Ants are common insects. They have some unique capabilities—including their legendary communication skills that allow their colonies to function as superorganisms. Rarely will you see an ant moving alone, if you do, wait for a few minutes you will see others joining, that goes to show how unique their way of communicating is.

Research shows that there are more than 2,000 types of ants. Ants can lift 20 times their own body weight and as interesting and fascinating as the ants are, they can be a menace in the home or office.

The question some of our clients ask us is “What can I do to get rid of ants in my house?” and since this question is becoming a common question, in this article, we are going to be sharing with you 5 natural ways to get rid of ants in your home and office.

1. Lemons

Lemon juice can be used to repel ants by masking the scent of food and removing pheromone trails with a spray or wipe.

Additionally, placing lemon rinds (the tough outer skin) in your cabinet may prevent ants from settling in your kitchen.

      2.  Cut off sources of food

Ants are attracted to sweet and starchy foods like sugar, honey and cakes. Therefore, one of the best ways to deter ants is to ensure that no food sources are readily available for them to eat.

Keep food tightly sealed in containers or plastic bags. Wash all plates and cooking utensils immediately after eating.

Use a broom or vacuum to sweep up crumbs from your home on a daily basis. Crumbs may accumulate in the following locations:

• under and around free-standing kitchen appliances
• in chair cushions
• in waste bins
• Dining areas

3.     Seal ant entrances

Identifying the source of an ant infestation will help you eliminate it and prevent future infestations.

Really take a look at your home for breaks in the walls and openings close to the floors. You can seal cracks or treat them with ant repellent. If your window screens need to be repaired, look for rips.

4.    Cornstarch

It is possible to eliminate many ants at once by using cornstarch, which can be found at regular shopping/provision stores.

There are two ways to use the cornstarch to kill ants:

To get rid of ants, sprinkle cornstarch liberally over them and add water. You can then clean up the dead ants that have been coated in cornstarch.

Alternatively, you can cover the ants with cornstarch and vacuum them up, ensuring that the vacuum bag gets disposed of outdoors as soon as possible.

5.   Hot water

Put boiling water in ant holes if you notice them near your home. By using this method, many ants will be killed quickly and effectively. Even though a typical anthill may appear small, the ant colonies underneath them are enormous.

It is important to note that boiling water won’t be sufficient to kill off the whole colony. Therefore, treat each insect opening you see inside your home’s vicinity with the boiling water.

6.   White vinegar

You can get rid of ants with white vinegar, which is available in all grocery stores.. Furthermore, it has natural cleaning properties.

Use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean hard surfaces where ants are likely to appear, such as floors and countertops. The mixture can be sprayed on ants, or paper towels can be used to wipe them up if you see any.

Vinegar can be smelled by ants after it dries, but most people do not notice it for a long period of time.

7.    Ground black or red pepper

Insects seem to find the smell of black or red pepper to be irritating, so it’s a natural ant deterrent.

To use this method, sprinkle pepper around floor edges and behind appliances. There are several anecdotal reports that suggest this is an effective way to keep ants at bay.

8.   Liquid detergent

Here is how to do it:

In a clean spray bottle, add glass cleaning spray with liquid detergent (dish soap).

If you notice ants congregating or entering from one place, spray the mixture in that area.

Once the area has been sprayed, wipe it down lightly afterward..

Follow the steps above as many times as necessary.

The scent of ant pheromones can likely be removed by using soapy water of any kind (i.e., hand soap, dish detergent) if you do not have glass cleaner available.

Action Point

Now that you have been informed, ants should not be the problem, it’s an operation with no hiding place for the ants! Share this with friends across your social media handles, help to inform others. Stay safe, be healthy.