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You are here: Home / Fundamentals / Best Homemade Natural Ant Killer

by Stacy  304 Comments

Best Homemade Natural Ant Killer

Ants give me the heebie jeebies. We never had problems with ants inside until last year. I called Barry at work in a panic. “WE HAVE ANTS! COME HOME NOW!” Of course, he didn’t. We needed an ant killer…and he failed me. So, I called residential pest control services to inspect the whole house and get rid of ants and any other pests that may be lurking inside.

My mom uses Terro for ants, so I was familiar with it. Barry and I used a recipe for homemade Terro that we found on the internet.

Fast forward a few years, having kids who are always running around everywhere, I wanted to be more careful. We don’t want to use lots of chemicals in our home, so we made another concoction from stuff we had here to get rid of the little devils. And like sometimes happens with homemade remedies…

It didn’t work.

Not the first recipe…or the second. Every recipe I tried was a dud. The ants were still here. I still had the heebie jeebies. I had tried the more natural route here, and it just wasn’t successful. And I’m okay with that.

When you first encounter pests in your home, you might be tempted to try and deal with the problem yourself. However, DIY pest control isn’t always the best option. Don’t let destructive pests damage your property and get help from Drake Lawn & Pest Control.

No one locally had an anteater for sale.

But this Homemade Ant Killer that we make using Borax really works! You just mix up a few ingredients in a saucepan. Put it where you KNOW the ants will be. And the ants will eat the bait, take it back to the queen and they’ll die. It won’t happen instantly – it might take a day or two. Think crock-pot versus microwave ant killing method.

One thing to note: Borax is NOT child or pet friendly.

The FDA says Borax is safe, unless ingested in LARGE amounts. So, please wash your pan with hot water and soap – and don’t serve Borax for dinner.

I put the mixture down when I knew we were going to be gone all day. And I leave it down all night while we sleep. If we are home for the day, I put the jar lids out during the kids nap or outdoor play times and at night again. Within a few days… Presto! It worked!

Does it work with all varieties of ants? No. But we’ve used it often enough that we know it does work for majority of them. So, give it a shot! If you’re interested in starting your own pest control company, visit https://www.fieldroutes.com/blog/pest-control-marketing-strategy to learn the best marketing strategies.

Don’t mess with me, ants.

homemade ant killer
Print Recipe

Homemade Natural Ant Killer

Using simple ingredients, this recipe has solved the problem EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. we've had ants take up residence inside.
Prep Time0 mins
Cook Time10 mins
15 mins
Total Time25 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp Borax
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Combine the sugar, water, and Borax in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for three minutes. Let it cool completely. It will thicken as it cools.
  • Using a small funnel, transfer it to two small spray bottles. You can use glass or plastic bottles – whatever you prefer!
  • Before you put ant killer down, you need to clean the ant area to remove the trail left by the ants.
  • Place the cooled ant killer into short jar lids – so that the ants can crawl over the side. Then place the lid where you know the ants are.

Notes

There are plenty of variations on this recipe. We’ve tried several – some work, some don’t. This one always works great…so give it a try!
An easy Homemade Natural Ant Killer that will help rid you of those pesky little creatures that find their way into your kitchen every year.

For more daily tips and frugal fun, you can follow me on Instagram @humoroushomemaking.

Here’s a few Homemade Ant Killer Testimonials:

  • I know this works! Every spring, I mix up a batch of “Auntie Val’s Bug Juice” using the same ingredients and put it in empty yogurt containers near our doors, both inside and outside. Within a few days, ants are gone!  –Valerie
  • We live in an area that is infested with sugar ants. From the very first summer we moved in, we had a huge problem. They were everywhere. We’ve tried expensive sprays, those ant baits, powders, bay leaves, everything and nothing worked. Every spring they just kept coming back and we just dealt with them until the fall. Stacy told me about the terro ant bait she had been using. I gave it a shot and we are ant free. I decided not to even wait on them this year. I’ve already made it and have them set up where I know the ants come into the house. Thank you Stacy!  –Amanda from Spinning Yarns and Other Things
  • A review at Pocket Pause.

Tip from reader Pat Jarvis:

My son came up with a good idea for distributing the Borax/sugar ant bait. Put the prepared “syrup” in an empty soda pop can, lay it on its side with the opening at the ground. The dogs and other animals can’t get to it. Little kids might still be a problem, as they are with a lot of things and need to be watched, but at least I won’t poison the animals. If it’s windy they will blow away (we get a lot of wind), so I just dented them in and put a rock on top. The weight of the syrup in the can seems to keep them laying on the right side. If you wan to learn about the best pest control options, we recommend you to use Terminix.

An easy Homemade Natural Ant Killer that will help rid you of those pesky little creatures that find their way into your kitchen every year.

Do you like to make more of your household items at home? Give my recipe for homemade liquid laundry detergent or homemade powder laundry detergent a try!

