Some ants prefer proline to sweets if you find your ants aren’t attracted to the sugar mixture try using peanut butter instead. Last Updated: June 13, 2020 Thank you! Soak the cotton balls into the prepared mixture for a minute or two. Using a Borax mixture as ant bait is the easiest way to get rid of ants without calling in an exterminator, whether you are dealing with fire ants, carpenter ants, sugar ants, or worker ants. If the liquid bait is killing the ants, who is carrying the solid bait back to the nest? Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Make sure that you won't be using the container or utensil again for cooking or eating. … Gather your supplies. HARRIS borax liquid ant killer is one of the best baits that you use to get rid of your ant problem. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Both ingredients contain boron and are effective for all types of ants. To get rid of sugar ants effectively, pour sugar and Mule Team Borax into a container that is large enough to hold the ant bait yet short enough to enable ants easy access. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). Add a small amount of honey and stir the solution until everything dissolves. Fill tiny containers (such as bottle caps) with this homemade ant bait and place them as close to the place where you suspect ants are entering your house. To start your ant-eliminating efforts, combine the Borax powder and sugar in a disposable container, and use a plastic fork to mix them. The ants gather up the bait and carry it back to their colony for the larvae to eat. Mix ¼ cup of powdered sugar with a tablespoon of borax to sprinkle near the areas where the ants come into your house. "My best friend asked me how to get rid of ants. The answer is yes, but it depends on whether you use a liquid or solid Borax bait. What can I do? There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Combine the peanut butter, honey, and Borax in a small shallow container. Once the other ants have ingested the poisonous bait, they’ll slowly begin to die. Menu Ask a Question Share a Post Account Search. If you only need to keep ants out of pet food, indoors or outside, put the food dish in a container of water. How do I get rid of ants in my lawn with borax? The Difference Between Boric Acid and Borax. For tips on using borax to kill the entire colony, keep reading! 3 Tbs. This article has been viewed 690,727 times. Fill up small plastic lids with the mixture and leave them on the ant trails. How does Borax kill ants? This ant killer can be applied in both indoor and outdoor areas. Once you discover that you have an ant problem in your home, it’s necessary to take care of the issue right away to prevent an ant infestation. Ants love sweet things and so they will be drawn to the paste, they will eat some and carry the rest back to the nest for the queen. This DIY ant poison is ideal for minor infestations of ants in the home. Borax is toxic, even to humans and animals. Although they’re both used as a pesticide, boric acid … Loads of ants immediately swarmed the cotton pads. Fortunately, you can kill the ants using borax and sugar. You’ve got to trick them into eating it so it can do its job! ", many, I also sprinkled some powder in the area and sprayed the perimeter with vinegar. Stir the borax and sugar into a spray bottle with the water until it dissolves. You will be making a liquid solution using borax, sugar, and water, and then soaking cotton balls into this solution. Borax is not an instantaneous ant killer; instead, it affects their digestive … Take a solution (1 part boric acid and 10 part sugar mixed well) and form a paste or a tablet and place them in the ares where you see sawdust. For tips on using borax to kill the entire colony, keep reading! The peanut butter will attract ants (just like sugar) and boric acid will kill them. By letting the ants spread the Borax around, you can get rid of them in no time at all. Sugar ants love to eat cornmeal, without knowing the fact that they will not be able to … Do one bottle with 1/4 cup warm water mixed in. ", "I have had trouble controlling ants. By using our site, you agree to our. Add a small smear of peanut butter to the bread pieces and drop them into the jar. If you find and liquidate foragers in time, your job will be easier. Kevin Carrillo. The borax has to be mixed with other substances as a way to mask it from the ants’ senses. Borax can be dangerous or even toxic if it is ingested by pets. without thinking. The borax/sugar works, thank you for posting! 7 expensive beauty products you can make yourself. humans). How does boric acid kill ants, and is it the same thing as Borax? I don't know about reptiles, but it is pretty harmless to mammals (i.e. Where do I put the mix? To kill ants using borax, mix sugar and borax in a large jar, then pour in warm water and stir until the sugar and borax are dissolved. For killing carpenter ants and other ants you may find outside the house, mix sugar and Borax in a disposable container, and put on the lid. Set the trap on the ant trail and let it do its job. There are a variety of methods and products for getting rid of the sugar ants in the house. Learn how to kill ants with Borax in combination with other additives to eliminate them from your home for good. Once you find the ant trail, it’s easy to get rid of ants in the bathroom or other areas in the house with Borax. Combine the hot water, sugar, and Borax in a bowl and mix until it dissolves. Sprinkle a layer of the powder along the ant trail. Expert Interview. ", "Told me what I needed to do to get rid of the