8 Odd Ways To Get Rid Of Ants

The summer months can often mean an influx of unwelcome guests . No. we're not talking about visiting relatives  ... we're talking about ants. And if you're not into chemical sprays (which rarely seem to work anyway , most are dangerous) , it might be time to try a homemade approach . Here are 8 ways to get rid of ants using common items available right in your cupboards. Chemicals sprays seemed to work for a little while, but were only a temporary fix. If would kill the immediate invasion of ants , but not the second and third fronts.

Mint leaves : Did you know an  ant can carry up to 50 times it's own weight ? Oh yeah, they can totally carry crushed mint leaves too.  The thin king here is that the ants object to the mint's scent compounds  ... but maybe they wanted to make mojitos in their little ant colony .

Cayenne pepper : The capsaicin in cayenne pepper is an irritant to ants , making them stay away. So sprinkle  cayenne pepper around a particular active spot near the floor boards . This works ... but if you have pets (cat or dog) they only try to clean it up ... so if you have pets omit this one.

Baby powder : The cornstarch in baby powder (don't use the one that has talc) is another irritent to ants  ... sprinkle it around a particularly active area and wait . The ants did  seem to go away .

Cornmeal : This is going to sound a bit gruesome: Cornmeal makes ants explode . They take the grains home , eat them and then presumably drink  some water . The grains explode inside the ants , and then boom , tiny fireworks . There is remarkably less cornmeal by the end of the day , but the ants kept returning to carry home more cornmeal , you have effectually made an ant  feeding trough . Forget this idea.

Cinnamon : The ants walks around any aera that have been dusted with cinnamon , but didn't avoid the area entirely .(Your house will smell lovely , though). Many people swear by this one . They are using a really strong , fresh batch of ground cinnamon.

Bay leaves : Use fresh bay leaves ... they are more effective (since they do smell stronger , and ants allegedly hate the scent) than dried bay leaves.

Vodka : A 3 to 1  ratio of vodka to water , poured into a spray bottle , was recommended by a friend . I sprayed the mixture all over the kitchen , while it did kill the ants , the kitchen also smelled of vodka , giving guests the wrong impression.

Dishwashing liquid : Dish liquid and water mix ... this wins with hands down , the most effective way to get rid of ants . Use about two tablespoons dish liquid diluted in a pint of water . Tranfer the solution into a spray bottle , spritz near windows , doors and cracks , but don't wope it away . This apparently destroys the scent trail that alerts more ants  to come on down . Then spay any remaining ants with the solution to , well , kill them  (and okay, then wipe the ants away ).

It works surprisingly fast ...and cheap . No fuss ... no mess.