Spotting a line of ants running into your kitchen pantry from a barely-there gap in the wall is an unpleasant moment.
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Nothing is worse than the initial discovery other than the moment you realise that you haven’t got any ant bait or pest products to get rid of the creepy crawlies.
Whether they’ve made a home in your pantry or your pet’s food bowl, there are quick and easy ways to banish them for good. Here are 6 tricks you can use to kill ants quickly and ensure the don’t return.
1. Honey
To kill ants instantly, use an upturned milk bottle lid as a tiny bowl, and dollop in just enough honey to cover the bottom of the lid. Mix in an equal amount of borax to create a syrup and leave the lid within reach of the ants. The honey will attract the ants, but the borax is poisonous and will kill them.
2. Sugar
Another quick and easy hack is to mix three parts white sugar with one part borax and leave it out for the ants to eat, walk through and take back to the nest, Eventually, you’ll see a decrease in numbers as ants in and outside the nest are killed off.
However, keep in mind these methods should not be used where pets and children can access the borax combinations.
3. Vinegar
Another quick and easy pantry solution for ants is to mix one part white vinegar to one part water and apply the spray to the ants. It’ll kill them, but it will also work as a deterrent, so spray the solution around windows or doors where ants may be entering.
4. Chalk
Like humans, ants don’t like to walk through things, like puddles or dirt, if we don’t have to. Using chalk as a barrier can work wonders in keeping ants away.
5. Strong smells
Ants apparently don’t like strong smells, making vinegar and strong smelling herbs, like cinnamon, mint, black pepper and even garlic, a great option to repel the critters. Simply, leave them in a small bowl or dip a cotton bud in liquid versions.
6. Water
By placing your pet’s bowl inside a larger bowl with water, you will able to keep pests at bay and out of their food.
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