pesty ants. Make a homemade ant bait by thoroughly mixing one part borax with 3 parts powdered sugar. One and a half tablespoon of Borax. MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News. Consider sprinkling food grade diatomaceous earth near doorways and windows. Follow the trail and put the bait/poison at the start and the end of the trail. For ants in the kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else in your home: Go outside and find a trail of ants. Mix the two ingredients and add just enough warm water to form a pasty consistency. MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News. Look for ant mounds, ant trails, roaming ants, and possible points of entry into your home. How to Get Rid of Sugar Ants In The House With Vinegar. Trails. % of people told us that this article helped them. If the ratio of borax to sugar is too high, the ants will not take the bait. ", "Borax and sugar worked wonders. Break off small pieces of bread and dip them into the solution. Mint Jelly and Boric Acid If you are not having success with Borax and sugar, then mixing up some boric acid and mint jelly may be your best course of action. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. Do you have ants in your house, but don't have the money for harmful chemicals and pesticides? So thank you for all this information which helped me to remember. They will take the poison to the nest for you. ", "Works great. This article was co-authored by Kevin Carrillo. You should see a decrease in ant activity within a week! To prevent ants from coming into your house, sprinkle the powder along potential entryways like windowsills and doorways. You may have carpenter ants inside the wall. Alter the amount for larger or smaller infestations by mixing three parts sugar and one part Borax. The ants disappeared overnight! The ants don’t see borax as a food source, so, won’t even come near it. We are all grateful. This article was co-authored by Kevin Carrillo. Avoid using it around your cat and make sure that you check with your vet about what you can and can't use. Use this same technique as one of the best home remedies for roaches, too. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. The easiest way to do this is to follow the trail of ants. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the plants separately and not give the aphids any access to them. Yuck! First, you’ve got to find the ants. Since there were so, ""Things you need for basic ant killer vs. How to kill the rest of the colony" at the end of the section, "Have a problem with ants every summer, and didn't like the peanut butter mixed into borax, due to a toddler with a, "Did not have an idea how to get rid of ants. Place the soaked cotton balls in the areas affected by the ant infestation.The sugar that you have added to the mix will attract the ants to the cotton balls. What should I do if I can't find the nest? Stir the mixture until the powder dissolves all the way and turn off the heat. Too much borax and the ants won't take the bait. This article was, "I used both methods last evening. Florida is full of ants. Category Ants. It is a sugar-based ant bait and it uses borax as an active ingredient to kill ants. ", "Worked great, have told church group. You can also make a dry solution of borax and sugar to get rid of ants that are invading your property. One and a half cup of warm water.Then, soak a few cotton balls in the borax-sugar-water mixture. Your nice illustration really did the job, thanks! Mix 2 tablespoons of borax with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. The worker ants carry the bait back to the nest before they eat. This recipe works well for sugar-feeding ants and can be used together with the sugar … So as long as the pet doesn't get it in its eyes, nose, or mouth it should be fine. If you can't find the nest, place the bait where you see the ants. Use disposable utensils for this recipe and throw them away when you finish. Borax and Peanut Butter. While adults only digest liquids, ant larvae digest solids. We’ll show you how to make bait using Borax to eliminate ants in and around your home. Borax powder is also a natural roach killer. Ants can begin to cultivate aphids or worms on plants. How long does this take to kill the ants? Keep it away from children, pets, and food. Mixing borax with one of these substances can make it an effective ant bait: If I put plain borax on the floor of the car and in the trunk, will that work? I thought it was Borax but not sure. Place the sugar water … I see sawdust on the floor, but can't see where they are. As with all other living creatures, ants seek food sources not only for themselves but for their entire colony. Thanks. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Affiliate Disclaimer: Tipsbulletin.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, Using a Solid Borax Ant Bait Trap Outside, Killing Large Ants with Peanut Butter and Borax, Using Borax Ant Traps in a Home with Pets, Privacy Policy – GDPR – Medical Disclaimer – DMCA. Place the balls onto the ant trails near their entryways and potential ants hangouts. If my pet accidentally touches the borax solution, will it get injured? Thank you very much for your suggestions! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/99\/Kill-Ants-Using-Borax-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Kill-Ants-Using-Borax-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/99\/Kill-Ants-Using-Borax-Step-1-Version-3.jpg\/aid1132123-v4-728px-Kill-Ants-Using-Borax-Step-1-Version-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"