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About Stacy

Stacy is a Homemaking and Business Mom Mentor, the author of two cookbooks, creator of multiple e-courses, seasoned life coach, and comedian extraordinaire. Her first priority is her husband and her children - family first. She presses on each day because her calling is to teach, train, and mentor other ladies to have their dreams. She believes if it’s not easy, you won’t do it – because she’s lived it. She’ll bring YOU the awesome so that you can get your home back into control and watch your business soar. For tips and easy strategies, you can follow her on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the content above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Comment Policy: I love reading your thoughts and input on what you read here. I'm sure we'll disagree sometimes and that's okay! In those cases, do what's right for you and yours. As with any form of communication, only post comments that move the discussion in a positive direction.

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Comments

  1. Ryan says

    July 21, 2020 at 9:30 am

    Good morning Stacy!

    I have to say that Pat Jarvis’ tip of using empty soda cans as a dispenser is THE way to go.

    I’ll usually poke a small hole in the top (the side that is facing up) so that they’re easier to refill without disturbing.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 21, 2020 at 10:15 am

      GREAT! Thank you, Ryan!

      Reply
  2. Angie says

    July 3, 2020 at 7:01 pm

    Thanks so much for this recipe, it really works! I’ve tried different ratios of borax before but this one had the ants swarming to eat it within minutes. My problem is outdoors, we have literally thousands of small ant mounds on our 1/2 acre lawn. Diatomaceous Earth works great as a barrier against the foundation walls or when lifting a rock and there is a disgusting swarm of ants. I actually tried DE with borax as a dry mix on the ant hills and they freakin’ multiplied, from what I’ve read they do this when they feel they’re being attacked. Good luck everyone! I’m open to any advice if someone has a similar infestation of the yard (;

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 3, 2020 at 11:03 pm

      Those are some evil ants!

      Reply
    • Ryan says

      July 21, 2020 at 9:23 am

      I’m in the same boat myself. Every morning all of my garden boxes and pavers are almost black with the swarm of ants. I even got attacked this morning before I could even get close enough to the bulk of them to sprinkle some DE on ’em. And they’re always nocturnal, as soon as that sun comes up, they make themselves very scarce.

      I’ve used homemade terro for the past 4 years in this house and, while I’ve always had ants here, have never had this kind of problem.

      I picked up some legit terro outdoor baits (just to compare efficacy) , but those don’t even seem to work. Now its time to whip up a gallon or two of this stuff and candy coat my back yard! Haha!

      Reply
  3. Jason Watson says

    June 18, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    Here is my Terro clone recipe.

    2c Sugar
    Pinch Salt
    3/4 c Water
    1/4 Tsp Cream Of Tartar (keeps syrup from crystalizing)
    2Tbsp Borax or Boric Acid

    Add all to pan, bring to boil over medium-medium high, stirring constantly reduce heat to medium, cover for 4-5 min to dissolve solids on side of pan, remove lid and stir occasionally until temps reach about 230° or so. Remove from heat and cool slightly until safe to transfer to storage container. Don’t wait too long as it gets very thick, which is how you want your syrup for it to be of the same consistency of the name brand. Keeps for several months or more. The salt keeps it fresh and preserved, and sugar is a natural preservative as well, just not as good.

    Reply
    • Barry says

      June 21, 2019 at 11:03 am

      Thanks for sharing your recipe!

      Reply
  4. Jessie says

    April 25, 2019 at 12:59 am

    Borax is harmful to humans and pets if they eat it, but it’s not harmful just to be in the same room with it. If you can put it somewhere where the baby can’t get at it for 3-4 days, then it’s perfectly safe to put it indoors! I would just put the mixture in a small dish so that you can easily clean it up later, and if you have any pets, make sure to put it somewhere they can’t reach it as well!

    Reply
  5. Wally says

    October 15, 2018 at 11:25 pm

    If you find boiling the Sugar mix gives you grief with a film forming on top when you put it out as bait;
    you can always get some Corn Syrup from your grocer and use that instead;
    just combine it with the Boxax (same ratio) without the need to ‘cook’ the mix.
    You can add some water if you want a thinner mix. Takes longer to dry out also.
    I use a small board with bottle tops (any sort) glued to it and just fill them from time to time.
    A couple of small blocks; another board on top; a rock to keep it in place; kids/animals can’t get to it.
    Hope this is useful

    Reply
    • Julie Chittock says

      October 26, 2018 at 1:06 pm

      Appreciate your insight – thanks for sharing.
      Julie, Humorous Homemaking Team

      Reply
  6. Heather says

    July 4, 2018 at 1:38 pm

    I hope this works! I live alone and the ants really upset me. For the past two mornings I have woken up to thousands of them inside the house. Many have wings. ?

    Reply
    • Julie Chittock says

      August 14, 2018 at 7:12 am

      I hope it works for you – ants are the worst!
      Julie, Humorous Homemaking Team

      Reply
    • Kel says

      March 7, 2019 at 1:41 pm

      Ants with wings, sounds like you have carpenter ants. Completely different issue – you need an exterminator as they are not only pesky but destructive to your structure

      Reply
  7. Suzanne says

    March 16, 2018 at 4:37 pm

    Thank you! Recipe definitely works! Been using it for 2 years now. Don’t waste your money on expensive and boats that don’t work…this is the best by far!

