your house or apartment. Even the most serious ant invasion can be controlled with a few simple home remedies that are chemical-free and work just as well as the strongest venom. Killing single ants inside the home should be avoided, as live ants are attracted to the smell of their dead companions, and will swarm to the place to be able to carry away the carcasses.

 Home Remedies For Killing Ants

For ants on the counter top, wipe down counter top with white undiluted vinegar. To prevent ants from coming into the house, or getting into cupboards, sprinkle dried mint or red pepper where they are entering the house and in the cupboards. If you know where the anthills are make a mixture of 50 percent borax (sold in laundry aisle of supermarkets) and 50 percent confectioner’s sugar and place near anthill. The ants are attracted to the sugar and carry the fatal borax/sugar combination back to the nest to feed the queen and other ants. Soon all ants will be dead. Do not put this mixture where children and pets can ingest it. To get rid of anthills, pour 3 gallons of boiling water down them.

Banish ants from your pet’s food dish by wiping the floor under and around it with a cloth dipped in kerosene. Then stand the food dish in a larger dish containing water.

Keep ants from crawling up a picnic table by standing each leg in a small pan of water.

To kill ants, use a paste of equal parts of borax and confectioner sugar.

Pour boiling water over the nest

Spread a line of cream of tartar or chili powder on the entry point of ants to the house and they will not cross it.

Mint: You may use mint tea bags as well as mint leaves to keep your home safe from ants. You may dry the leaves and crush them to be spread in different areas prone to ant attack. This is a recommended home remedy to kill ants.

Jelly and Borax

 This is one of the most effective remedies for getting rid of ants in the home, but this combination should be kept away from children and pets. Mix equal parts of jelly and borax, and place it in areas accessible to invading ants. The ants will be attracted to the sweet jelly, and the borax mixed with the jelly will kill them.