This spring brought out the ants out in spades at my house! Have you noticed them in yours? We had- before taking care of them- the big black ants as well as the smaller sugar ants. Because we also have a dog and kids, we don't love using Terro or other typical poisons. Instead, I have found some recipes using all natural ingredients, and I am happy to say that we haven't seen any ants in the kitchen in a week now! I will share what I used, as well as a couple other variations of it. Give a try and let me know how it goes!

Recipe 1: (I used this one!)
1. Pour equal parts white vinegar and water into a spray bottle.
2. Add a few drops of essential oils*.
3. Spray baseboards and other entry points.
4. Wipe 'em up and discard!

* The essential oils I used were lemon, cinnamon and clove. It smells lovely, and ants no likey.

Recipe 2:
FOOD GRADE Diatomaceous Earth

This stuff is amazing! It is deadly to insects as it is so fine and sharp. It penetrates the insect's exoskeleton and they dry out and die, yet it is completely safe for animals! You can buy it at Walmart or Home Depot or whatever garden center is near you. Sprinkle a fine line of it along entry points, baseboards, under the fridge, and watch the ants (and other insects!) disappear! If you get it wet, however, it will not work so keeping it dry is important. Please note that using FOOD GRADE is the best, as the earth used in non food grade could hurt your animal if they were to ingest it. Also, because it is so fine, take care that you (and any animals or humans nearby) do not inhale it if some should puff out into the air. Once it settles, it is harmless to us.
As a side note, there are other beneficial uses of DE in regards to our cat and dog friends. Check out this great article: https://diatomaceous.org/diatomaceous-earth-for-pets-and-animals/

Recipe 3:

1. 1/4 cup water

2. 1/4 vodka

3.15 drops peoppmint oil

4. 15 drops tea tree oil

5. 7 drops citrus oil OR clove oil

Spray baseboards, entry points, under the fridge, counter tops, around garbage cans.  I've included this one because I have all the ingredients for it at home, and if *I* have that stuff sitting around, it's likely that you do also. 🙂

Remember to let me know how it works for you!