    Reply
    • Suzanne says

      March 16, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      *baits lol not boats?

      Reply
  8. Kyle says

    August 31, 2017 at 6:53 pm

    Thanks for this recipe. Terro had a webpage where they discuss diy borax baits. It’s hilarious, they do a good job trying to talk readers out of trying it: it’s messy, it’s hard to get the right ratio, it’s dangerous, it takes too much time…lol.

    I made this today and used a syringe to fill leftover Terro bait containers. The containers are designed to not dry the syrup up. They also keep the bait out of reach for pets.

    Reply
  9. Jayne DonVito says

    August 18, 2017 at 8:28 pm

    This potion does work great. However, I abandoned the jar-lid method when i realized how wasteful it is; ants aren’t going to swim to the center of a nickel-sized drop, but just line up around the edges to slurp it up.

    Now I dispense it right on my counter top, where pet or child can’t reach, from the end of a disposable chopstick. Think tiny bar tables just large enough for a dozen or so little revelers to gather around.

    Clean-up is super easy. I just wipe it up with a washcloth as though it were drips of maple syrup. I can’t imagine this minuscule concentration of borax being toxic to anyone, especially it can be used as a detergent-boosting laundry additive,

    Reply
  10. Daniela says

    January 9, 2017 at 5:43 am

    Hi Stacey. Can I use Boric acid instead of Borax? Thank you very much

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      January 16, 2017 at 9:56 am

      No, I do not believe they are the same thing.

      Reply
      • Joe says

        March 26, 2017 at 3:56 pm

        Yes, actually you want to use boric acid, borax is a substitute in a pinch when you don’t have boric acid.

        Reply
        • Julie Chittock says

          May 3, 2017 at 7:21 pm

          Thanks Joe.
          — Julie, HH Team

          Reply
          • Daniela says

            November 7, 2018 at 7:52 pm

            Thanks, Julie and Joe! I tried Julie´s recipe using boric acid for borax, and it worked. Little buggers did not come back for months

          • Julie Chittock says

            November 11, 2018 at 8:00 am

            Yeah – soo glad to hear it 🙂
            Julie, Humorous Homemaking Team

  11. Judi says

    November 7, 2016 at 7:51 am

    Hi Stacy….So happy to have found your site! Love it! I initially lost you though because I clicked the wrong button. So I googled “Stacey” (spelled wrong) “home maker” and got some little serious blonde cook. Frazzled, I typed in “Stacey Christian funny home maker”…..and there you were!! Awesome! I look forward to reading more of your “Stuff” in particular … cooking. Also…thanks for the ant remedy; I have been battling them too.
    Thanks, Judi 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      November 8, 2016 at 1:56 pm

      LOL Well, I’m glad that’s what sums me up! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Bastian says

    October 4, 2016 at 12:46 am

    For a child-safe alternative, try mixing baking soda with sugar and water to make a sweet, yet explosive paste for the ants. They will swarm and eat it and then in the following minutes pop and die.

    Reply
    • Daniela says

      November 7, 2018 at 7:50 pm

      The baking soda sugar recipe never worked on my ants. Instead, it created a mess, as it ´teaches´ ants the way (in)to your house

      Reply
  13. Betty Lovett says

    September 8, 2016 at 2:41 pm

    Several years ago we moved to a new home; since then I have ants every summer and your remedy works well. However I found to help the process along better with the colony is to boil water and pour over the colony and if you add a little cinnamon to the mixture it will keep others from rebuilding that colony. *Ants hate strong smells and cinnamon is one of the best.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 8, 2016 at 2:59 pm

      Good thing I’m not an ant – because I looooooooooooooove cinnamon! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Joel says

    September 5, 2016 at 12:34 am

    What does boiling it do? Is it just so it mixes easier, or does it change the chemical bond? I ask because i was just mixing it without boiling. Will this way still work?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 5, 2016 at 5:03 pm

      It helps it all combine and give it the right texture. It won’t separate after boiling.

      Reply
  15. Carolyn says

    June 8, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    How long is this any bait good for? I still have some from 12 months ago and I just found dozens of ants on my window sill in the kitchen. I have the ingredients to make more but would rather use leftovers if it’s effective.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 9, 2016 at 1:06 pm

      If it’s still in a liquid form, it will work.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        June 13, 2016 at 6:38 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  16. s.k. says

    April 29, 2016 at 8:54 am

    I made this and took it 1 step further, boiling it with my candy thermometer to the hard candy phase. I poured it on paper and let it harden. After that, i broke it i to little pieces of hard candy, which i can set out in my trouble spots and store the rest in a jar. It seems to be working without the sticky syrup mess.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 29, 2016 at 9:28 am

      Well that’s good to know! Thanks for posting this tip.

