Ants –in the insect order hymenoptera– are fascinating because of the highly organized societies they live in. But these societies, or colonies, are also what cause them to become a nusiance for many people, especially those of us in Portland Oregon.
And in Portland ant control can also be difficult because we want natural products to keep ourselves & our families safe.
This article describes what we think is the best natural ant solution, and gives you some information about common ant deterrents. So you can make the right decision for your house.
1. Peppermint Oil Ant Deterrent
A solution of peppermint essential oil and water is one of the best natural ant deterrent sprays. Peppermint contains menthol which has a powerful odor that is detectable and repellent to the ants.
To repel ants with peppermint oil, first decide whether you want to kill the ants, or if you just want to repel them away.
• A solution of 1% peppermint oil in water will make a non lethal ant repellent that is strong enough to repel the ants from the areas you spray, but is not likely to harm them if they come in contact with the treated area once dry. Do not spray the ants directly if you do not want to kill them.
• 2% peppermint oil is the active ingredient in many commercial natural ant sprays, and is strong enough to kill them if you spray directly on contact, and may kill the ants if they contact the residues.
DIY Peppermint Ant Repellent Recipe
1% Peppermint Oil Ant Repellent:
- 10 oz water
- 0.6 tsp. peppermint oil
- 2 drops dish soap
Directions:
- Fill a clean, empty spray bottle with 5oz of water.
- Add 0.6 teaspoons of peppermint oil and a few drops of dish soap.
- Fill the spray bottle with the remaining 5oz/ of water. Shake lightly. Spray countertops, floors, around the toilet, and anywhere where you see ants.
For a 2% peppermint ant killer spray, follow the recipe above, but double the peppermint oil (1.2 teaspoons for 10 fluid ounces of water).
** Use essential oil sprays with caution, particularly if you have birds or fish, or dogs, cats, or people in the home that are sensitive to chemicals.
2. Diatomaceous Earth for Ants
Diatomaceous earth is a powder made from crushed up diatoms– microscopic algae with cell walls made from silicon.
Silicon dust is abrasive (cuts up), and desiccant (dries out) to the ants and can kill them with repeated contact.
It can repel the ant colony when applied in a thick layer, because ants don’t like the feeling of diatomaceous earth and will make their trails go around it– never over.
Diatomaceous Earth Ant Repellent
You can repel ants away from entering your house along the ground by making a ring around the perimeter of your foundation that they will not cross.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in a continuous band at least 1/2″ high, and 2″ wide around your house.
- Do not allow any breaks in the band, or else ants might get across.
- Reapply every 2-3 weeks, or after rain.
- Always wear a respirator or N95 mask when sprinkling diatomaceous earth.
In order for diatomaceous earth to be an effective ant deterrent outdoors, make sure that there are no overhanging tree branches they can use to climb past it. Ants may still sometimes enter from underground burrows, so this might not always be a silver bullet.
An even better way to use diatomaceous earth for ants is to apply a very light dust inside crevices, cracks and wall voids. A light dusting –as opposed to a thick layer– is key.
That way, it won’t be easily detectable (“non-repellent”) to the ants, and increases the chance of ants coming into contact with a lethal dose of it.
Click to Get Rid of Ants. 
3. Cinnamon Ant Deterrent
No doubt, ants hate cinnamon, clove, cayenne pepper, thyme, bay leaf and other smelly herbs & spices.
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, which has a pungent scent that works as an excellent homemade ant repellent.
You can sprinkle a light dusting of powder, or use a 1% essential oil spray along your kitchen counters, doorways, bathroom, and anywhere else where ants are seen entering to repel them away from those areas.
DIY Cinnamon Ant Repellent Recipe
1% Cinnamon Oil Ant Repellent:
- 10 oz water
- 0.6 tsp. cinnamon essential oil
- 2 drops dish soap
Directions:
- Fill a clean, empty spray bottle with 5oz of water.
- Add 0.6 teaspoons of cinnamon essential oil & a few drops of dish soap.
- Fill the spray bottle with the remaining 5oz/ of water. Shake lightly. Spray countertops, floors, around the toilet, and anywhere where you see ants.
** As always, use essential oil sprays with caution, particularly if you have birds or fish, or dogs, cats, or people in the home that are sensitive to chemicals.
But does cinnamon kill ants? This study found that a 20% cinnamon essential oil killed ants after 90 minutes. But beware, a 20% solution is highly concentrated, hazardous, and not suitable for indoor ant control use.
A much safer DIY ant spray to kill ants is just soapy water. Check out our recipe for a DIY ant killer spray here.
Repelling vs. Deterring Ants
Before trying DIY natural ant repellents, first decide if you just want to repel the ants, or if you want them dead.
Using organic ant repellents works great if you need ants gone from a certain spot temporarily. The drawback is, ants may pop up in another spot. Using strong smells that ants hate to repel them can be effective, but does not target the queen or the colony.
If your goal is to kill the ants and deter them from coming back into your living space, using bait traps instead of sprays is recommended.
That’s because baits like borax ant traps work best at killing the whole colony. Just spraying individual ants doesn’t always work to remove ants from inside.
4. Natural Ant Killer with Borax
Borax is a naturally occuring chemical containing boron. The borax is toxic to the ants when ingested, but works slowly so it can be a good ant solution to kill the whole colony.
How does ant bait work? Ants feed their young larvae by bringing them solid crumbs, or drinking liquid and “baby-birding” it back to the larvae.
Ant larvae also share their food with the adults, thus sharing the borax and deterring the whole colony by eliminating it. You can easily make a homemamde ant bait by following the recipe below, and setting out the bait placements when you see ants inside.
DIY Borax Ant Bait
Ingredients:
- 1/8 tbsp. borax
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. hot water
Directions:
- Mix granulated sugar & borax in a container
- Slowly add hot water & stir until the mixture has dissolved into a thick gel-like slurry. Add more water if needed.
- Place a small spoonful on plastic lids or other impervious containers that ants can easily crawl onto. Make at least 5-10 placements; in the areas you see ants, but out of reach of pets & kids.
- Making more, smaller placements is better than 1-2 large placements. Label & save any unused DIY ant bait in a jar in the fridge for up to 90 days.
** Behind the fridge, behind appliances on kitchen counters, inside sink cabinets & behind furniture are all examples of places that if they’re inacessible to pets & kids are generally safe places to put out ant traps.
For step-by-step directions & pro-tips on using bait traps for a DIY ant control solution, click here.
In conclusion, lots of essential oils sprays like peppermint and cinnamon are effective at repelling ants from your countertops and floors. Those of us that would prefer a non-lethal solution, should try that first.
If you don’t have specific requirements for trying to control ants without killing them, it’s usually best to try a bait trap. If you continue to have ant issues and you live in the Portland, Oregon area, Pest & Pollinator is always happy to help.
Curious whats sets us apart? Learn more about Pest & Pollinator here.
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