Ants can be quite annoying and easily get into your house! Try 5 tried and true tips to get rid of ants naturally. I share essential oils for ants, plus other natural solutions that can help keep those pesky little insects out of your home.
Several essential oils such as peppermint and tea tree can be used to make an all-natural ant repellent spray. Other ingredients like castile soap, baking soda, and vinegar can be used to repel ants from your home too.
Every year we will inevitably have an ant colony move into our kitchen. Now there was a time I would pick up ant repellent from the local general store. Yes, it did get rid of the problem, but now with kids crawling around, I wanted something I could spray in my home and not have to worry about any toxic ingredients.
As soon as I had mobile toddlers and babies on the loose, I new I would want a different solution. Thankfully, using essential oils to repel ants naturally is quite simple and you only need a few ingredients to do so.
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HOW TO GET RID OF ANTS NATURALLY
Ants rely on their noses to get them to their food source and nest, so putting anything with a strong aroma in the way can deter them. Often times, essential oils, vinegar, citrus peels, or soap can do the job just as well as conventional products.
It is also important to get rid of the food source. If you see a line of ants heading straight for the pantry or under a cabinet, be sure to check for crumbs or a runaway chip. Simply removing the source of food could be the only thing needed to get the ants back out of the house.
1. ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils can be used to get rid of ants, ticks, mosquitos, moths, and spiders. With the strong aroma essential oils give off, it is no wonder that they work so well at repelling insects. I use essential oils during the summer months to make natural bug repellent spray and bug repellent lotion bars to keep the bugs off my family while we are outside.
I also make homemade solutions to use around the windows, doorframes, and the basement to keep insects out of the house. As soon as I see the first ant in the house, I go straight for the peppermint essential oil. It works fast and effectively at repelling them!
THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS TO REPEL ANTS
PEPPERMINT
As I said, peppermint is my go-to essential oil for ants. In fact, peppermint essential oil is my go-to oil for repelling almost all insects. Ants hate the smell of peppermint, and it can quickly deter them from coming into your home.
You can add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a glass spray bottle, fill it with water, and spray the solution around the doorframes and windows.
CLOVE
Clove essential oil will actually kill ants when it is sprayed directly on them. Similar to peppermint, it has a strong scent and can deter ants from coming into your home too! If you don’t have clove essential oil, whole clove buds can also be used to repel ants naturally from your home.
CITRUS ESSENTIAL OILS
The D-Limonene found in most citrus oils is an effective ant killer. Citrus essential oils such as wild orange, lemongrass, lemon, and grapefruit can be used to kill ants when sprayed directly on them and the scent can help to deter them.
It is important to remember that citrus oils come from the peel of the fruit, not the fruit itself. The essential oil has a much different scent and effect on insects than the sweet sticky fruit itself.
DIY ESSENTIAL OIL ANT SPRAY
INGREDIENTS
- 5 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops clove essential oil
- 5 drops citrus essential oil (lemon, wild orange, or grapefruit)
- 4-ounce glass spray bottle
- Water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the essential oils to the spray bottle.
- Fill the rest of the bottle with water.
- Shake well and spray around door frames, baseboards, windows, or wherever you see the ants in your home.
2. VINEGAR
Vinegar is a great natural and cheap product to use to repel ants naturally from your home. White vinegar is most effective and should be used instead of apple cider vinegar. It can be used to kill and repel ants.
Using an all-purpose spray with vinegar can help keep ants, fruit flies, spiders, and other insects away before they even become a problem.
HOW TO USE VINEGAR TO GET RID OF ANTS
Make a solution of 50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the area of concern and wipe up with a cloth. You can also make the solution in a bowl and use a cloth to wipe the area clean and kill the ants.
3. DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, soft, sedimentary rock that is crumbled into a fine white color powder. It can be used to repel ants or as a natural wormer for your pets. You can find a food-grade source of diatomaceous earth at your local health food store or online. We always have some on hand to sprinkle on the dog and cat food to keep worms at bay.
Sprinkle the powder on the ants and around the area they are getting into the house. The powder can kill ants and other insects by absorbing the oils in their skeletons and dries them out. Be sure to wear gloves when handling it as it can cause skin sensitivity.
4. LEMON JUICE
Similar to vinegar, the strong smell of lemon juice can repel ants naturally. You can use it the same as vinegar by making a 50/50 solution of water and lemon juice and spraying it where you see the ants in your home.
You can make this homemade ant repellent even stronger and more effective by adding a few drops of essential oils to the mixture. The best essential oil for ants is peppermint, or you could use any citrus oil or clove oil.
5. COFFEE GROUNDS
Coffee grounds are another way you can repel ants naturally. No need to waste any freshly ground coffee either; simply use the grounds after they have already been used. Place a pile of coffee grounds onto a piece of paper, card, or coffee filter near the ants and watch them repel!
To make this method more effective, add 3-5 drops of peppermint essential oil to the coffee grounds.
WHAT KILLS ANTS INSTANTLY?
- Essential oils: Peppermint, clove, and citrus oils
- Baking soda
- Diatomaceous earth
- White vinegar
- Sidewalk chalk (the powder dries them out and kills them)
- Boiling water
- Dish soap
- Castile soap
HOW TO GET RID OF ANTS IN THE KITCHEN?
It is common to get ants in the kitchen, as that is where most of the food is found. First, find where the ants are getting in and what they are coming in after. Sometimes a good sweep and mopping on the floor with a little vinegar will do the trick.
After a good clean, do one of the above options to keep the ants out for good!
HOW TO GET RID OF ANTS NATURALLY USING BAKING SODA?
Pure baking soda can be used to repel ants and other insects from your home. You can sprinkle pure baking soda around the door frames and windows to deter them.
You can mix baking soda and diatomaceous earth together to make this method more effective.
PEPPERMINT OIL FOR ANTS
Peppermint essential oil is the best natural way to kill ants and repel them from your home. Add 5-10 drops of peppermint essential oil to a glass spray bottle, fill it with water, and spray the solution around the doorframes and windows. You can also spray the solution directly on the ants to kill them.
Ants hate the smell of peppermint oil and will stay away from it!
WHAT HERBS REPEL ANTS?
If you don’t have essential oils, you can use herbs to repel ants naturally. Use herbs by sprinkling them on the ants and around the area they are getting into the home.
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Black pepper
- Pink pepper
- Cayenne
- Garlic
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Peppermint
- Thyme
IN SUMMARY
- Make an essential oil ant repellent spray with peppermint, clove, and citrus essential oils.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or baking soda on the ants to dry them out and kill them.
- Make a spray of 50/50 vinegar and water to kill ants and repel them naturally.
- Make a spray of 50/50 lemon juice and water to kill ants and repel them naturally.
- Sprinkle coffee grounds onto a piece of paper and place it near the ants to repel them.
I hope you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my 18 Essential Oil Hacks for more inspiration.
Mikaela says
How long is the ant spray effective for?/what is the shelf life?
Thanks 🙂
Laura says
I respray as often as needed. I remake it about once a month.