Ants are popping up everywhere at the moment, even when there is no food in sight they are on the hunt for water. They will travel in a conga line over a long distance to end up in your home and are virtually unstoppable.

We have found some simple solutions for combating ants; most will only keep you sane in the short term because as yet we haven’t come across a permanent solution. Even pest control companies won’t offer a guarantee (if you have any ideas we would love to hear from you)!

If you have pets or small children please make sure any products you use in your home are safe, all products should be used in moderation while wearing gloves and handled with care!
Before trying the following, eliminate all food sources and water where possible and make sure any dirty dishes are washed quickly. If you have any cracks where they can sneak in, use some sealant to prevent this from happening.

The Scouts

Ants send one lone soldier in first to locate food and water, so if you spot one ant make sure he doesn’t have a chance to return to the others. One ant might not seem that bad but there are hundreds more waiting to hear about his findings.

Boiling Water

Get to the source and pour boiling water down the ant holes; this will hopefully flush them out and cause them to relocate somewhere else!

Mint and Cinnamon

Most sugar ants don’t like mint, so it’s worth growing some peppermint plants around your garden. If nothing else it will make your outdoors smell nice and look pretty! You can add a few drops of peppermint essential oil to your cleaning rag but remember peppermint is a very powerful essential oil and can have side effects so use with caution. Some people also swear that ants also hate Cinnamon.

Baby Powder

If you apply a row of powder on an ant trail they will go out of their way to avoid it. This can make your home look messy if you have white talcum powder everywhere, so go easy!

Aerogard

Good old Aerogard! Not just for keeping the mozzies from biting you, by spraying a light mist on their trail every few days it will stop them in their tracks. Avoid using this on your painted surfaces as it can cause paint to crack and peel.

Ant Bait and Ant Sand

If your ants are out of control you can buy Ant Bait at your local supermarket or you can make your own using borac acid and honey. Gloves and a mask are recommended. The other product on the market is Ant Sand which is sprinkled outdoors along the ants trail.