Getting Rid of Ants
Looking for some less toxic ways to control ants around your house and yard? Here are some tips.
If you use an ant bait, you may need to vary the type you use, as ants can change their minds about what they want to eat.
Keep an eye out for ant scouts. These are the ants that are sent out to explore and report back to the nest. Kill the scouts every time you see them.
If you're having troubles with ants in your garbage pail, wipe a ring of petroleum jelly or vegetable shortening around the rim. Ants have a hard time traveling over anything slick like that.
Baking powder and baby powder can be used inside containers to discourage ants. If you find the ant hill or nest, sprinkle a combination of powdered sugar and powdered borax around it. Inside, spray a mix of 1 Tbs peppermint oil soap with 2 cups of water. This will kill the ants you sray and the scent will help keep other ants away.
Ants leave a scent trail so if you strong scents around their trails will confuse them. After wiping up ants off the trail, try sprinkling cinnamon, paprika, chili powder or dried peppermint leaves where they were traveling.
Sprinkle plain instant grits near ants. Supposedly, the ants eat the grits and when they then drink water the grits expand and kill them.
