Humane Ant Control?

[airmide_m]

We have lots of cute little ants coming under our front door into our kitchen. Does anyone know of a humane way to get them to go away? Bugs in the food isn't thrilling my husband (or me really) and I'm afraid I'm going to accidentally step on them.

(P.S. I probably don't even need to add this but....no sarcastic replies please, I know not everyone shares my sensitivity to the ants but I'll feel a lot better if we can get rid of them without hurting them)

Thanks!
~Airmide

[mamak05]

sage leaves and/or black pepper - sprinkle by your door and put the sage leaves around the room-drawers/cabinets-wherever they are going. Make sure all food is cleaned up and counters/cabinets clean. Sometimes they come in for water, so you could also try putting a little bowl of water outside for them!

You're right, it's better for you, the ants and the rest of us if you don't use chemicals to invite them out of your house!

[airmide_m]

Wow, thanks for the quick reply!! Pepper wouldn't hurt them if they got too near it? And they wouldn't fall and drown in the water? I think there's plenty of water outside so that's probably not what they're traveling up the stairs to our 2nd story apartment for lol, but you never know. I need to improve my kitchen housekeeping! At this point I think we caught them pretty early (though it's been a couple days since we noticed the first one). They're still just on the floors, I don't think they've traveled up to the counters yet luckily.

[mamak05]

I believe they don't care for the smell of those particular herbs, so they leave without being harmed. I have also heard that tansy and mint are other ant repellants, but have not used them. I had ants in my third floor apt kitchen once - they must have a great sense of smell! (I still need to improve my kitchen housekeeping!)

I just try to have all food put away and make sure the sink is clean before bedtime at a minimum each day. That seems to help with bug issues.

Hope your ants leave soon!

[CaraNicole]

lemon juice or take ground up chalk...ants never cross a line of chalk dust...

[airmide_m]

I read something about citrus stopping them so that's the first thing I tried. We've got a 100% natural orange oil room spray so I did a line across the floor with that. Tomorrow I'll see if the ones trapped in the corner found their way back under the door and then do a line at the doorstep too if there aren't new ones in the kitchen. And then clean up all the dishes and wash the floor and stuff.

[mamak05]

Hope it works!

[UberMama]

Lines of baby powder! They won't pass it.

[airmide_m]

So far my kitchen is still messy but since last night with the orange oil spray....not a single ant! I read that the citrus fragrance will repel them, but don't spray or get citrus directly on them cause it can really hurt them.