Best Ant Remedy in Test

Ants are a common household pest that can quickly overrun your home. But there are many things you can do to prevent them from entering in the first place and to take care of a current infestation, says Ian Williams, technical services manager at Orkin. He recommends sealing crevices and cracks around the house, storing food in sealed containers and disposing of trash promptly. He also suggests spraying Don’t Bug Me indoor insect repellent or a caulk-type product on entry points like doors, windows and siding to block crawling insects from coming in.

For a natural option, try a mixture of equal parts white vinegar maurmiddel best i test and water in a spray bottle; spray it on ant trails or other ants’ entry points to kill them and deter future ones from following. Another natural option is boric acid. This powder acts as a slow poison by affecting an ant’s digestive system; the ants that eat it will carry it back to their colony and share it with their fellow ants, eventually killing them all. It’s available in most home improvement stores and is also OMRI-listed, meaning it’s safe for organic gardening and for use around food. To make it more palatable, mix boric acid with powdered sugar to create an ant bait that will lure the pests in.

Most commercial ant baits contain some kind of slow-acting poison, such as avermectin B1 (an insect development toxin found in some bait stations) or fipronil (used in gel baits). These ingredients target specific parts of the ant’s anatomy. They may target the ant’s nervous system, preventing ants from foraging or carrying food back to the nest, or they may attack the ant’s stomach, causing it to break down more quickly and resulting in death. Some products even combine several ingredients to provide a more targeted approach, such as a combination of boric acid and ammonium carbonate that attacks the ant’s nervous system.

A few other nontoxic options to consider include cinnamon or cayenne pepper, which can be sprinkled on ants’ trails to repel them; lemon juice, which breaks ant scent paths and kills on contact; and cornstarch, which drowns large groups of ants when mixed with water. For an ecofriendly option, you can try the Safer Brand ant killer; it uses a biological agent called spinosad to control ants and other crawling insects. It’s odorless, non-staining and safe to use around children and pets as long as it’s used as directed and kept out of their reach. A similar organic choice is Tanglefoot Pest Barrier, which uses a product made from a naturally occurring soil bacteria to prevent insects from entering homes; apply it to cracks, crevices and wall voids for control. The simplest way to keep ants away, however, is to avoid making their job easy: by blocking access to food and water and by keeping garbage sealed up tightly. This will discourage the ants from seeking shelter in your house and keep them from spreading to other areas, where they can cause damage.