6 DIY Ant Killers That Actually Work, Proven by Experts

A colony of ants in your kitchen is probably not a welcome sight. Ants are common household pests, but they can be easily eliminated if you act quickly.

We spoke to pest control experts about homemade ant killers worth trying. Mix up one of the solutions below to kill ants in your home.

Dishwashing liquid and water

Dishwashing liquid is a staple household cleaner and has thousands of uses, including being an effective ant killer.

“It strips away their hard skin and because they can’t retain water in their bodies, they dry up and die,” says Thorne.

Materials

• 2 tablespoons dish soap
• 4 cups water
• Aerosol

Instruct

Mix dish soap and water together in a spray bottle. Spray directly onto the ants and areas where you see them. The dish soap will kill the ants on contact and will also remove the pheromone trail they leave behind so other ants cannot find their way into your home.

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Baking Soda and Sugar

Baking soda is another household ingredient that can kill ants and is the method Bennett recommends.

“Baking soda is fatal to ants when ingested, and when mixed with powdered sugar, it becomes indistinguishable from the sweet morsels that ants enjoy,” says Bennett.

Materials

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup baking soda

Instruct

Mix sugar and baking soda in a bowl. Place the mixture in areas where you see ants. As the ants eat the mixture, the baking soda inside will react and produce carbon dioxide gas, killing the ants.

The poison is so slow-acting that the ants will carry the mixture back to their nest to kill more ants.

Borax and Sugar

Like baking soda, borax poisons the ants’ digestive systems and works slowly, so the ants will take it back to share with the rest of the colony. However, you must mix the borax with sugar to entice the ants to eat it.

Materials

• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons borax

Instruct

Mix water and sugar in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Add borax and stir well. Soak cotton balls in the solution and place them along the ant trail. The ants will swallow the mixture, carry it back to the colony, and die from borax poisoning.

Diatomite (DE)

This powder contains fossilized sea creatures that are extremely sharp and can tear apart the exoskeletons of insects when they come into contact with it.

Materials

Instruct

Sprinkle DE around areas where you see ants. The powder will cut through the ants’ exoskeletons, causing them to wither and die.

Lemonade

Bennett says lemon juice has a dual effect of killing ants.

“Not only can it kill the ants, but it can also block the scent they leave behind that guides other ants in the colony into your home or around your yard,” says Bennett.

Materials

Instruct

Squeeze lemon juice into a spray bottle and add an equal amount of water. Spray the mixture on entry points and around areas where ants are present. Peel the lemon and place the peel near entry points and other areas where ants are present. Lemon peels contain d-limonene, which kills ants on contact.

Hot water

If you can identify the ant nest where they frequent, this method will kill the entire colony in one go.

Materials

Instruct

Boil water in a pot. Then, carefully pour the water into the ant nest to kill all the ants inside.

How to prevent ants

Once you’ve taken care of your ant problem, don’t forget to take additional steps to ensure they don’t come back. Follow these steps to prevent ants from entering your home:

• Seal cracks and gaps. Check for small holes that ants can get in, such as torn screens or gaps near doors. Seal those holes with caulk or replace any damaged window screens.
• Use vinegar. “[Ants] “Ants hate the taste and smell of vinegar, so it acts as a natural repellant,” says Liakopoulos. Make a vinegar cleaning solution and spray it around the entrances to your home to keep ants away.
  
• Clean your house regularly. A clean home is the best way to prevent ants from finding food in your home. Vacuum, mop, and clean rooms regularly, especially the kitchen, to remove food crumbs and spills. Store food in airtight containers to prevent ants from finding food in your pantry.
• Eliminate potential water sources. Check for leaky faucets or pipes that could be potential water sources for ants. Avoid leaving containers filled with water around the house, such as pet water bowls.