Ants are back!

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HannahT
HannahT Member Posts: 38
edited 25. Mar 2014, 15:58 in Community Chit-chat archive
Does anyone have any tried and tested natural remedies to ward off ants?

With the recent good weather my home now has many new residents! I have cleaned the floors over and over but that's not helping.

I have a toddler and cat who get into everything. So, would like a safe way to get rid of the ants without harming toddler and cat.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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  • krisbe
    krisbe Member Posts: 95
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    you need to get one of those little box type ant killers you can get from the supermarket. You have to put it on the ant trail. They go inside and then take it back to the nest and so they all get killed.
  • rondetto
    rondetto Member Posts: 2,526
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    One thing they hate is bleach. We had nests of ants and one of flying ants.
    I mopped the floors with some bleach in the water then poured some bleach around places I knew there was a nest. Haven't seen them since.
  • Megrose489
    Megrose489 Member Posts: 776
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    We used to get them every year. We sprinkled talcum powder down as a barrier - I don't like poisons, even for ants. It's supposed to be a natural repellent. I'm not sure if it worked, but, we haven't seen any for quite a few years (touch wood!).

    Meg
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Borax, a laundry additive, is supposed to work. There's lots of info via google but I haven't tried it myself, yet. Just google "borax ants"
  • mig
    mig Member Posts: 7,154
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    If all else fails stomp on em. Mig
  • HannahT
    HannahT Member Posts: 38
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Oh, thank you all so much for the great suggestions! Have implemented them all except the borax as that was the one thing I couldn't get down my local shops.

    The cat has even had a swipe at a few of the critters.

    Yup, have been at the stomping Mig but they just keep on coming...

    So far so good, haven't seen any ants so something is working.

    Talcum powder is a bit messy but might be the one that is keeping them at bay so will put up with it for a little longer.

    Maybe I should begin a process of elimination to see which one works best.

    H
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Boil a kettle and pour the contents down the entrance to the nests. Failing that, vacuum the blighters: one house I rented was plagued by them - after two years boiling water and vacuuming ended the trouble. It's a shame though - they are hard-working and sociable insects, we should remember that we are in their territory, not vice-versa.

    As for the cat that earlier today flattened a large area of my nascent flowerbed whilst sunbathing . . . . . . . . DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
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