Keep ants away with homemade bait
Being sanitary is one of the best ways to keep ants out of your home.
Durban and surrounding areas have been overrun by ants this past summer and winter.
According to the website www.diynatural.com, odorous house ants leave a chemical pheromone trail wherever they travel. Killing them will not solve your problem, as other ants will simply follow the trail. You need to kill the entire colony.
Where you see ants, sponge the surrounding area with soapy water to eliminate the pheromone trail. Try to see where they’re getting into your house and place homemade ant bait at the entry points.
Homemade bait for house ants
Borax kills odorous house ants, and powdered sugar attracts them, so you can make a homemade bait by mixing one part borax with three parts powdered sugar. Fill tiny containers, such as bottle caps, with the bait and place them where you think the ants are entering your house. If you see an ant trail, place the bait directly in their path. This prevents most of them from travelling all around your house if they have easy access to this sugary treat.
READ ALSO: 10 simple tips to help declutter your home
If you are concerned about your pets or young children coming into contact with the bait, you can mix a cup of warm water with half a cup of sugar and three tablespoons of borax. Soak up the mixture with cotton balls and place them in shallow dishes near ant trails.
Do not kill all the ants you see, as they will carry the bait back to the nest, which will kill the entire colony.
More tips for house ants
Spray vinegar near baseboards, in any cracks, and on countertops where you see ants travelling. Allow the vinegar to dry on the surfaces or wipe it off with a clean cloth – this will eliminate their chemical trail and deter the stragglers. Repeat this several times a day.
READ ALSO: 8 toasty tips to stay warm this winter
Being sanitary is one of the best ways to keep ants out of your home. Clean up spills, crumbs and garbage in the kitchen. Store all food, especially anything sweet, in tightly-sealed jars or bags.
You can also sprinkle black pepper, cayenne pepper, chilli pepper, cinnamon, mint, cloves or garlic to keep ants away. Bay leaves placed in cabinets, drawers and containers is another deterrent.
Read the full story at www.diynatural.com.
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