Ants. They're a problem we have almost every year. This summer we had a very minor infestation, that we easily solved with some water and paper towels and a few squirts of Seventh Generation Surface Cleaner. But sometimes you need way more firepower ....
Reader's Digest has a list of 16 Common Items to Get Rid of Ants. We're amazed and relieved by the number of options (all nontoxic).
We haven't tried most of them: chalk, lemons, petroleum jelly, vinegar, etc.
Check out the list. Have you tried any of these strategies? Which works best?
(Image: Flickr member Roo Reynolds licensed for use under Creative Commons)
Grits. Worked like a charm.
view How Green Is My Valley's profile
Peppermint extract works like a charm. I personally swear by it for removal of late summer infestations. Swipe a bit over their entry and it interupts their antenae (sp?) so they can't find the path. Then just dampen a bit on a sponge and mop up the ones already inside for a quick trip down the drain.
view Lizliterarius's profile
I use cinnamon. Ants won't cross it, my kittens won't eat it, and I can see it easily to know if it needs to be refreshed (or to vaccume it up when the ants finally give up).
I'll have to try the peppermint extract; cinnamon doesn't work when they're coming in on vertical surfaces.
view deliriumsama's profile
I use peppermint essential oil mixed with water in a spray bottle.
view lovelainie's profile
Its not specifically mentioned by Readers Digest, but I mixed equal parts borax and sugar with enough water to make it into a syrup and left it for the ants. For two days, there was an ant-super-highway through my kitchen, but ever since, they have been completely gone (nearly 9 months now).
view acm1779's profile
Last summer we had just moved to the North Country part of New York State. We had a major ant infestation and unfortunately none of the suggestions listed from Reader's Digest worked at first. I even had to go the toxic route and try a commercial bug repellent and that didn't even work! I finally gave in and started feeding them in the backyard. That seemed to work wonders. They were were distracted from the house and went to the one corner of the yard and garden. Once they were being fed, I used the cinnamon to keep them at bay but also kept feeding them. I figured a marshmallow or two every so often wasn't going to kill my budget LOL.
view lindsclou's profile
I don't buy the lemon solution, I woke up to my ants (and my cats!) eating my lemon squares this morning.
view ObliterateWasteNow's profile