Home remedies for ants: what really works?

To what extent can ants be fought successfully and in an environmentally friendly manner with household remedies such as baking powder and the like, and which remedy works how reliably?

ants (Formicidae) can become a real nuisance. Insects are usually not welcome guests in the house and they often prove to be a real burden in the garden. And at the latest when ants appear in places where they restrict your comfort, you will soon wish for a good control method against the little pests. Luckily, you don't have to reach for the chemical club.

Some home remedies against ants can also be helpful in the fight against the pests - with more or less great effectiveness. Basically, for a successful fight against Ants in the house or apartment the cause of the presence of the ants must be combated - otherwise even the most effective home remedies will not have a lasting effect. If ant trails have already formed, the thorough removal of the pheromone trail, which the animals use to orient themselves, has top priority. Because once this has disappeared, home remedies against ants are also more reliable. In the following, we will explain which home remedy works how well, how it is used and what alternatives there are. If you are looking for a simpler and more effective way to combat ants in your four walls, you can contact us directly here

Plantura ant remedy to inform.

1. Herbs to repel ants

Some herbs such as lavender (Lavandula), marjoram (Origanum majorana) or mint (mentha) are said to keep ants at bay with their scent. You can simply plant the herbs in the garden. In the case of an existing infestation, place the branches of the herbs along the paths of the ants. In most cases, however, the scents of these herbs are not enough to actually drive away the pests. Lavender, marjoram and mint can therefore be described more as a means of prevention than as a countermeasure.

2. Tea tree oil to combat ants

Ants can't stand the smell of tea tree oil, which is why you can easily fight ants with this home remedy. If you mix a few drops of the oil with a little water and put it on the ant trail or as close as possible to the ants' nesting sites, the ants will be driven away by the household remedy. Tea tree oil is suitable for a very light infestation, but it tends not to dissolve heavier infestations. Of course, this method is only for you if you don't mind the smell of tea tree oil yourself.

3. Cinnamon against ants

Can also be used as a home remedy Cinnamon against ants help. The spice can scare away the pests with its smell. Cinnamon powder can be used for this just as well as ten percent cinnamon oil. A cinnamon spray, for which you mix two tablespoons of cinnamon with half a liter of water, can also be used as a natural remedy against ants. First remove the scent trail that the ants leave on their roads with a strong-smelling cleaning agent - for example vinegar essence. A barrier of cinnamon powder or oil about two inches wide is then placed where the ants could gain entry into the house. The only problem is that the effect of the cinnamon scent isn't strong enough to ensure that the ants don't set up their new roost in close proximity. Cinnamon is therefore not suitable for keeping your garden free of ants over a large area.

4. Lemon peels as a home remedy for ants

The smell of lemons (citrus x lemon) ants also find anything but appetizing. For smaller plagues, the lemon can therefore be used successfully as a home remedy against ants. To drive away the creepy crawlies, you should rub lemon peels on the floor or even place them there. You can also spread freshly squeezed lemon juice on the floor with a cloth to scare away the ants. However, you should not use sweetened lemon juice from the supermarket, as the sugar it contains can even attract the ants. In the garden manure can be used, which is made from the peel of oranges (citrus x sinensis) or grapefruit (citrus x paradisi) getting produced. A manure made from the citrus fruits mentioned should last for about two to three weeks.

5. Baking soda against ants

helps Baking soda against ants? The answer is a resounding yes: baking soda is an effective home remedy for ants. The baking soda it contains swells up in the animals' stomachs, causing them to die. But even with simple contact, the small animals usually die from the chemical burns. So that the insects do not bypass the applied powder, you can mix it with powdered sugar and sprinkle on the ant trails. Unfortunately, other insects can also fall for the trick and eat the baking soda. so can honey bees, wild bees and native butterfly species also fall victim to the action. It is therefore essential that you only use baking powder with icing sugar indoors!

6. Vinegar against ants

Vinegar is a well-known home remedy against ants, which often has a good effect. Mopping the floor with a mixture of 10% vinegar and 90% water not only destroys the pheromone trail of the small insects, but also deters them with the smell. At the same time, vinegar against ants can also be used selectively by dripping it pure onto particularly affected areas or spraying it on with a bottle. Unfortunately, not only ants suffer from the smell of vinegar, but also some pets and people with a particularly sensitive nose. The use of apple cider vinegar, which has a less intense smell, or a stronger dilution can help here.

7. Avoid food sources for ants

Probably the best remedy against ants is to track down the cause of a plague. Follow the ant trail and see where it leads. Food leftovers, leaking compost bins or cat or dog food are often responsible for the plague. If this is the case, the insects usually disappear as soon as they can no longer find food.

8. Common misconceptions about fighting ants with home remedies

Home remedies for ants are very popular. Unfortunately, numerous errors and myths are now circulating in this area, and it has to be said that many a "miracle cure" has no effect whatsoever. For example, a common myth is that you can fight ants with a mixture of yeast and honey. In reality, this home remedy against ants has no effect. On the contrary: the sticky mass only attracts more ants with its sweet smell. Even normal table salt as a natural remedy against ants proves to be ineffective - only Deer horn salt can be used to combat ants as it has a similar effect as has baking soda. Even oil is not a suitable home remedy for ants. The myth stems from the fact that ants avoid crawling through liquids such as oil or water - but as soon as they dry out or become wet. covered with dust, unfortunately the remedy is ineffective and the ants go back to their old route.

9. InsectoSec® as an alternative to home remedies against ants

As you have seen in the sections above, there are some home remedies that can repel ants, primarily with their scent. Unfortunately, effective and lasting control is by no means guaranteed with these home remedies - whether one a satisfactory effect occurs can ultimately also depend on the special circumstances or the species of ant occurring depend. However, we cannot recommend the use of chemical biocides as these products are often extremely harmful to the environment, people and animals and must be used very carefully. In order to fight pests like ants reliably, we have ours Plantura ant remedy developed, which uses the active ingredient InsectoSec® to combat the small pests.

But what exactly is InsectoSec® and how does it work?

InsectoSec® consists of 100% diatomaceous earth, a pure and high-quality kieselguhr. Diatomaceous earth is formed from fossil deposits of diatoms and is therefore a natural raw material. Diatomaceous earth acts as a natural insecticide by absorbing the protective fatty layer of the chitinous shell, causing affected insects to dry out. In addition, with its fine granulation, it clogs the breathing openings (tracheae) of the crawling animals, causing them to suffocate. It is an effective way to get rid of pests like ants. When using it, you should note the following: Diatomaceous earth is incredibly useful and particularly interesting because insects do not develop resistance to the substance. Of course, if used incorrectly, various other insects can also die from dehydration or suffocation. Of course, if you follow our detailed instructions for use, this will not happen.

Notice: In some rare cases, ants use facades or other building elements as nesting sites. If this is the case, it is essential to act and to fight reliably, for example with our Plantura ant remedy, to recommend. However, if an infestation occurs again and again, it is better to consult a specialist.