After a long-awaited season of cold weather finally the warm weather arrived, and it was welcomed with joy. Just the thought of being able to plant in the garden is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face if you are a gardener. Thoughts of what to grow this year seem to be trickling in on one’s mind. Opening windows and back doors allowing the entry of fresh breeze is so inviting and makes you feel refreshed. Along with this came the uninvited ants looking for crumbs to munch on and also to tell their companions where to find it.
After doing some basic research on the matter, I decided to use the natural method to avoid any use of chemicals especially inside the home. It is really a matter of choice considering factors like pets and small children. Using the most effective and safe solution for your space is the best method for your home environment.
Bay Leaf with Orange Peel
Bay leaves have been known as a deterrent. I then made a warm solution of bay leaves and added some orange peel and after a few hours I poured it into a spray bottle and used it on the areas where the ants were most active. By adding the orange peel with the solution, it was intended to create a strong citrus scent. This should elude them away from the area. I concluded after a few sprays that it kept them away for several hours but then they returned.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper was the next recommendation that I tried. I added a half teaspoon to a quarter of a cup of water and added to a spray bottle. They clearly did not like the cayenne pepper. What I found was it added a dark stain to the area where it was used and while the ants stayed away for a day or so they eventually came back.
Essential Oil- Lavender
Lavender has a very strong smell and I expected that surely this smell will keep them away. Using the same spray method with lavender and water. I noticed that while my home had a lovely smell it was not enough to get rid of them for good.
Essential Oil – Orange
By now it is becoming a bit frustrated for me, but I continued with my experiments. As the ants continued to come and decided to now invade my countertop and I was concerned about them getting into my cupboard with my food. The orange essential oil produced results similar to the lavender.
Peppermint Oil
I experimented with peppermint oil as I had heard that it was good and will do the job. I added a few drops in a spray bottle with water and sprayed the area. The ants became irritated with the smell and seem to be running in the opposite direction. It lasted a few days and then they were back. It seems that you have to constantly keep spraying the area so the smell will remain as a deterrent for them. I was hard to keep doing this continually and so I looked for another solution.
I concluded that with essential oils spraying the area has to be done frequently to work and it can be effective if you have the patience to constantly be doing this and if the ant situation is minimal.
Vinegar and Water
I have used vinegar and water on my floors, not just for ant control but for regular cleaning. In this case I did not seen much of an improvement pertaining to ant control. As soon as the vinegar smell was no longer lingering then the same situation was reoccurring. It is amazing to see that people in general have their own opinions on what works best for them, and some have sworn by their method. In my case it was not effective enough to continue using it. Then there is another factor to consider like what type of ants are attractive to certain kinds of food. As there are so many species of ants in existence doing some research is helpful to determine how to treat the area.
Baking Powder
Then I decided to use baking powder on the exterior and I have noticed less ants frequenting the area. This seemed to be working better that the other natural products that had been used previously. This could be a good alternative as a natural product as there were by far less ants around the area where this was sprinkled.
Sugar Bait
This method I did not want to invest time in because I felt that the ants were getting out of control after a few days and while many have used this as a method to remove them, I didn’t want to take any more chances by providing more food for the ants to enjoy and be hosting a large army of them. I would have taken the chance with this if the ants were only on the exterior of the home which I felt was a more controlled environment.
Ant Bait
I had these placed on the exterior of my home and I didn’t think they worked well for me. They got rid of some ants but at one point I wondered if they were really working effectively as I was unable to see much of a difference. Another thought was it is possible that this works as a slower alternative as it is dependent on the ants taking back the bait to the actual colony. This is not an immediate fix but takes time for it to work from my observation.
Ant Out
I finally decided I needed to do something about it quickly to avoid an infestation which would be more costly and inconvenient for me. My solution was a product called Ant Out Killer Dust - Made by Wilson, after applying this in the corners both on the exterior and interior of the home I found this to be the most effective product I have use to date. I observed that the ants were no longer present, within a few hours I began to see less ants and eventually this product was effective in eliminating them. It was also capable in getting rid of other bugs as well. If you are concerned about small children or pets, it may be safer to use the other natural methods to prevent any medical issues.
Disadvantage
While there are no perfect solutions to anything this one had a disadvantage because the format was a power and it had to be sprinkled on the floor which looked messy. Further if you accidentally stepped into to it would be all over the floor. On windy days it would blow away on the exterior. If it rained it would be washed away and had to be reapplied.
