10 Super Effective Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Red Ants Successfully

by Chaitra Ramalingegowda · April 18, 2017

Ants make their presence known during warmer weather or rainy seasons, especially in gardens or inside the house. Ants are one of the most common insects that live in colonies that range in size from anywhere between hundreds to millions of ants, which mostly depends on the species. Although there are several different types of ants, the most common house-invading ones include carpenter, acrobat, odorous, pharaoh, pavement, and red house ants.

These red ants not only get into your food and damage property, they also cause stinging bites that could leave you scratching your skin with near-uncontrollable itching. They also cause damage to your plants.

Home remedies to get rid of red ants

Sure, there are several chemicals that help get rid of these pesky insects. However, these chemicals are harmful to humans, pets, and the environment. So it’s not a good option to choose chemicals over natural remedies. So take a look at some natural, easy, and non-toxic home remedies to get rid of red ants.

1. Borax

Borax is highly toxic to red ants, which helps get rid of them easily. Ants are attracted to borax, and when they ingest it, they die of the toxicity.

Remedies

In a bowl, mix equal amounts of borax and food jelly. Put this mixture on small plates in areas where you’ve noticed ant activity. Repeat this remedy once a day for a few days to get rid of the ants successfully.
Make a paste using equal amounts of borax, cornmeal, and a few drops of water. Smear this paste in all the areas where you’ve seen red ant activity to get rid of them.

Tip: Borax is toxic to pets and small kids, so keep it away from them.

2. Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper is another ingredient which is effective in getting rid of red ants. Cayenne pepper’s strong nature helps destroy the chemical signals that ants rely on while navigating towards food, their colony, or other places. Without this signal, they get lost, which makes it hard for them to survive.

Remedies

Sprinkle cayenne pepper in all the areas where you suspect ant activity. Repeat as needed.
In a bowl, mix together equal amounts of cayenne pepper and turmeric powder. Sprinkle this mixture in all the entry points where you’ve noticed ant activity.

3. Cinnamon

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Cinnamon is an amazingly effective remedy to get rid of red ants, since its pungent smell is a deterrent to these pesky insects from entering your house or your garden. Cinnamon essential oil is very effective in repelling insects like red ants.

Remedies

Sprinkle several pinches of ground cinnamon at entry points you’ve identified in your house and garden, and get rid of these pesky red ants successfully.
To 1 cup of water, add half a teaspoon of cinnamon essential oil. Dip a cotton ball in this solution and wipe down areas where you’ve noticed ant activity. Repeat this remedy once a day till all the ants are gone.

4. Cloves

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Cloves possess a pungent odor that is repellent to red ants, thus making it one of the best remedies to get rid of them.

Remedies

Sprinkle ground cloves across all the areas where you’ve noticed ant activity. Repeat as needed to get rid of them successfully.
Add a few drops of clove essential oil to 2 cups of water. Pour this into a spray bottle with a nozzle. Use this to spray all over the areas where you suspect ant activity. After a few hours, use a wet paper towel and wipe down the dead ants.

5. Cucumber peel

Cucumber peel is a natural deterrent to red ants, since they can’t stand its taste. Although bitter cucumbers work best, regular ones could be used too.

Remedy

Peel a cucumber and places small pieces of the peel all around the places where you’ve noticed ant activity. Replace these pieces of peel every day to keep ants away successfully.

6. Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth, especially the food-grade one, is another natural ant repellant. This is nothing but fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton, which helps cut through the ants’ exoskeletons, thus helping get rid of them.

Remedy

Sprinkle a thin layer of diatomaceous earth on kitchen counters, windowsills, under the cabinets and fridge, around garbage cans, and other places where you notice ant activity. Repeat this remedy once a day for best results.

7. Lemon

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Lemon has strong smell, along with natural acidic properties, which make it an ideal remedy to get rid of red ants. Also, the pungent smell of lemons masks ants’ scent trails, making them lose their direction.

Remedies

Smear some lemon juice on baseboards, kitchen counters, windowsills, and thresholds where ants could enter your home to deter them successfully.
Drop a few drops of lemon essential oil on cotton balls nd place them in strategic places where you’ve noticed anti activity to get rid of them.
Place small slices of lemon peel around the entry points that ants use to enter your home to get rid of them.

8. Liquid dish soap

Dish soap is another easy remedy that you can use to get rid of red ants, as it helps suffocate the ants, thus getting rid of them.

Remedies

In 1 cup of water, mix 1 teaspoon each of liquid dish soap and baking soda. Spray or smear this solution on all access points that ants use. Repeat this remedy as needed to get rid of red ants.
Mix together 1 part liquid dish soap and 2 parts water, mixing thoroughly. Pour this into a spray bottle with a nozzle and use it to spray over all the ares where ants are present. A few hours after that, use a wet paper towel and wipe off the dead ants.

9. Peppermint

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Peppermint is another ingredient which is a natural insect repellent that helps keep red ants away. Peppermint has a strong smell that is again a natural deterrent to ants.

Remedies

Add a couple of drops of peppermint essential oil on cotton balls and place them around all the entry points and other places where they might enter your home.
Plant a few peppermint plants in your kitchen garden to deter ants.
Sprinkle some dried peppermint around doors, kitchen counters, entryway, and garbage areas to repel red ants.
To 1 cup of water, add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. Pour this into a spray bottle with a nozzle and use it to spray all areas that show ant activity. Repeat this remedy twice a day to get rid of ants successfully.

10. White vinegar

White vinegar is acetic acid, and it has a pungent smell that is a deterrent to red ants. Also, this strong smell masks the ants’ scent trails, making them lose their sense of direction.

Remedy

In a clean bowl, mix together equal parts of water nd white vinegar. Pour this into spray bottle with a nozzle. To this, add a few drops of an essential oil and shake the bottle thoroughly. Use this to spray around baseboards, kitchen counters, and other entry points to get rid of the red ants. After an hour or so, use a wet paper towel to wipe down the dead red ants and throw it away. Use this remedy one a day till all the ants are completely gone.

Additional tips

Keep your house clean by wiping your floors, cabinets, counter tops, and baseboards, and free of clutter.
Make sure to cover any food you leave out on the kitchen counter. To prevent ants from getting into the foodstuffs, place the plate/bowl of food in plate filled with water.
Always use air tight containers to store foodstuffs like honey, syrup, sugar, and other foods that tend to attract red ants.
Don’t leave soiled, dirty dishes in the sink.
Don’t leave food and/or fluid spills without cleaning them as these tend to attract ants, especially if they’re sugary and sweet.
Furniture surfaces, kitchen counters, and windowsills need to be cleaned regularly.
Always try to keep your kitchen counters dry and devoid of moisture.
Make sure that the garbage cans are sealed tightly.
Try and seal in the little cracks and crevices around doors, windowsills, or baseboards with caulk or petroleum jelly to deter ants from using these as access points to gain entry into your home.

These are all the highly effective home remedies to get rid of red ants successfully. For more updates on health tips, fitness secrets, and home care, subscribe to our newsletter today.

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