Ants in the house are a highly unpleasant and annoying sight for most of the homeowners. The main reason for ants' infiltration into your homes is their search for food, water, and shelter. Hence, if you remove all the sources of food and water, their entry can be prevented. Though there are store-bought ant killers that contain chemicals , many homeowners prefer DIY ant traps. This is because chemicals may cause damage to pets and kids, and it is more expensive than homemade traps. This blog mainly focuses on homemade ant traps and other preventive ideas to keep ants at bay.
How to Prepare a Homemade Ant Trap?
There are a few ways to prepare the natural bait for ants. Here are some:
Mixture of Baking Soda and Powdered Sugar
Ingredients Required:
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Baking soda
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Powdered sugar
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A container or a jar lid to hold the bait
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A spoon for measurement
Steps to Prepare Bait:
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Mix one part of powdered sugar and one part of baking soda in the jar lid or any container to make the bait.
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The next step is to place the bait strategically along the areas where ants can be seen active and see how baking soda works. Bait can be placed in infested areas either in the jar lid or directly on the surface.
DIY Ant Trap Using Borax and Sugar
This is also a natural method to get rid of ants. The most common ant type to invade homes is “pavement ants and carpenter ants”. The following bait is highly effective in controlling the invasion of carpenter ants.
Ingredients Required:
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Borax
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Sugar
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Peanut butter or protein powder
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An eye dropper
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The cap of a milk jug or a container
Steps to Prepare Bait:
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Combine three parts of sugar with one part of borax. Add one part of water to make a syrup-like consistency. To make bait more attractive to ants, add a bit of peanut butter or protein powder.
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Using a dropper, pour liquid bait into the milk jar cap or a small container.
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At this step, place liquid bait in the areas where ants can be seen active. Such areas can be near cracks or corners that also give them easy entry to homes.
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Finally, it’s time to wait patiently for results. This trap may dry in a couple of days, so add a few drops of water to the cap. This will rehydrate the sugar and borax solution that can be used again in the infested area.
| Some Tips | In case you have kids and pets at home, place bait in areas where kids and pets can’t reach or spot. Though borax is not life-threatening for pets, it can lead to stomach upset and even damage to the kidneys in pets if ingested. |
How to Prevent Ants in Different Parts of the Home?
“Prevention is better than cure” is the best way to avoid further issues; it should be implemented to keep ants away from your home. Here are the preventive ideas:
Cleaning
The kitchen is one of the vulnerable spots where ants invade in search of food. Hence, clean the kitchen surfaces using vinegar and also scrub ants trail left behind by ants.
Seal All the Entry Points
Cracks and crevices are the biggest source of entry points for ants. Therefore, fill all such points with borax or diatomaceous earth and seal them with caulk.
Sprinkle Lime to Create a Border Around the Exterior of the Home
As lime contains natural calcium hydroxide, it can be used along the base of the foundation. Ants usually avoid such areas.
How to Disrupt Scented Trails of Pheromones Left Behind by Ants?
Worker ants follow the trails of pheromones left behind by their fellow ants to reach the food source, so place bait along their route. You can also sprinkle baby powder because ants dislike the dry texture of powder and stay away. The last thing to do is clean the ant trail using vinegar to remove the scent of pheromones.
Conclusion
Homemade natural bait is the best way to get rid of ants. DIY bait is preferred as it is free from harsh chemicals, making it safe for kids and pets at home. You can use baking soda and sugar or borax to make bait. Both are effective, so choose any of these as per your choice.