      Reply
      • Susan says

        July 14, 2016 at 11:17 pm

        Hi I have ants everywhere, even in my bed and the suckers even bite me in my sleep and wake me up crawling all over my face and body…how do I keep the out of my bed? HELP!

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          July 15, 2016 at 6:09 am

          You need to try to determine where they are coming in and put bait there.

          Reply
        • Thom says

          September 28, 2016 at 4:54 pm

          I have the same problem with the biting on the face. It’s not my ants, though. It’s my uncle.

          Reply
    • Ryan says

      July 21, 2020 at 9:16 am

      The problem with a hard bait vs liquid bait is that the hard bait is carried back to the nest, where it must then be processed into a liquid before it can be used to feed the colony, which takes additional time.

      With a liquid bait, the ants drink it, then go back to the nest and regurgitate it in it’s liquid, ready to eat, form.

      Reply
  17. Robert says

    April 21, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    Hi Stacy I made some of your ant killer they really come to it this is the second night for it. When I let it cool after boiling it for 3 min I put some in a sealed jar but it gets really thick and hard to spread should it be like that or did I do somthing wrong. I find if you store it in a sealed jar it does get very thick so I set the jar in a dipper with about 3 inches of hot water in it and it did make it a little easier to spread. but the ants are coming to it like crazy and this is the second day but not as many as there was ysterday. So I hope I done this right lol.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 22, 2016 at 7:50 pm

      It sounds right, Robert. I hope it works for you too!

      Reply
      • Robert says

        April 23, 2016 at 12:09 pm

        It worked perfect. I had a huge nest of ants after using the ant killer for 4 days no more ants. This works just like you said it would. So thank’s to you Stacy I got rid of the ant problem. Thank you very very much. And for any one who has sugar ants just follow Stacy’s directions and if you make the ant killer just like she said your ants will be gone in three or four days . This works wonders Thanks again Stacy.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          April 24, 2016 at 11:54 am

          That’s so great to hear, Robert! Thanks for your testimonial!

          Reply
  18. Michelle says

    April 19, 2016 at 1:09 am

    Thank you for this recipe. I had carpenter ants inside my RV this past winter and this stuff works great. A great tip is to put a generous amount of the mixture in an empty soda can or bottle and lay the can/bottle on it’s side. The ants will crawl in and it will keep pets and rain (if you put outside) out! Also, it won’t dry up as fast.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 19, 2016 at 10:08 am

      Michelle, that’s GENIUS!!!!

      Reply
  19. Kathryn says

    April 1, 2016 at 5:26 am

    I’ve been going online for a recipe for ants for several years. I followed your recipe exactly, heated for the specified time. It started developing a film on the top within poured into to lids. Let than a day later, it’s useless.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 1, 2016 at 10:54 am

      It has to be replaced often, but it does work well. 🙂

      Reply
    • BoscoBob says

      May 10, 2017 at 1:40 pm

      One trick to avoiding the film is to make sure that you put a lid on your pot until everything is dissolved…and do not stir. The steam running down the sides will dissolve any sugar crystals, which are what cause the film.

      Reply
      • claygirl says

        August 16, 2018 at 8:06 pm

        Wow!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH BoscoBob for this insight!!!! ( I don’t know if you’ll see this reply or not- but I am SO Grateful for your advice!!!! ) I’ve tried this recipe Over And Over….Ugghhhhh!!!! and have even tried manipulating different ingredient ratios….and EVERY SINGLE Freaking Time……Yep!!! I kept getting that “Skin” on top after it cools, and it’s a Useless waste of ingredients and time!!!!

        LISTEN UP PEEPS! Follow the above advice from “BoscoBob” and save yourselves time, money , and aggravation!!!!!! No Wonder it never worked for me!!!!! ;(

        Reply
  20. Sally says

    March 28, 2016 at 11:00 pm

    I am going to try this on my ant population!

    Reply
  21. Erica Ricky Kennedy says

    November 13, 2015 at 3:43 pm

    We haven’t kept white sugar in the house for many years. Can I use Palm Sugar?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      November 16, 2015 at 3:23 pm

      It kinda ups the price of the liquid, but sure. 🙂 I usually go out and buy a small bag of cheap white sugar.

      Reply
  22. Lessa Ennis says

    October 11, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    Can I store the mixture?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      October 11, 2015 at 3:53 pm

      You can for a while, yes. But it doesn’t do well for long term. Make sure it’s in a sealed container for storage.

      Reply
      • Donna says

        October 31, 2016 at 3:52 pm

        I made a half gallon & kept it in a plastic milk jug . . . CLEARLY marked ANT KILLER.
        I’ve had it a yr. & used it when needed. Saved all my mail order prescription bottle lids,
        as they are bigger & deeper to hold the cotton ball & the solution & placed where needed.
        It seems the ‘buggers’ come back every winter to get out of the cold, but I’m ready for them!
        The stuff works GREAT!

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          November 3, 2016 at 7:44 am

          Pesky ants.

