Ants are one of the most common household pests, and once they invade, they can be tough to get rid of. Whether they’re marching across your kitchen counter or building colonies in your garden beds, ants are persistent and often arrive in huge numbers. Fortunately, you don’t need expensive pest control services or harsh chemicals to deal with them. With a few low-cost, effective methods, you can banish ants quickly and safely.
Here’s how to eliminate ants from your home and garden without breaking the bank.
Step 1: Understand the Ant Problem
Before launching into solutions, it helps to know why ants are showing up in the first place. Most ants come indoors looking for food or water, especially during dry or hot spells. Others might be nesting inside walls, floors, or foundations.
Pay attention to where the ants are coming from and what they’re drawn to. Are they headed to your sugar jar? Following a trail along the windowsill? Once you know their route, you’ll be able to block it effectively.
Step 2: Cut Off Their Food and Water Supply
Cleanliness is your first line of defense. If ants have nothing to eat or drink, they’re less likely to stick around.
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Wipe down kitchen counters and floors daily.
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Store food in sealed containers.
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Don’t leave pet food out overnight.
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Empty garbage cans regularly.
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Fix leaky faucets and pipes—ants need water just as much as food.
Even a few crumbs or a drop of syrup can support a small ant colony, so attention to detail makes a big difference.
Step 3: Use Homemade Ant Deterrents
You don’t need chemical sprays to get results. There are plenty of budget-friendly and natural deterrents that work well.
Vinegar Solution
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture along baseboards, windowsills, entry points, and any visible ant trails. The strong smell disrupts their scent trails and discourages them from returning.
Lemon Juice
Similar to vinegar, lemon juice interferes with the ants’ navigation. Spray fresh lemon juice near entry points and across countertops for a fresh-smelling, ant-repelling barrier.
Cinnamon or Cloves
Sprinkle ground cinnamon or place whole cloves where ants are entering. Both act as natural repellents. The strong smell confuses their scent tracking and often forces them to relocate.
Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds can be sprinkled around outdoor nests or near doors and windows. Ants dislike the texture and acidity and will avoid treated areas.
Step 4: Use Budget-Friendly Baits
To eliminate the colony, you’ll need to reach the queen. This is where homemade ant baits come in. The worker ants carry the bait back to the nest, poisoning it from within.
DIY Borax Ant Bait
Mix 1 tablespoon of borax (a natural mineral found in the laundry aisle) with 3 tablespoons of sugar and a few drops of water to make a paste. Place small amounts of the mixture on pieces of cardboard or in bottle caps near ant trails.
Important: Keep these baits out of reach of pets and children.
The sugar attracts the ants, while the borax kills them slowly—giving them time to return to the colony and share the poison.
Step 5: Seal Entry Points
Once the ant traffic dies down, it’s time to make sure they don’t return. Carefully inspect your home for small cracks or gaps around windows, doors, and foundations.
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Seal gaps with caulk.
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Replace worn weather stripping.
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Use door sweeps to block ants from sneaking underneath.
Outdoors, keep mulch, compost, or firewood piles away from the house, as these are popular nesting spots.
Step 6: Use Boiling Water on Outdoor Nests
If you find an ant mound in your yard or garden, boiling water is a highly effective and chemical-free solution.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and pour it directly into the ant nest opening. It will destroy the colony on contact. Repeat for a few days if needed. Be cautious around plants, as boiling water can also harm vegetation.
Step 7: Maintain a Barrier
Even after ants are gone, it’s important to maintain deterrents to prevent a comeback. Spray vinegar solution or lemon juice regularly and reapply cinnamon or coffee grounds if you notice new activity. Keep your home clean, dry, and free of crumbs.
Final Thoughts
Ant infestations can be frustrating, but you don’t need expensive exterminators or toxic chemicals to solve the problem. With common household ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and borax—and a little consistency—you can quickly drive ants away and keep them from coming back. Best of all, these methods are safe, simple, and budget-friendly.
With just a few minutes of effort each day, you’ll reclaim your kitchen, garden, and peace of mind—ant-free.
