There's nothing quite like the feeling of waking up in the morning, only to find a line of ants marching across your kitchen counter.
Or, worse yet, discovering that they've made their way into your pantry and are now feasting on your cereal supply.
Ant invasions are frustrating, and getting rid of them can feel like a never-ending battle.
If you're looking for a more natural solution to your ant problem, essential oils for ants might be the answer.
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts from different parts of a plant or tree. Since some oil is also anti-microbial and anti-fungal, these make good disinfectant choices.
The aromatic chemicals are extracted next, after which they're mixed with carrier oil to create a usable product.
The production method is crucial since synthetic essential oils are not regarded as genuine essential oils.
Essential oils are a good option for killing ants since they're natural and have fewer harmful side effects than chemical pesticides.
Additionally, essential oils can repel ants, which is often just as important as getting rid of them.
There are a few essential oils that are particularly effective against ants, including:
All types of ants are capable of biting. However, some ants, like fire ants, can cause some pain and discomfort, but they are not considered to be harmful to people.
Fire ant bites usually result in a burning sensation and can sometimes cause an allergic reaction.
If you're concerned about being bitten by an ant, it's best to avoid them altogether. The essential oils listed above can help you do just that.
Essential oils help soothe the discomfort from insect bites, and insect bites are also painful stings.
Various essential oils contain bacterial, allergic itchiness, and antiseptic properties that help prevent infections if needed.
Essential oils that can be helpful when you bite your insects include mint oil, chamomile oil, basil oil, and other oils of this type.
Apply essential oils diluted powder spray and ointment to ants bites. You can also ease itching.
The essential oils listed below have insecticidal and repellent properties that make them effective against ants and also safe for humans and pets.
Here are 10 of the best:
Cinnamon oil is a popular choice for at-home aromatherapy treatments because of its attributes.
In aromatherapy, essential oils are dispersed or sprayed into the air so that they may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Cinnamon is a powerful essential oil that can kill ants and repel them from coming back.
Simply add a few drops of cinnamon oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spritz it around areas where you've seen ants or where they tend to congregate.
You can also put some cinnamon oil on a cotton ball and place it near ant trails.
Lemongrass essential oil is derived from the lemongrass plant, which thrives in warm, humid climates.
The oil can vary in color from bright yellow to pale yellow, with a consistency that is thin and a scent that is lemony.
Put some lemongrass oil on a cotton ball and place it near areas where ants are getting in or where you've seen them crawling around.
You can also add a few drops to a spray bottle full of water and spritz it around doorways, windows, and other potential entry points for ants.
Clove essential oil is high in antioxidants and has potent anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Clove oil is another great option for killing ants naturally. It's also effective at repelling spiders, cockroaches, mosquitos, and other pests.
Simply put some clove oil on a cotton ball and place it near ant trails or potential entry points for insects into your home.
Peppermint oil is extracted from the leaves of the peppermint plant. Peppermint oil is a refreshing essential oil that contains over 40 different compounds, including menthol.
This essential oil is found in many places worldwide. Peppermint oil is not only good for repelling ants, but it also freshens up your home at the same time!
Simply add a few drops of peppermint oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spritz it around areas where you've seen ants or where they tend to congregate.,
Tyme oil has several properties that make it useful, such as being antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial. As a result, it's often used in products like food preservatives, cosmetics, and toiletries.
Thyme oil is yet another essential oil that's effective at killing ants naturally. Simply add a few drops of thyme oil to a spray bottle full of water and spritz it around your home.
Patchouli oil is derived from a type of mint plant and has a strong, earthy scent. It's often used in perfumes and incense.
Patchouli oil is effective against ants because it disrupts their pheromone trails, which they use to communicate with each other.
This makes it difficult for them to find food and can eventually lead to their demise. You can make a natural ant repellent by combining 20 drops of patchouli oil with 1 cup of water.
Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spritz it around your home where you've seen ant activity.
Cedarwood oil is extracted from the bark and wood of cedar trees and has a woodsy, evergreen scent.
It's commonly used in aromatherapy and massage therapy due to its calming effects.
Cedarwood oil also has insecticidal properties that make it effective against ants and other pests.
To make a natural ant repellent, mix 10 drops of cedarwood oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.
Spritz it around doors, windows, and any other areas where you've seen ants enter your home.
Tea tree oil is an essential oil with a fresh, medicinal scent that comes from the leaves of the tea tree plant. It's known for its antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Tea tree oil is also effective against ants because it interferes with their ability to communicate with each other via pheromones.
You can make a natural ant repellent by mixing 10 drops of tea tree oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.
Spritz it along entry points such as doors and windows as well as any areas where you've seen ant activity inside your home.
Eucalyptus oil has a fresh, minty scent and comes from the leaves of eucalyptus trees. It's known for its beneficial effects on respiratory health but can also be used as an insecticide against ants and other pests.
To make an all-natural ant repellent using eucalyptus oil, mix 10 drops with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and spritz around doors, windowsills, baseboards, and anywhere else you've seen ants enter your home or notice ant activity inside your home.