          Reply
  23. kro says

    September 17, 2015 at 3:03 pm

    Okay so I made this today, but I used a little more borax in the mixture. Anyways, how long do i let it sit after i boiled it for 3 minutes? It still looks clear just like the store bought traps.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 18, 2015 at 7:53 am

      You let it cool completely.

      Reply
    • Theo says

      June 9, 2017 at 9:22 am

      More is not better. Too much borax and the the Ants die without poisoning the colony. I’ve made this mistake of using too much Borax you are wasting your time. Follow the instructions.

      Reply
      • Julie Chittock says

        June 15, 2017 at 1:52 pm

        Thanks Theo.
        — Julie, HH Team

        Reply
  24. Carol says

    September 16, 2015 at 11:06 pm

    Hi Stacy. I just made a batch of this stuff exactly how you mention, however, after it cooled, the ant killer developed a film on top. Also, I have noticed that with every dollop of the stuff, it immediately develops a film on top and the ants cannot get to it. how can I fix this problem with the ant killer?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 18, 2015 at 7:56 am

      They are usually able to get to it before it develops a film – usually my film doesn’t come for a day or so…and then I just replace it with new. If it gets a film of it in the container, I just skim that part off.

      Reply
      • Sheila Azzara says

        April 3, 2018 at 1:24 pm

        Hi I use your recipe and it does work. I made a whole batch, put it in an air tight plastic container and then pour some in a lid when ever I need it. It does harden after a day but that does not seem to deter the ants and in fact they eat it until it is gone. Think hard candy! I killed one colony about a month ago and all were gone, then last night I saw more pesky ants so I put it out again. They are going to it in droves and hopefully it will be just as effective as it was last time. Thanks again for the recipe.

        Reply
        • Julie Chittock says

          April 5, 2018 at 7:33 am

          So glad it works for you! And thanks for taking the time to comment, Sheila! Hope you stick around and enjoy Stacy’s other helpful posts on the blog!
          Julie, Humorous Homemaking Team

          Reply
  25. Dawn says

    September 9, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    I made this Sunday and hoped it would work quickly as we had family coming over the next day for a cookout and planned on eating inside where ir was nice and cool. The next day I only saw a couple ants, instead of the little ant highway on the counter and the wall. I’ve used Terro for years but this is cheaper and I think it worked more quickly. I also had hubby put soda cans with the syrup in them outside. Great tip. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 9, 2015 at 6:51 pm

      I’m so glad it worked!

      Reply
  26. Ben says

    September 6, 2015 at 10:26 am

    I use this anytime I notice ants, but also take the opportunity to follow the ant trail and put silicone caulk where they enter. Eventually, you will get all of the entry points blocked and you don’t have to bother with it.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 7, 2015 at 3:50 pm

      My husband is the King of Caulk! 🙂

      Reply
  27. Larae says

    August 29, 2015 at 9:02 pm

    Where we live we have a problem with not only sugar ants, but grease ants as well. Although they usually eat almost anything they were avoiding our homemade sweet mixture. After a little looking around we found a recipe using peanut butter instead of sugar. It definitely did the job. So if this mixture isn’t working for you, try testing to see which types of food your ants are attracted — protein and fats or sugar. A bit of peanut butter and a bit of jelly left where the ants can find it will give you your answer!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 31, 2015 at 2:00 pm

      Thanks for chiming in!

      Reply
    • Dee says

      September 2, 2016 at 8:30 pm

      My kitchen was inundated with ants this summer, & they seemed to be the carnivorous grease ant type, since they ignored the sugar/borax mixture. I mixed hamburger grease with borax to make a paste, & they loved it… for as long as they lasted, which wasn’t long!

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        September 5, 2016 at 5:12 pm

        Thanks for the info, Dee!

        Reply
  28. Donthe Gasman says

    August 6, 2015 at 7:06 pm

    I’m into my 5th day using this stuff. These guys just keep coming back for more. I realize my home is infested with these guys and it’s going to take a little while, but I just can’t get rid of the idea that I’m providing the ants free food.

    Reply
    • myersbr2 says

      August 10, 2015 at 8:19 am

      Just hang in there. They are coming in droves for it…and that’s what you want. You’ll find pretty soon that they’ll stop coming. And you’ll also notice they aren’t around your house anymore. Here’s to hoping the “free buffet” is ultimately your treat and not theirs. 🙂

      Reply
  29. Sushmita S Sen says

    July 10, 2015 at 11:48 pm

    Hi…i have just moved into an old house that sits right in the middle of a huge garden. Needless to say i was plagued with red ants that seemed to be taking over the house! After trying all kinds of remedies, I finally remembered an age-old Indian custom of storing rice and lentils and keeping them insect-free with dried roots of turmeric. I got some from my local grocer and have used them liberally all over the house…and hey presto! it works! Just wanted to share this.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 11, 2015 at 1:53 pm

      Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  30. Lovise says

    July 9, 2015 at 4:59 pm

    Hi Stacy, Thank you so much for sharing. Heh, I am really lazy. Do I need to boil the mixture for it to be effective? Or can I just mix the borax and sugar and set it out. Thank you, Lovise

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 10, 2015 at 1:44 pm

      You need the sugar to dissolve. 🙂 It doesn’t take long.