There was a warning to keep out of reach of children and other concerns about being ingested to get immediate help. I thought it was wise to wear protective gloves as a concern about any type of skin irritation should this product accidentally touch the skin. Anyone with respiratory issues should decide if this is a product they would want to use in their home. Like any product reading the label is always a good option before purchasing.
Advantage
What I discovered about this product was how effective it was in removing the ants quickly. Also, what I liked about it was it was readily available and was not extremely expensive to purchase. I seem to ask myself the question if I would purchase this product again or recommend it to a friend ?
The answer is yes, I would purchase this product again. Also I would recommend it to others provided that they are comfortable with the fact that because it is in the power format it tends to create a mess. If you are in a household with small children and pets then these are the considerations that you will have to decide whether this product is for you. Overall, I am pleased with this purchase in my situation.
Preventative Methods
- Before the season begins check the exterior of the home for nests and get rid of them immediately.
- Inspect your home both interior and exterior for cracks allowing easy access.
- Calking areas where it’s needed.
- Sanitation- clean spills and crumbs from the floors and countertops quicky to avoid food trails.
- If your infestation is severe call a professional.
There are also other alternative methods of destroying the ants by using insecticides. This methods requires the use of this product both on the interior and exterior of the home. I am not quite fond of using insecticides unless it is extremely necessary especially indoors which I don’t think is quite healthy to be breathing in those fumes. On the exterior it seems more practical where there is more fresh air and can cause less problems.
Another way is to locate the ants nest and use boiling water to destroy the entire nest. The problem with this method is you have to search your entire property to find every nest which becomes time consuming. It is possible that you may not be able to find all of them and you will be faced with a similar situation you had previously of reoccurrence. I chose not to spend my time trying to find every ants nest that exist on my property as they don’t just build one home but many. This would be difficult for me to find them all. If you have the time and patience to do this then it will be effective.
Treat Areas Immediately
What I have learnt from my own experience is at the first sign of ants. Begin to treat the area immediately. My method was to start destroying them one at a time. I didn’t understand that what the ants did was leave a trail behind for other to follow. Had I followed this method in the first place my situation would have been in better control, and they would have been totally eliminated once the season began.
I now realize that even though I have not seen any ants to date I still need to continuously check to make sure there are no more opportunities that could arise to entice them to come back and not want to leave. Therefore, thorough inspection is always recommended both on the exterior and the interior of the property. Just a tiny speck of crumbs can be an enticement for them to return. Making sure the floors are spotless from food is essential at all times.
Choosing your Best Option
As we make new discoveries through research. It is my hope that we will consider the impact that some products can cause to the environment and hope that in the future there will be more considerations and improvement in what is considered safe to use.
As previously discussed prior to using the Ant Out product. I was determined to use a natural product as a deterrent until the ants got out of hand and it was then that the decision was made to use that product. Had the other natural products worked as effectively as I had hoped then there would be no need to use the Ant Out method.
There are possibly other natural products that have been effective in ant removal. I have not come across them as yet. I recently read an article that researchers are investigating the relationship with caffeine as a deterrent for ants as we learn more about our environment new ideas are constantly being projected. I am therefore encouraged that we are constantly looking for new and safe ways to use to preserve our environment.
Use a Professional
If these methods are ineffective for you then the next step is to call in a professional who will be able to assess your situation and provide you with the best solution. It may be a bit costly but in the long run it will better than constantly dealing with this ongoing situation and having it become totally out of hand. It may mean a change to your landscape or replanting some plants.
Not only will they advise you, which is the best method to eliminate them, but they can also identify the specie of ants that you have and what is the best treatment. We always seem to think of the do-it-yourself method at times but in it is not aways the best way. It is better to get a quote from someone who knows more than you do and later decided if you need to go through that route.
What I have learnt during this experience is to use the preventative method first by checking thoroughly the exterior and the interior of the property for any signs that there can be some activity. Had I taken this precaution things would have been easier. Also seal cracks and openings which make it an easy entry for ants to enter the interior of the home.
Sanitation is essential especially if you are involved with composing and pay special attention around garbage cans and any type of food disposal. They seem to find their way easily there. Finding the nest early and destroying it is essential. Remove old shrubs, branches, clutter around the exterior of the home.
Once these precautions are done and if there is still a need to use another method. It is your decision based on the environment in your own home considering small children, pets and anyone who may have health issues. Reading carefully the labels on products making sure they are safe for you and your family.
There are always the natural methods if you are concerned about health and environmental issues. Be assured that with the advancement of new products on the market and new concepts, there will be a safe way in the future for us and the ants to cohabitate safely.