While many common ant species don’t cause any physical damage to homes, they’re unsightly, contaminate food, and just plain annoying. It isn’t unusual to spot trails of ants indoors, but since they’re unwanted guests, it’s important to get rid of them before they become a bigger problem.
To eliminate ants from inside your house, you should first try to follow the trail to see where they’re coming from. Head to the other end, and if you find their food source, thoroughly clean the area and seal the entry point. If that isn’t possible or doesn’t work, you’ll need to move on to an ant spray.
An Effective, Nontoxic Ant Spray
If you want to avoid using chemicals inside your home to kill the ants, try this nontoxic DIY solution made with common household ingredients. All you need is dish soap, water, and a spray bottle.
To create this powerful concoction, mix 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of liquid dish soap and 32 ounces (4 cups) of water in a spray bottle. Use it to spray and remove the pheromone trail left behind by the ants. It also kills them on contact as the soap breaks down their exoskeletons.
More from our network
House Outlook is part of Optimism, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
What Is a Pheromone Trail?
Ants communicate with their colonies using pheromone trails. Scouting ants secrete pheromones that other ants detect with their sensory organs. The trail often leads to a food source where the worker ants can find nourishment, or retrieve food to take to the queen and other ants who don’t leave the nest.