      Reply
  31. Charlotte Flader says

    June 30, 2015 at 10:22 pm

    Is the mixture still effective when it’s reaaaally sticky? It seems like now that it’s completely cooled that it formed in the lid it is in and some ants went in and can’t get out…do they still eat it and take it back to the best when it’s a thick sticky gel??

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 1, 2015 at 8:47 pm

      They should, yes. 🙂

      Reply
  32. Lank Thompson says

    June 24, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    I’ve seen the same mixture but minus the boiling. I like boiling because it mixes everything better but I noticed this year the ants aren’t all that hyped about it. As if they know now. Have you run into this at all.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 24, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      No, so far I haven’t had to use it in the same spot twice.

      Reply
  33. Karen Johnson says

    June 3, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    I just made up a batch of this tonight – we have the little red ants that smell like poison when you kill them. I will keep you posted if it works – I found the Boric Acid at my local hardware store – for cheaper than Tarro! I sincerely hope this works as I am about at my wits end. I won’t use the chemical stuff. Keep your fingers crossed!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 4, 2015 at 3:37 pm

      Ugh – I hate ants. Death to ants.

      Reply
  34. Corisa Ford says

    June 1, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    My mom had problems with ants for 5 years, I put the stuff in her house she hasn’t had a problem for two years. Now I’m over run at my new house and purposely looked up this recipe because I know it works. It works for any self cleaning bug ants roaches spiders anything that cleans themselves

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 2, 2015 at 2:42 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that, Corisa!

      Reply
      • Corisa Ford says

        June 7, 2015 at 7:35 pm

        made up a triple batch and put it around my yard and they were gone the next day. made some for my landlady and she put it around her pool nothing the next day. I love this recipe thank you for sharing.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          June 8, 2015 at 2:48 pm

          I’m so glad!!!

          Reply
  35. Dave Vensel Sr says

    June 1, 2015 at 11:23 am

    I want to use this outside, but there is a stray cat that I feed. Should I be concerned for her safety?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 1, 2015 at 2:46 pm

      I wouldn’t put it where she could get to it, no.

      Reply
  36. Carolyn says

    April 18, 2015 at 2:33 pm

    This morning I woke up and came downstairs to a ton of ants on my kitchen counter by the sink. I’m sure I killed over 50 or more. I was not only grossed out but furious that I had to spend my Saturday dealing with us. I found your blog & made the mixture & put in some refillable ant traps we had from killingsworth who thankfully destroyed a GIGANTIC any colony in out yard last year. So I filled the ant traps with the borax/sugar/water mixture & in less than an hour we have dozens of ants going back & forth between one of the traps & the wall outlet where they’re going in & out. Yay!!!! I know it could take a couple of days but I’m certain that it will work! Thanks so much! BTW, I put the extra mixture in a small Gatorade bottle that I thoroughly rinsed out. I have enough to refill the 4 traps for the whole season I think!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 18, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      Do keep me posted!!!

      Reply
  37. Stephanie says

    April 6, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    This worked perfectly! Put it out two nights in a row, and ants are 95% gone. I have seen about a dozen in the past five days. I’m going to put out some more tonight, but I’m really pleased with the results so far. Thank you!
    P.S. I only had brown sugar, so I used that.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 6, 2015 at 8:28 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that!

      Reply
  38. Sarah says

    March 26, 2015 at 5:33 am

    FANTASTIC! My home was just overrun with ants, coming in in two places in the kitchen and one in the bathroom. After months of spraying them with windex and having store-bought traps set out to absolutely no avail, I tried this. It’s super-easy and it WORKS. A little over 24 hours after setting out several bait stations, the ants are reduced to about 5 %. I began with stations at the terminal trail points and also nearer the entry points for all three infestations (I think there was more than one nest). The bathroom trail and one of the kitchen trails went right for the sugar mixture, but the heavy trail that had infested the dog food was likely from a diff nest that had more of a grease need so I mixed in a daub of peanut butter. 24 hours later I removed the stations at the ends of the trails, washed them out, and cleaned with vinegar, then washed out and replaced only the stations near the entry points. This stuff does dry out to the point that the ants will just walk right across it so it needs to be replenished every 12 hours or so in my experience. (I just kept a lid on the pot I had cooked it in, and poured more from that. One batch seems to have taken care of all of them… I know I will have stragglers for a few days and plan to leave the washed and replenished stations out for the duration.) Thanks Stacy! This worked when nothing else would (wasn’t about to go for fumigation)/ The infestation was so awful that food preparation was nearly impossible, even when cleaning entire kitchen first. They were also going for the water in my toilet and — gross– every time I had to use it I’d have to lift the lid and clean the ants first. It was a nightmare and no amount of cleaning was working. I have got my house back!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 26, 2015 at 2:08 pm

      And your toilet! Don’t mess with a woman’s toilet, ants! Be gone!

