Chemical-Free Ant Control

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Chemical-Free Ant Control

Staff Writer · Mar 25, 2010

The quality of the air in your apartment impacts your health more than you might think. Ant control that utilizes poisons and all sorts of chemicals contaminate the air and put you, your family and pets at risk. There are better ways to deal with ants, without using chemicals.

Black Pepper

You probably already have this in your cupboard, so you won’t have to make a trip to the store or spend extra money on ant control. Sprinkle some where the ants gather. Wait a few moments to see where they try to run away to. That’s their point of entry in and out of the room, and you’ll want to sprinkle more black pepper there too. Hold your nose as you do this to prevent excessive sneezing, or if you’re allergic to black pepper. It’s not an instantaneous solution, but it will work over time if you’re consistent.

Dry Crushed Mint Leaves

You may not have dried mint leaves in your kitchen like black pepper, but you can find these at a natural foods market or in the natural section of your grocery stores. It’s a deterrent to ants. They won’t want to go anywhere near it. Lay them down in the spots where they hang out. The only drawback to a deterrent is that they might gather elsewhere. However, keep on their trail and spread mint leaves everywhere they go. Deterring ants is an effective means of chemical-free ant control.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is easier to find, and cheaper. It’s a deterrent too. Sprinkle some in the areas where the ants are gathering. Be careful which materials you sprinkle cinnamon on, and make sure that you’re able to clean it off without leaving brown spots. For the most part, cleaning cinnamon off something isn’t a problem, but you want to make sure that anything you have to clean that belongs to the landlord can come out. Otherwise, you’ll have to give up portions of your security deposit for ruining it.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The use of vinegar for ant control is especially effective for liquid ants, the ones that you find around bathroom and kitchen sinks. Buy a spray bottle and mix it with apple cider vinegar. The solution should be 50/50, and you want apple cider as opposed to white distilled vinegar because of the smell vinegar leaves in your apartment. Apple cider may be more tolerable to you as a scent. It’s not tolerable to ants though, and they won’t want to gather where you spray. They’ll be curious about the liquid you sprayed, but it will repel them as they come closer to their usual spots.

Borax

Beyond deterrents, you’ll want to attack the ant colony to get rid of the ants for good. A borax and sugar solution is attractive to worker ants who will carry it back to the colony for the queen and others to share. Borax is poisonous to ants, but it’s a natural and safe solution for you to use in your apartment. Sprinkle a mixture of 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of borax where the ants are.

If you’re an allergy sufferer, you’ll risk irritating your lungs when you use unhealthy chemicals to get rid of ants. Use these ideas for chemical-free ant control instead.

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