No one wants any types of ants or other pests in their home. But what do you do when you find what looks like incredibly tiny brown ants in your home? These can be a pain because it's hard to know where exactly they are coming from, whereas it can be easier to tell with larger ants. As a result of their small size, these ants can also spread undetected, so it is important to battle them quickly and get them out of your home.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a favorite ant repellant of many because it is something many people already have laying around their home, is safe for other pets, and does not generally damage surfaces in your home. Mix vinegar and water at a 50/50 ratio in a bottle and spray it directly on the ants or on the areas you know ants frequent. Once the ants die, you will have to vacuum them up or pick them up with a wet paper towel.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice has a similar effect to vinegar. You can mix 1 part lemon juice with 4 parts water and use it as a spray to kill ants. Similarly, you can use lemon eucalyptus oil to repel ants. This substance, however, should be kept away from pets. You can put some on a rag and place it where ants frequent.
![small red or brown ants on white wall]()
Cleaners
Another substance that can get rid of ants that anyone has in their home is hand soap. Soapy water removes the ant trail from your home, which is what other ants generally follow to get into the space.
You can use glass cleaners and liquid detergent or dish soap the same way.
Diatomaceous Earth
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Diatomaceous earth is a great option to get rid of your ant problem. It is safe for pets but can fight off ants, slugs, beetles, cockroaches, bed bugs, and other creepy crawlies. The powder sticks to ants as they walk across it and gets into their skeletons, which then dries them out. It takes about a day to kill ants.
Liquid Bait
Liquid ant bait like Terro is a tried and true way to rid your home of ants. Lay the ant bait where the ants are coming from. The bait attracts the ants and then kills them. Depending on how large your ant problem is, you may need to throw out the first pack of bait and lay out more bait until the ants are gone.
Tightly Seal Food
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When ants enter your home, they are searching for food. So make sure they can't find anything. Put things like cereal in airtight containers. And if you are going to leave out fruits or vegetables, make sure you put them in bags so the ants don't look at it as their next feast. Also make sure to take out the trash regularly and frequently clean your counters, tables, and floors of all crumbs. Send the ants a message that your home is not a feeding area for them.
Mint
One natural way to get rid of ants that has the added benefit of smelling good is using mint. You can plant the herb outside your home to deter ants from entering. Ants don't like the smell, so you could also use a mint-scented essential oil mixed with other cleaning products to get ants out of your home.
Pepper
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Black pepper and cayenne pepper can both be used as pest control as well. Sprinkle some in areas that ants frequent. Unlike some other pest control options, this won't kill ants but will make them think twice about returning. Be careful, though, if you have other pets. While ingesting the pepper may not be harmful, it can irritate your furry friends' eyes if it gets in them.
Cornstarch
You can also use cornstarch to get rid of ants. Pour the powder over the ants and add water. This will kill the ants but leave a mess.
