Windex contains substances like ammonia and isopropyl alcohol, which are known to have strong cleaning properties. When sprayed on ants, these chemicals might penetrate their exoskeletons, causing damage or interfering with their ability to breathe.
Any household cleaner basically IS an ant killer & repellent spray. Soapy water, vinegar, even lysol, windex and bleach are all excellent at killing ants on contact & repelling them for a short while, and are safe for use around pets & children (once the sprays are dry).
Because Windex doesn't work as a repellent, it's no more effective at getting rid of the occasional bug than using a broom to shoo the critter outdoors or a paper towel to squish it. You're better off saving the cleaning solution for its rightful use.
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.
The best insecticides for ant control are non- repellent insecticides such as Taurus SC, Fuse Insecticide, or Phantom Aerosol. Ants cannot detect the presence of non-repellent insecticides; since they cannot avoid it they quickly make contact. Repellent insecticides will simply scatter the ants and stress the colony.
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.
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.
Food spills and crumbs
From unsealed containers of food to crumbs and sticky spills, all types of food will eventually be an ant magnet. While they are attracted to sugary foods, ants will eat almost anything, including meat, carbohydrates, and even other ants.
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.
TV or computer screens
“Monitors can be damaged by the chemicals in original Windex because they can warp plastics, including the tint on your flat panel screen,” says Greg Shepard, founder of Emily's Maids in Dallas. Instead, use a damp cloth or Windex Electronic Wipes to wipe down the screen.
Also, Windex contains a wetting agent that renders the fruit flies immobile and they eventually die. The good news is when fruit fly hunting, I carry my Windex spray in one hand and a damp micro fiber cloth in the other to wipe up the dead bodies and clean at the same time.
When mixed with water to make a soapy solution, Dawn dish soap breaks the ant trail scent, disrupting their movement and preventing an infestation build-up. Using Dawn dish soap delivers a near instant impact on the ants compared to slower working solutions like borax or vinegar-based repellents.
Ants are brilliant creatures. They usually send out groups for investigations. When you squash an ant, the fluids release pheromones, which will signal danger to the ants in the vicinity. When the investigation group comes across the dead, they return to the hive and relay vital information.
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.
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.
Killing ants may temporarily increase their presence as pheromones from dead ants attract others. However, consistent elimination can eventually deter them. For long-term prevention, it's better to remove food sources, seal entry points, and use ant baits to target the entire colony.
With plenty of food and limited threats, ant populations can grow exponentially year after year. Their reproduction cycles create an avalanche of new colonies overwhelming environments. No wonder they seem to be everywhere in 2024.
Pharaoh ants are found throughout the U.S. and have the reputation of being one of the hardest ants to control. Pharaoh ants are small, but an infestation can be an extreme annoyance and a serious problem for those in the food and medical industries. Pharaoh ants can potentially spread infections if found in hospitals.
Ants usually come indoors in search of food or nesting habitat. Even small amounts of food, like pet food crumbs, can attract hordes of industrious ants. Ants are one of Earth's most successful animals, and comprise more than 13,000 species.
When you destroy an ant hill, all you've done is eliminate one entrance to the ant colony underneath the surface. The ants will find other ways to enter and exit their home and eventually build a new hill to replace the one that you destroyed.