11 Simple Ways to Get Rid of Ants Fast

Getting rid of ants in your home is simple with these 11 tips. You can choose store-bought pest repellents or make your own.

But don’t pay for professional extermination yet. That’s because the power is still in your hands to stop an ant invasion. 

Repelling pests can be challenging, especially if you don’t know how they’re getting into your house. Plus, it’s even more difficult to get rid of them once they’ve arrived.

So, let’s explore 11 clever ways to get rid of stubborn ants. And take notes because you won’t learn this in school. 

• How do ants find their way into your house? 
• What are the simplest solutions to repel ants? 
• How to keep ant colonies at bay forever? 

How Do Ants Enter Your Home?

Ants are clever animals that can do more than most people realize. Not only are they hard workers, but they can also scale walls and enter your home through tiny cracks and holes.

So, you might end up with an ant infestation if you forget to seal specific locations. 

For example, ants like to enter your house where wires, pipes, and conduits connect. They also climb tree limbs and utilize the wind to travel onto your property.

And that means you must keep low-hanging branches trimmed at all times. Plus, you can’t leave holes unattended. 

Many ant species are also attracted to food odors. The smells from edible and inedible items serve as a beacon for ants and other pests.

They’ll enter a home just to root around and establish a colony somewhere in your house. And if the weather is bad, ants might camp in your floors, walls, or cabinets to stay safe. 

TIP: Try to store your food in airtight containers to prevent ants from gaining access. 

11 Simple Solutions to Repel Ants 

You don’t have to be as clever as ants to get rid of them. You only need these 11 easy remedies to stop an ant invasion. 

#1. Scramble Their Signals with Vinegar

Did you know that vinegar helps prevent ants from communicating with one another? That’s because it disrupts the chemical signals between them.

Ants leave a slimy trail wherever they go as a way of attracting other colonizers. But vinegar changes the chemical makeup of those trails, which prevents ants from connecting with their cohorts. 

HOW: Combine vinegar with water in a spray bottle, then apply it where you see ants the most. 

#2. Use Duct Tape to Trap Ants Humanely 

Store-bought traps for ants use an adhesive to stop pests. But that adhesive can be toxic to children and animals. So, many homeowners use duct tape instead.

You can put a piece of tape – sticky side down – where you see ants come and go. Like a forcefield, ants will bounce off of it or get stuck to it. Either way, they won’t make it into your house. 

HOW: Use double-sided duct tape to catch ants coming and going from your house. 

#3. Serve a Cayenne Pepper Platter 

Ants can’t stand cayenne pepper or black pepper. Both are far too potent for an ant’s tiny respiratory system. The capsaicin spores in spices can attach to their antenna and feet, making it harder to navigate.

And when an ant can’t find its way back home, it can’t attract others. Meanwhile, the ants try not to cross the cayenne barrier for fear of getting trapped. 

HOW: Sprinkle fresh cayenne pepper around places where ants like to gather in your home. 

#4. Repel Ants with Cinnamon Oil

You can use specific essential oils to get rid of stubborn ants. They hate the smell of cinnamon oil, for example. The scent is so strong that it overwhelms their senses and inspires them to leave.

Meanwhile, organic cinnamon oil won’t hurt or kill vulnerable species. Instead, it will help direct them to another location where you can manage their population more efficiently. 

HOW: Soak a cotton ball in cinnamon oil, then spread it around areas where ants like to gather. 

#5. Try Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth 

Kill ants by destroying their exoskeleton with food-grade diatomaceous earth. It’s cheap and easy to find at most local supermarkets.

Plus, you can use it anywhere because it’s non-toxic to pets and people. But as ants move through the dust, their bodies begin to deteriorate.

Diatomaceous earth dries up the moisture in an ant’s body, leaving behind nothing but a shell. 

HOW: Apply a generous layer wherever you see ants, especially in the kitchen. 

#6. Become a Mint Gardener 

You might love mint, but ants don’t. They despise the smell and try to avoid it at all costs. So, you can plant mint in your home to repel ants and other insects.

Mint is easy to grow indoors or outdoors, and you get a tasty product in the end. At the same time, you’ll enjoy a safe and natural way to repel ants from your home and property. 

HOW: Place mint plants strategically throughout your house or yard to keep ants at bay. 

#7. Slather on the Vick’s Vapor Rub

Most ants won’t climb through gunk that could get stuck on their legs. And Vick’s Vapor Rub is one of those sticky substances.

