How To Get Rid Of Ants with Essential Oils

The fight against ants in your home can be quite annoying! There are just so many of them, and you may have to treat the issue often.

Most commercial ant killer sprays contain many harsh chemicals that you may not wish to use for an extended period of time.

Mother nature offers a natural ant repellent remedy in the form of essential oils, which are safer to use than chemical products.

Ants have quite the determined instincts for survival. No matter how neat your home may be, ants still crawl out of corners, cracks or kitchen areas. Other places of concern are pet food pans, food stores, and house plants.

Keeping your home neat and tidy is more important to keep the ants away than applying sprays or insect killers. Clean up the kitchen sink and seal off cracked doors and windows to prevent their entry. But if these little creepy-crawlies still make their way into your house, use a natural ant spray to kill these bugs. Then, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dead ants.

Here are some of the ways to make this happen using the best essential oils for ants:

Which Oils Naturally Repel Ants?

In the art and science of aromatherapy, essential oils are used to solve day to day problems. For repelling ants, such oils include:

1. Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil is rich in menthol. This substance repels ants and other pests.

• Take a small cotton ball and add 5 drops of peppermint oil onto it. Place each ball near the access points of ants. This could be the pantry shelves, kitchen cabinets, or under the stove or fridge.
• Replace these cotton balls every 2-3 days. Continue until the ants are completely repelled.

2. Patchouli

Choose patchouli essential oil if you want to get rid of ants in your home. Black ants and other pests dislike its strong scent, keeping the infestation at bay.

• Use a cotton ball and apply 5-6 drops of patchouli essential oil. Place these cotton swabs at all access points such as windowsills, doors, drawers or kitchen cabinets.
• Replace the pads every 2-3 days for an effective result.

3. Cedarwood

Cedarwood essential oil also has a strong smell that could repel ants. It is effective against fire ants and other dangerous species of ants.

• Locate the access points of these ants. Place a cotton swab with five drops of oil on it. You can also diffuse Cedarwood oil in your home to keep the ant infestation at bay.

4. Lemongrass

One of the best essential oils for tackling ants menace is lemongrass essential oil. It is rich in citronella and also used in insect repellent recipes. Use this oil in a DIY ant repellent spray on the trails left by ants while gathering their foods.

• Start with half a cup of distilled water and half a cup of white vinegar. Add fifteen drops of lemongrass oil and fifteen drops of peppermint oil. Pour all these ingredients into an 8 oz spray bottle.
• Cover the bottle tightly. Shake well to mix the blend. Spray the content on affected areas three times daily.

5. Cinnamon

Cinnamon essential oil contains cinnamaldehyde. This substance is useful for repelling and killing ants.

• Blend fifteen drops of Cinnamon essential oil with fifteen drops of Cedarwood oil. Add a half cup of distilled water and a half cup of white vinegar. Mix all in an eight-ounce of the spray bottle.
• Cover the lid. Shake the bottle well and spray on affected areas of the home. Repeat this process three times every day for great results.

Keeping Things Clean Helps to Get Rid of Ants Naturally

You can get rid of ants from your home by keeping things neat and tidy. It’s also good to diffuse ant-repelling essential oils often. Try these tips:

1. Clean your home using a floor cleaner with Lemon, Lemongrass, or Tea Tree essential oils. Ants don’t like strong fragrances.
2. Regularly wash recycling bins and trash cans with soap and water. Food residues attract ants.
3. Clean pet food bowls regularly.
4. Check your house plants for the infestation of ants. Remove such flower pots, wash them, and replant your flowers.
5. Remove liner papers on pantry shelves and kitchen cabinets periodically.
6. Diffuse essential oils that ants dislike often, especially in your kitchen areas. Start here to find a cheap diffuser.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Ants

If you are looking for more natural ways to get rid of ants, try these simple tricks:

• Cornstarch. Cornstarch ⁵ can kill ants that appear in large numbers. Spread cornstarch on all the ants and pour water on top of them. Within a few minutes, you will notice several dead ants on the spot.
• Pour Hot Water inside Anthills. Do you have anthills in your home or around it? Pour hot water inside these holes or anthills to kill most of the ants. Each anthill has thousands of ants living inside. Depending on the size of such anthills, the hot water may not kill all the ants at once. Repeat this process until the bugs are gone.
• Use Lemon Juice or Lemon Peels. Repel ants naturally using lemon peels. Place peels on your kitchen cabinets or slabs. The citrus smell will keep ants away. Another way to handle ant infestations is to make lemon juice. The smell of lemon juice is repugnant to ants. Squeeze some lemons to make juice and add it to water. Spray around the affected areas ³.
• Black Pepper or Cayenne Pepper. These creatures hate pepper.  Locate their access points and sprinkle pepper. Another method is adding some water to the pepper to make a solution. Spray this liquid at their access routes. It will prevent them from visiting your home again.
• Apply Common Chalk. You can also use common chalk to get rid of ants naturally from your home. It contains calcium carbonate capable of repelling ants. Draw a simple line with chalk at the entrance to your home or their access routes. This line is effective in preventing ants from coming into the house. Another method is spraying chalk powder on their access points.
• White Vinegar. Mix an equal amount of white vinegar to water. The smell of white vinegar can repel ants. Spray this blend on areas like window sills and doorways. Locate other places where ants pass to come into your home.
• Plant Peppermint. Mint plants have a repugnant smell that expels and repels ants. Normally, ants can’t withstand minty fragrances around the home. Planting mints at the entrance or corners of your home can help to keep ants at bay. Also, dried peppermint leaves can help to get rid of ants from your home. Besides, your household will enjoy smelling the minty fragrances.
• Spread Salt. Use table salt to get rid of ants in your home ⁴. It is one of the cheapest natural ways to tackle ants. Spread salt at all the nooks and crannies of the house where ants usually pass into your home. This will keep ants away from you. Another way is dissolving a large quantity of salt in hot water. Wait until it completely dissolves and pours the solution into a spray bottle. Apply it onto every corner where you think ants usually gather or their trails.

Final Thoughts

You can repel ants naturally by using essential oils or other home remedy methods. Using natural products won’t harm your home, floors or furnitures in any way – even if you have to apply the solution often.

I’ve had the best success with the cotton ball method. Sprays are ok too, but I don’t usually like to leave them on the floor – I use them more outside or on the patio.

Try it out! And please let us know how it all worked out for you in the comments below.

References

1. Ant Killer: How to Get Rid of Ants
2. 5 Essential Oils to Repel Ants Naturally
3. 6 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Ants
4. How to Get Rid of Ants: 8 Home Remedies That Do the Trick
5. How to Kill and Repel Ants Safely