Pay attention to where ants are coming from in your yard. They could be near your house, along a fence, or in the cracks of your pavement. Look for small mounds of dirt to find the ant nests. Limit spreading pesticides to every 6 months.
Spray around windows and door frames as well. Apply the pesticides on a day when it isn’t windy so they do not blow away from the area you’re targeting.
Some bags of granular pesticides have built-in shakers so you can spread it in concentrated areas. Keep pets and children inside for at least 1 hour so the pesticide has a chance to dry. Mow your lawn right before you spread the pesticide so it reaches the ground.
Some bait traps have a strong-scented liquid to attract ants and will trap them inside. These may take a few weeks to notice results. Bait traps can be purchased at your local home and garden store.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle for a more controlled method of dispersing the water. Pour the water into the nest in the early morning or late at night when most of the ants are inside. Boiling or hot water could damage nearby plants, so use caution when pouring around plants you want to keep.
Boric acid is toxic to humans and animals if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Never use it in an area where you prepare food, and wear gloves and a face mask to protect yourself while using it. Rinse away any excess boric acid to clean it from the area.
Diatomaceous earth dries the liquids inside the ants and will kill them within a few days or weeks. Wear a dust mask so you don’t inhale the DE while you spread it. DE is safe to keep in your yard around children and pets.
This method drives ants away rather than killing them. Use a blender to combine the orange peel with the water and vinegar to make a thicker solution that may kill some ants on contact.
Use baby powder around the perimeter of your house to keep ants out.
Dilute 15 drops of the essential oil in 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of water in a spray bottle and apply the solution directly on the ant nest for more direct contact.