Lavender oil has a floral scent and is derived from lavender flowers. It's commonly used in aromatherapy due to its calming effects but can also be used as an insecticide against ants thanks to its potent smell which interferes with their pheromone trails.
To make an all-natural ant repellent using lavender oil, mix 10 drops with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.
Spritz around doorways, windowsills, baseboards, or anywhere else where you've seen ants enter your home or notice ant activity inside your home.
Essential oil releases a strong odor that blocks the pheromone trail used by insects for social signals.
These oils have been used most often for keeping rats away from their homes. Essentially, ants do not like scented oils, they just dislike them.
This doesn't mean there is any insect attraction to them. Lemon oils can sting insects, like ants, as well as beetle larvae.
In the same way, cinnamon helps repel ant larvae, thrips, and a variety of other insects. Peppermint oil rosemary oil thymus oil repels most pests.
Ants use their noses as food source and nest, so bringing anything that has a strong flavor may deter them from entering.
Many times essential oils, vinegar, citrus peel, or soap are equally effective in their usage. It also must stop consuming food sources.
The ants will be in the pantry and in the cabinet, be careful not to look for crumbs or chips. Obviously, eliminating food can only bring ants into our houses.
Diatomaceous rocks are natural and soft sediment rocks that have shattered and become powdered into a fine white powder.
Using this product can repel an ant or act as a worming agent on your pets. Sprinkle onion powder all over the places that they can come in.
This product eats ants by taking oil from their bones and drying it out. Always wear gloves when handling this product since skin irritation can occur.
D - Limenine used with citrus oils acts effectively as an ant killing agent. Citrus essential oils can kill ants directly by being sprayed directly on them; they have the ability to inhibit them.
It's important to know citrus oils are made from the peels of the fruit. Essential oils have a much different smell and effects on insects than sour, sticky fruits.
Like vinegar, citrus juice's strong scent is naturally effective against insect bites. If you see ants, you can spray them with water or lemon water.
This homemade ant repellent can be enhanced if you add some essential oils to it. Generally, ants need peppermint or any other citrus oil and clove oil.
Vinegar can be incredibly useful to remove ant colonies naturally in homes. It is effective to use white vinegar in a different manner than apple cider vinegar.
It is effective in killing and repelling insects. The vinegar spray is useful for keeping bugs out.
Coffee grounds help prevent insect infestation. You don't want to waste coffee, use it after it is ready to drink.
Place a stack of coffee grounds near an ant's nest and observe their repellence. Add peppermint oil to coffee grounds for optimum effect.
You may also use insecticide sprays using oils for ant control. Effective ant repellents include peppermint spray, citrus oil spray, tea tree spray, cinnamon oil spray, and patchouli oil spray.
Use this spray bottle to spray over any ant nesting locations. To make a smooth mixture, mix a mixture of two drops of peppermint essential oil and two drops of lavender essential oil.
Douse these essentials into an infested area to eliminate ants and kill their colonies.
Usually, ants are a part of our kitchen, as most of our meals have their own place. Identify the area where ants are in the room and the destination.
Often cleaning up stains or dust is necessary with vinegar. After cleaning, use one of the options above to help control ants!
There are a few essential oil recipes that you can make to get rid of ants. To make a homemade ant repellent, mix together equal parts water and vinegar.
Then add in enough essential oil to cover the scent of the vinegar. You can choose any essential oil that you like, but some good essential oils to use for ants are peppermint essential oil, lemon essential oil, and tea tree essential oil.
Spray this mixture around any areas where you see ants coming into your home. You can also spray it directly on the ants themselves.
Mix essential oils like peppermint, citrus oil, or tea tree oil to create an effective ant-repellent spray.
Pour 1/4 cup of water, 15 drops of tea tree oil, 15 drops of peppermint oil, and seven drops of lemon oil in a clean spray bottle.
Start with the oils we listed below – you should see we have only three oils that we mentioned previously.
This allows for more synergies between these two systems. Some essential oils can complement your recipe too.
Direction: Spray on windows, doors, kitchen cabinets, or ants access points. Apply spray twice a day till the ants have disappeared.
There are essential oils that can be used around pets, but some essential oils should not be used around animals.
If you want to use essential oils to get rid of ants and keep your pets safe, try using essential oils that are safe for dogs and cats like lemon essential oil, lavender essential oil, or eucalyptus essential oil.
Some of the essential oils that are considered to be safe to use near pets are:
There are a few other things that you can do to get rid of ants in your home. Here are some tips:
By following these tips, you should be able to get rid of ants in your home naturally.
Essential oils are a great natural solution for getting rid of ants. Not only are they effective, but they also smell great!
Essential oils can be used in diffusers, or directly in the form of sprays. Some of the most commonly used ant repellent essential oils are peppermint oil, lavender oil, citrus oil, tea tree oil, cedarwood oil, clove bud oil, and patchouli oil.
To treat ant bites, you can use ointments containing peppermint oil, lavender oil, or basil oil!
If you are facing a severe ant infestation, essential oils can be used in combination with other natural ingredients, or contact a professional pest exterminator.