      Reply
  39. T Ater says

    July 16, 2014 at 3:23 am

    I get that one bottle is marked V for vinegar, so what’s in the “P”, because the only P you mentioned was pickles, and I know they are really hard to fit through a spray bottle… Also thanks for the recipe! I am going to mix some up for around the outside of my home, and combine that with a spray bottle of Cinnamon oil / water to spray around inside and at possible entry points as an additional deterrent. Haven’t tried that one yet either, but I figure at the very worst it will smell nice and do nothing.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 16, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      Ha, ha! 🙂 It’s peroxide, not pickles. Sometimes I use it to kill germs.

      Reply
  40. Dena Darling-McBean says

    July 12, 2014 at 6:25 pm

    food grade Demetrious Earth works well also and you don’t need a lid. you can put it behind fridges microwaves. It even kills cockroaches and spiders just make sure it is food grade and not pool grade. Most feed stores have it and you can order it on like also. I have used that for years you can add it to water and spray the outside around your house and they don’t cross the line then. I have used it for a few years now and best product I have seen and fairly cheap also.
    woks for all kinds of Ants and other garden bugs also.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 13, 2014 at 6:00 pm

      We used it for spiders in our basement and it worked well.

      Reply
    • Ann says

      March 17, 2016 at 11:14 am

      Yes, diatomaceous earth is GREAT for slugs too!

      Reply
  41. Tasha Wood says

    June 9, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    Does this work for ants with wings? I have a swarm

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 9, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      I’m sorry – I don’t have experience with that.

      Reply
    • Gbaby707 says

      September 27, 2014 at 6:42 pm

      Those are termites!!

      Reply
  42. CJWest says

    June 1, 2014 at 9:48 pm

    Some ants go for sugar, and some for protein. I’ve even heard that they cycle depending on the needs of the colony. After looking at several blogs and sites, trying 50/50 vinegar, cinnamon, etc. here’s what has worked best for me so far. Cut up an egg carton, so that you have 6 little 2-hole cups. I used 2 mixtures; one in each hole. The first mixture was made with 10 tablespoons of maple syrup mixed with 3/4 teaspoon of Borax, heated slightly in the microwave to help with mixing. Stacy’s sugar mixture should work equally well. (Note: Borax and Boric Acid ARE NOT the same thing. Boric acid, while effective, is not at all safe to have around pets or children. As noted in some of the other comments, you would have to ingest large quantities of Borax to be harmed.) The second mixture was made with 4 tablespoons of peanut butter mixed with 3/4 teaspoon of Borax. I’ve also heard that bacon grease works for this as well, but haven’t tried it. Put a couple of spoonfuls of the sweet mix in one side of the 2-hole cup, and a couple of spoonfuls of the PB mix in the other. Place the traps at strategic points around the outside of your home. Allow the ants to get to and from the bait freely. Don’t kill them, and don’t clean their trails. This is crucial, since you WANT the ants to take the poisoned goodies back to the colony. Replace the traps as necessary to ensure that the ants can still get the goods and it hasn’t dried out. Baiting in this way avoids the possibility, or in my case, likelihood, that you will waste sugar on ants who want fat, and vice versa. I haven’t eradicated them yet, since I just started this treatment yesterday and only put out 3 traps, but I did notice the almost immediate effect that I no longer have a massive trail of ants in my office! They are definitely taking the bait, I’m just not sure if I might need to up the quantity of Borax in the mixes. Some say if you get too much in there, they won’t take it anymore. I’ll try to update in the coming days on how it goes.

    Reply
  43. Tom M. says

    June 1, 2014 at 1:04 pm

    I like to be a little more forceful. A hammer works nicely.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 2, 2014 at 10:08 am

      LOL Oh dear – I like this method.

      Reply
  44. Dorothy Dunham says

    May 31, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    Is this for outside?…..for fire ants?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 2, 2014 at 10:10 am

      I have used it outside, but not for fire ants.

      Reply
  45. Carolyn Hodnett Shelton says

    May 30, 2014 at 1:05 pm

    I have been sprinkling baby powder, and it works for several days…but they still come back eventually. It only seems to work temporarily. I will try this since it sounds like it gets to the root of the problem…killing them all the way back to the nest! Wish me blessings on this!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 2, 2014 at 10:11 am

      Good luck! I have never heard the baby powder thing. You might also try diatomaceous earth.

      Reply
  46. Lindsay says

    May 29, 2014 at 8:50 am

    Will the ants drown in this if they go in the caps?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 29, 2014 at 1:59 pm

      Some of them will.

      Reply
  47. Lindsay Clarke says

    May 24, 2014 at 8:03 am

    Will the ants not fall into the water and drown?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 29, 2014 at 2:00 pm

      Some might – but they usually just eat out of it and crawl back out.

