Borax for Ants in the House

Ants may not be the worst insect that could invade your house, but no one likes to see black bugs racing across their kitchen counter. Besides, certain species can cause real problems, like fire ants, which have a painful sting, and carpenter ants, which bore tunnels into wood, potentially causing structural damage. Thankfully, before dialing an exterminator or buying Terro ant killer, you have several options for utilizing Borax for ants in the house.

Borax is a low toxicity natural mineral with the chemical name of sodium borate. It’s distinct from boric acid, which is Borax processed and purified with hydrochloric acid, making it more toxic.

Borax is generally available at the grocery store, often near the laundry detergent or soap. It slowly interferes with worker ants’ digestive system, meaning that they have time to carry the Borax ant bait back to their colony.

It’s essential to use different bait types—liquid and solid, sweet and greasy—to make sure that you’re attracting your kind of ant and killing the entire colony.

Ways to use Borax to Kill Ants in the House

If you’re trying to get rid of house ants permanently, the first thing to figure out is why they’re attracted to your home. Ants enjoy moisture, warmth, and food, often sweet food.

Use this knowledge to discourage them by cleaning up carefully, sealing food in plastic containers, and tempting them with bait.

Does Borax kill ants? Yes, it is ideal for home pest control for ants and many other bothersome insects.

While you can use boric acid for ants outside, Borax is just as easy and effective and is a bit safer for your pets and family.

Use Powdered Borax to Kill Ants in the House

Borax powder is the best sugar ant killer. Combine it with powdered sugar for a DIY solution for your ant problem. Use one part Borax and three parts sugar.

This Borax ant killer recipe for inside is simple yet highly effective. Dab the mixture in small containers, such as bottle caps, and place them wherever you’ve noticed sugar ants.

This could include along ant trails, at possible entry points like window sills, or next to the ant colony. Sweetened Borax is also a good bet for getting rid of cockroaches—use equal parts Borax and sugar.

Make a Pet-Friendly Borax Ant Killer Recipe for Inside

If you have pets or small children, you don’t want to leave a Borax solution anywhere that they might eat it.

To get around this obstacle while still enjoying the benefits of employing Borax to kill ants in the house, mix the powder with sugar water, then distribute the mixture on cotton balls.

Combine a half cup sugar, one cup of warm water, and three tablespoons of Borax, then dunk the cotton balls in the homemade ant killer. Leave the balls for unsuspecting ants to transport Borax to kill the rest of the colony.

Lay Sugary Traps to Kill Ants

This pest control method is one of the best ways of dealing with ants indoors. The great thing about ant traps is that you can set them, then forget about them.

Combine the ingredients in an old plastic jar. Poke holes in the jar lid to allow ants to access the sweet yet deadly liquid. Set up the DIY ant traps wherever you noticed black ants gathering, sprinkling additional sugar around the jar.

Tempt Ants with Peanut Butter

Although most ants go straight for the sweet stuff, some enjoy foods rich in grease. Cater to these ants with this Borax ant killer recipe for inside that uses everyday household ingredients.

Stir the ingredients, then fill a straw by dipping its end repeatedly into the mixture. Cut the straw into small pieces, and put them along ant trails.

Side Effects of Using Borax for Ants in the House

While Borax is a natural product and less toxic than many chemical ant killers, it’s not entirely safe. Exposure can cause eye and skin irritation, including burns and rashes. Borax is particularly dangerous to organs if ingested or inhaled.

Children who eat less than half an ounce may suffer from severe vomiting or diarrhea or even death, while ingesting slightly more Borax may be fatal for adults. It’s best to avoid Borax ant control solutions if you have children or pets.

Other safety tips include wearing gloves and keeping the powder away from your eyes, nose, and mouth. Cover any open wounds when working with Borax to kill ants in the house, and wash your hands well with soap if the substance gets on your skin.

Alternatives to Borax when Fighting an Ant Infestation

Although you want your approach for getting rid of ants in the house to be firm and effective, you also want to keep your loved ones safe.

A pet- and child-friendly option is food grade diatomaceous earth, a white powder made from fossils that cuts an ant’s exoskeleton.

Baking soda is another powder for sprinkling near ant entryways and pathways to get rid of ants in the house. Combine powdered sugar and baking soda in a 70:30 ratio to attract the pests.

When looking at the ingredients in your pantry, have you ever asked yourself, does flour attract ants? It does, just like cornmeal, so it’s possible to use either as a form of ant bait.

Alternatively, use one or the other to disrupt ant trails so that they can’t find their way back to their nest or the food.

While an ant mound is often an eyesore, ant hills in your lawn are unlikely to be a nuisance unless you’re dealing with fire ants. However, an ant colony that invades your house is a different story.

Although you may not see most of the colony’s members, these pests are taking over your space and sending scouts to steal your food.

Take advantage of the critters’ greedy habits with one of the many applications of Borax for ants in the house.

As long as you don’t have pets or young children around, Borax is an ideal solution. Worker ants take it back to their nest, spreading the ant killer without you even having to lift a finger.

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