Expert shares 5 easy ant elimination tricks

During summer, humid and stuffy weather can suddenly bring an army of ants into your home. What should you do? A housekeeping expert shares 5 simple methods for effective ant prevention and elimination. Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration also teaches 2 low-cost ant bait recipes using an affordable household item that can easily make ants retreat on their own.

Housekeeping expert Chen Ying-ru recently shared 5 practical methods for eliminating and preventing ants on her Facebook page for your reference:

5 Simple Ant Elimination Tricks

1. Alcohol Wiping: It is recommended to wipe down areas where ants have been with alcohol to disrupt their scent trails.
2. Completely Eliminate Food Sources: Thoroughly clean all food residue and crumbs from tables and floors. If ants can't find food, they will naturally retreat.
3. Seal Entry Points: Carefully observe where ants are coming from. If they are emerging from a hole, completely seal the opening with resin or silicone caulk.
4. Natural Ant Repellent with Citrus Essential Oil: Ants strongly dislike the smell of citrus. Applying citrus essential oil to areas where ants frequently appear can effectively deter them.
5. Make a Low-Cost Ant Bait: Mix sugar and borax (boric acid) in a 9:1 ratio and place the mixture in a shallow dish as bait. Ants will consume it and gradually disappear. If you have pets or small children, be sure to place the borax bait in a safe, inaccessible location.

2 Low-Cost Ant Bait Recipes

Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration's Chemical Substances Management Bureau website has noted that besides maintaining household cleanliness, people can try these low-cost methods for pest control, such as using boric acid. Boric acid is a colorless, inorganic weak acid, appearing as a white powder or transparent crystals. Since 1948, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has recognized boric acid as effective for controlling populations of arthropods like cockroaches, termites, red imported fire ants, and fleas. Its principle is to disrupt the metabolism of these arthropods and also corrode their exoskeletons. The Environmental Protection Administration also teaches 2 methods for making ant bait:

1. Boric Acid Solution Wipe: Dissolve an appropriate amount of boric acid in hot water. Use a mop or cloth to wipe corners or wall crevices where ants or cockroaches appear. After drying, white boric acid crystals will remain on the surface and continue to work.
2. Borax Bait Paste: Mix milk powder, sugar, water, and boric acid. Place the mixture in plastic bottle caps and put them in corners where ants or cockroaches frequent. Pests will eat the bait and die.

The Environmental Protection Administration points out that compared to directly spraying chemical insecticides, properly prepared boric acid baits offer quite good long-term elimination effects. This method is extremely low-cost and simple to make, making it very suitable for ordinary families to try. However, since boric acid is also toxic to humans, children, and pets, it is essential to carefully assess the safety of your home environment when using it.

Sources: Housekeeping Expert Chen Ying-ru, Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration Chemical Substances Management Bureau Website

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