If there are large numbers of ants in your house, you can spray your apple cider vinegar spray directly onto the ants. However, in terms of long-term prevention, a spray made out of white vinegar is usually the better idea.
Vinegar — whether white vinegar or apple cider vinegar — is a common ingredient in many kitchens. That's probably why many homeowners hope that a basic vinegar treatment using a mixture of apple cider vinegar and dish soap will act as an ant repellent and kill ants when you spray them. Unfortunately, it doesn't work.
1. Vinegar + Tea Tree. If you only see ants occasionally, you can try to deter then with a natural homemade ant repellent. Vinegar & tea tree oil have strong odors that control ants by masking their pheremone trails, and repelling them away from sprayed areas.
Give about an hour for this solution to take effect, then after a few hours the ants should be dead. Using a damp paper towel or wipe, clean the areas with ants and discard them. Make sure to spray very evenly and thoroughly to cover all the surfaces to ensure the solution's effectiveness.
Household items like citrus fruits, black pepper, peppermint oil, cayenne, thyme, and lavender can create natural ant repellents. Great for avoiding pesticides or conventional ant traps! Mixing parts of these substances with water in a bottle and spraying the solution around the house can keep ants at bay.
Salt, baby powder, lemon juice, chalk, vinegar, bay leaves, cinnamon, or peppermint oil are a few items that you have around your home that will stop ants from coming inside. Lay these out in areas where you see ants, and they'll stop using that area as an entrance into your house.
You may love your morning coffee, but ants could do without it. Another natural way to deter ants, sprinkle coffee grounds outside and around your garden. The smell repels them and they'll be looking for a less caffeinated place to hang out.
Vinegar: Wiping ants with a solution of equal parts of vinegar and water or only vinegar may work the best. Spray the mixture of a cup of water, a cup of vinegar, and tea tree oil (5-10 drops) on ants. White vinegar kills and repels the ants. Apple cider vinegar and water solution spray can also help.
Dawn dish soap works by breaking down the ants' protective outer layer, leading to dehydration and death.
The drench method is one of the best methods to eliminate an ant hill in your yard. To do this, dilute 1 teaspoon of Supreme IT per gallon of water and use 1 to 2 gallons of the finished product in a sprayer, then apply the solution over the top of the mound and allow the dilution to flood the entire ant hill.
Distilled White Vinegar
Ants don't like the smell of vinegar. It not only repels them; it can also kill them. Depending on how strong you want your solution to be, mix at least one part vinegar and three parts water. Some people use 100% vinegar in a spray bottle or a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar.
Unfortunately, it's not an instant knockout. It takes a bit of time for the baking soda to do its magic and wipe out the ant colony. When ants consume the baking soda mixed with a tempting treat, it gradually disrupts their digestive system, causing them to meet their untimely demise.
Both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are a good base for an insect repellent, as they deter flies and, combined with specific essential oils, will deter mosquitoes and ticks as well. Oils that have excellent repellent properties include geranium, lemongrass, citronella, rosemary and lavender.
Make a colony-killing bait by blending equal parts Borax and corn syrup. Smear on a small piece of cardboard or index card. Ants love corn syrup, and when they eat it, the Borax kills them. Sprinkle food-grade Diatomaceous earth (DE) along ant trails.
🐜 🌱 Keep them away with a few sprays of our Hand Sanitizer, Kitchen Cleanser or Multi Purpose - they can all act can all act as natural ant repellent thanks to the essential oils in these products, specifically the peppermint and citrus oils!
Vinegar only remains effective for as long as the scent lingers. When the solution dries up, homeowners need to reapply the solution in the problem areas to keep ants away. However, it's important to remember that vinegar shouldn't be treated as the main line of defense against ant infestations.
Unlike the insecticide-like qualities of borax, baking soda won't harm ants at all. When mixed with sugar or another sweet treat, the baking soda will become a highly sought food source for the little pests in your home. Instead of eliminating the ants, you'll only further encourage the infestation!
Essential oils such as peppermint, lavender, and thyme work well to repel ants. You can use a diffuser, set out dishes of essential oils, or leave out cotton balls soaked in essential oils to deter pesky ants.
Cinnamon is often regarded as an effective DIY ant control option. It is believed that cinnamon acts as a natural repellent because ants cannot stand the smell. Also, if an ant inhales cinnamon, it can suffocate and die. Ground cinnamon can be sprinkled on an ant's pathway for them to inhale.
It is also important to note that mothballs aren't effective at repelling most pests. A few mothballs might get rid of moths and their larvae, but they aren't going to repel bed bugs, rats, mice, spiders, or ants.