It also has a dual benefit because of its effervescent scent. Ants don’t like it, so they’ll walk around it or go in the opposite direction. Plus, you can use as much of it as you want because it’s hypoallergenic and gentle on the skin. 

HOW: Spread VVR on yourself at night or around small holes in your house. 

#8. Stuff Holes with Aluminum Foil 

Because ants rely on their climbing abilities to enter your home, take that ability away. Most ants can’t climb on non-porous surfaces.

They need the texture to get a grip, which means aluminum foil could help prevent their entrance. Just be sure not to use this trick around electrical outlets or heat sources because it could cause an accident. 

HOW: Shove balls of aluminum foil into cracks and holes that give ants access to your home. 

#9. Create a Makeshift Moat 

Keep ants off of your tables with this simple hack. Start by placing small containers filled with water under each table leg.

The container will act as a moat that the ants can’t cross. Just remember that this hack is only temporary because the trench can fill up fast. And prolonged exposure to moisture can damage your furniture. So, only use the moat in emergencies. 

HOW: Add cayenne pepper or vinegar to the water in your moat for an extra layer of protection. 

#10. Draw a Chalk Circle 

You can keep pesky ants at bay with a simple chalk line. The reason is that ants don’t like the calcium carbonate in powdered chalk.

Calcium carbonate is another word for pulverized seashells and marine life, which instinctively threatens ants. So, use the force of nature to your advantage. And try to get the powered chalk if you can because it’s easier to clean. 

HOW: Scribe a thick chalk circle around their favorite entry points to stop ants from entering again. 

#11. Make Deadly Orange Juice 

Keep garden ants away from your plants with orange peels and hot water. Simply make a puree and then slowly pour the mixture on top of anthills nearby.

The solution will send ants away immediately. And since you destroy their home in the process, they’ll move to another location instead of staying there. 

HOW: Use boiling water to ensure maximum efficacy, and make sure your orange peel is relatively fresh. 

Bonus Hack #12. Apply the Aspartame 

Aspartame is a substance found in everyday food products, but it’s toxic to ants. So, try sprinkling some artificial sweetener around the trouble spots in your home.

Chances are, the ants infesting your house will scurry to get away from the toxicity. Meanwhile, be careful. Aspartame isn’t healthy for human or animal consumption. 

Getting rid of ants doesn’t have to be a challenge. If you harness the powers of natural remedies, you can restore balance in your home.

But if things get too out of control, don’t be afraid to call for help. Professional extermination isn’t cheap, but it can help you solve your ant problem once and for all. 

NOTE: When you get rid of ants, you disrupt the food chain and may experience infestations of other pests as a result. 

Keep Ants Away for Good 

You don’t have to live with ants forever. As the seasons change, so too do the locations of ant colonies. However, you shouldn’t have to act as a seasonal host to pests.

So, keep ants away for good with preventative maintenance. Here are a few more tips: 

• Remove food from its store packaging and place it in plastic containers instead. 
• Clean your sewer lines, drainage pipes, and faucets to prevent buildup that could attract ants. 
• Check for holes and cracks in your foundation or walls, then fix them as soon as possible. 
• Keep your windows and doors closed during seasons when ants are most active. 
• Try several different approaches until you find one that works on the ant species at your house. 
• Contact an exterminator for a more customized pest prevention strategy. 

When you reach out to an exterminator, be prepared to answer some basic questions. This is what they’ll most likely ask: 

1. How long have you had this issue? 
2. Where are the ants entering your home? 
3. What steps have you taken to reduce or eliminate the problem? 
4. What is your primary objective with extermination? 
5. When would you like to get started? 

You can get rid of ants at any time. Plus, some exterminators offer discounts for first-time customers. And you could be entitled to repairs if the issue is someone else’s fault.

So, pay attention to fair housing laws, especially if you’re in a rental agreement. 

Say Goodbye to Pest Problems in Your Home 

Nobody has time for an ant infestation. But getting rid of ants isn’t always easy. There are countless so-called solutions, but only a few of them work.

You can’t hesitate to try a new approach, though. Some of the most clever ant-repelling tips come from the most unexpected places. 

So, say goodbye to the ant problems in your house once and for all.  And don’t forget to check your progress. That way, you’ll have good information to tell an exterminator if you end up hiring one.

In the meantime, plug holes and put up food, then use spices to your advantage. 

Alright, that’s it for this article, here are a few hand-selected articles that you might also find interesting reads:

What Kills Ants Easily? 7 Proven Techniques

Easy DIY Baking Soda traps to get rid of Ants In A Nontoxic Way.

How I Got Rid of Ants in My Wall – Tactics and Solutions