Do DIY Ant Treatments Work? 

Pest Control

Pest Control

Ants are one of the most common household pests, and they often trouble many homeowners. Unfortunately, if you do not call in professional help, ants are notoriously difficult to eradicate. Not only do they build unseen colonies in your home, but they also leave behind pheromones that attract other ants. There are many DIY ant treatments that you can try out before contacting professionals like Team Veterans Pest Control.

DIY ant treatments are rarely 100% effective because they mostly catch the soldier ants that venture out to collect food. Ants build hidden and hard-to-reach colonies from which they occupy your home. This article lists various DIY ant treatments, their effectiveness, and their weaknesses to help you decide the best option for your home. It is advisable to rely on professionals because they can rid your home of all pests hidden in all nooks and crannies.

Applying A Mixture Of Borax/Boric Acid And Powdered Sugar

Borax and boric are not your traditional pesticides. They rid your home of ants by sticking to them, rubbing against their exoskeleton, disrupt their bodily functions, and eventually kill them. Ants are very particular about what they eat, and they are not naturally drawn to boric acid, which is most commonly used in detergents and cleaning agents.

A liquid mixture of powdered sugar and boric acid spread around your house is the best way to try and rid yourself of the ant infestation. Before using the solution, ensure you have protected your children and pets from coming into contact with the boric acid solution.

The powdered sugar will attract the ants, and the boric acid will kill them. A liquid solution is better than a powdered one because ants prefer liquid food. The mixture will kill all the ants it comes into contact with but not those hiding in the colony.

When strategically placed in areas of high pest activity, this combination becomes a lethal trap that disrupts the pests’ digestive systems and ultimately leads to their demise. Aptive Pest Control recognizes the value of using natural remedies to keep your home free from unwanted intruders. Not only is this method cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but it also allows you to take proactive measures in safeguarding your living space against potential infestations.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a fine powdery substance that kills ants in a similar manner to boric acid. It is usually spread around the infested areas to kill all the ants it comes into contact with. You must take all the necessary measures to ensure that your children and pets do not come into contact with this substance.

The powder is an effective repellant and will prevent your ant problem from growing worse. Unfortunately, it is incapable of eradicating the entire infestation. The origin of your ant problem is in the hidden colony, and the ants in there will not come into contact with the diatomaceous earth.

Using Bait Traps 

Bait traps usually contain laced food that ants are supposed to consume and carry back to their colonies to rid your home of the entire infestation. Companies like Aptive Pest Control can place and monitor the traps for you. Most bait traps fail to work effectively because they contain a very concentrated and fast-acting poison that kills the foraging ants before they can deliver the laced food back to their colony. When buying bait traps or connecting with pet control services, be sure to inquire if the poison is slow-acting enough to wipe out the colony entirely.

Using A Solution Of Baking Soda And Powdered Sugar

Homeowners who have small children and pests tend to avoid chemical pest control methods because of the unnecessary risk they pose. If you want to keep your pets and children safe while eradicating an ant infestation, then your best bet is a diluted solution of baking soda and powdered sugar.

The ants will be drawn to the powdered sugar, and then the baking soda will kill them by disrupting their bodily functions, just like boric acid and diatomaceous earth. This solution is also incapable of ridding your home of the ant infestation entirely because it cannot reach the most significant threat, the ants in the colony.

Using Ant Sprays

There are many variations of do-it-yourself ant sprays that you can formulate at home to protect your children and pets from the risks posed by the more concentrated and poisonous commercially made ant sprays. A combination of white vinegar, soapy water, and oil is very effective when sprayed directly onto a trail of ants.

Ant sprays, both homemade and store-bought, cannot wholly eradicate the ant infestation in your home unless you have located their colony and killed their queen. Usually, ant sprays discourage ants from using a particular trail to access food and make them move through less visible channels.