Lauren Card Live

It’s the first day of school, I walk out to the kitchen this morning to make my son’s lunch and the counter is a moving black wave. I’m not going to Sugarcoat this…I HATE ANTS!! Tis the season for the little critters to swarm and conquer, but I am wanting to be as eco friendly as possible and as much as I hate ants I dislike using products like Raid to get rid of them. Taking Jim Simcoe’s class at Quattro’s August college has me thinking more and more about ways I can be more environmental conscious…so to the internet I decide to go to learn alternative ways to deal with these lil critters. Here are my findings…I’m leaning towards the wet solutions.

Step 1 – Do Some Sleuthing

One thing that will help you get rid of ants is to figure out why the ants are coming in. What are they after? Maybe they are seeking out crumbs next to the trashcan or water dripping from a faucet. Cleaning these areas is a good first step towards ridding yourself of these tiny creatures.

Step 2 – Dry Solutions

Block the invasion at the source. Trace the ant line back to where they come into your home, and set any of the following items below there, which ants will not cross. Many of these herbs listed below are easy to find and inexpensive to purchase. A lot goes a long way. I figure what the heck… I’ll mix them all together and I’ll have a powerful anti-ant cocktail !

• Mint (Spearmint)
• Cayenne Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Coffee Grounds
• Bay Leaves
• Black Pepper
• Cucumber Slices
• Baby Powder

Step 3 – Wet Solutions (Sprays and Such)

You can mix a 50/50 solution of apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle and douse ant-infected areas

You can also make a solution of water and citrus rinds (Like orange, lemon, lime, etc.) and put that in a spray bottle.

Peppermint oil can also be effective. If the infestation is small, sprinkle a few drops in the area.

Step 4 Go to the Source

If you’ve really got a vendetta, you can go straight to the source of the problem. The best recommendation is to pour boiling water into the anthill.

One solution that I read is to put grits on the ant hill. I think the theory is that the ants will eat the grits and that they will then swell up. Poof!

I will head to Whole Foods today and pick up a few of these items like peppermint oil and keep you posted. If you have any other eco friendly tips to get rid of ants I’m all ears!

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