      Reply
  48. Jules says

    May 22, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    I tried this method and the ants here must not be sugar ants but grease ants. Do you have another natural and economical mix for grease ants? Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 29, 2014 at 2:00 pm

      I’m sorry…I have never heard of grease ants? I hope you can find a good solution!

      Reply
    • Lizbeth says

      May 30, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      I know what you mean Jules. Carpenter ants are grease, wood, and glue ants. Sugar ants are the tiny ones. I’ve been using Borax as a powder where ants travel so that they get it on themselves and take it back to the nest and when they clean it off they die.

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        June 2, 2014 at 10:11 am

        Diatomaceous earth is another good option.

        Reply
    • Sherry says

      June 1, 2014 at 3:18 pm

      Maybe peanut butter?

      Reply
    • Nancy Baker says

      June 1, 2014 at 6:40 pm

      Mix the Borax with a dollop of peanut butter and “spread” it on the back of an index card before placing it near your grease ant’s trail. Most will be drawn to the peanut butter and once they ingest it they have eaten the Borax, too.

      Reply
    • MARKO says

      July 23, 2016 at 5:21 am

      Yes, look at the other commenters. They said for grease ants, add some bacon grease or peanut butter to the mixture.

      Reply
  49. Shayla says

    May 15, 2014 at 11:35 am

    When the ants are gone do you pick it up or do you leave it out all the time? They just invaded my sons cereal.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 19, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      I don’t leave it out all the time – I only use it when we have ants.

      Reply
  50. Erin says

    May 11, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    For a kid and pet friendly solution, try sprinkling liberal amounts of cinnamon wherever the ants are getting inside. It totally works! We had ants in the cat food; I poured cinnamon in the windowsill and across the door threshold (smelled great!) and the ants haven’t been back since.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 12, 2014 at 4:52 pm

      Thanks for the fabulous (and good smelling) tip!

      Reply
  51. Barbara says

    April 5, 2014 at 6:49 pm

    Does this work for the black, larger ants? We have always called them “carpenter ants”. I’m not sure they are attracted to sugar….

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 8, 2014 at 2:17 pm

      It can’t hurt to try! It’s pretty cheap to make.

      Reply
  52. Ginny says

    April 5, 2014 at 3:39 pm

    can this be outside by your home ??

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 8, 2014 at 2:17 pm

      I’ve had people tell me they used it outside.

      Reply
  53. Tiny Buggers says

    March 16, 2014 at 11:53 am

    I so your post and thought this might be the answer to our problems. I made the mixture yesterday and put out about 4 or 5 lids with the solution on them. The ants took right to them. I left them out over night and found them in the morning to be even more popular. I decided to clean the areas up. When I picked up the first lid all of the ants ran for the hills, I thought they were all dead! I threw out all of the lids and washed the areas down with Windex. I decided to make another batch this morning and I doubled the amount of Borax I used from yesterday, thinking I did not put in enough. The little buggers took to the new solution just like yesterday.
    My question is how long do you leave the lids with the solution out? My kids are old enough to leave them alone and no pets.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • myersbr2 says

      March 16, 2014 at 3:38 pm

      It’s great news they are taking to it. Keep it up! 4-5 days is sometimes needed to have them start dying. They’ll eat it, take it back to the nest and die there. They don’t die immediately; the borax takes a bit of time to do its job. You’ll see a huge boost in ant traffic for a day or two, then 4-5 days later you’ll find there are almost none (maybe none at all).

      Reply
      • Tiny Buggers says

        March 16, 2014 at 6:16 pm

        Thank you for the update I will write back in a few days to let you know my progress.

        Reply
  54. Carradee says

    March 6, 2014 at 5:00 pm

    Ooo! I’m starting to have an ant problem. The apartment manager will send chemical spray if I complain, but I want to try to get rid of them naturally. I’ll have to try this! I already own Borax for my homemade dishwasher detergent.

    And fortunately my cat isn’t a huge fan of sugar. My mother’s cat, though, LOVES sugar and will chew through plastic wrap to get to the candy my mom makes.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  55. Skymeat says

    February 13, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    I’ve been using this for years. If and when they pop back up it will stop them dead. I put mine in an old maple syrup bottle, and use 1/4 index card.

    Reply
  56. MooreGreen says

    December 22, 2013 at 10:19 am

    I found a product called Best Bug Bait (bestbugbait.com) in Texas. Same concept and inexpensive. Worked like crazy on ants, and other bugs. They have it the Dallas Whole Foods now.

    Reply
  57. Jan Kimbell says

    November 15, 2013 at 8:07 pm

    I saw a similar solution on the web, but liked your recipe better, seems more “substantial”! I did borrow from the 1st one, though, however, (I’ll get to that part in a sec), but thought I’d share what I came up with. I decided to use a small/miniature, 6-count muffin tray turned upside down.You are not putting the solution on any part that you’d use for food, it is very stable, the lip is flush to the ground and not tall. From the first recipe, I borrowed the idea of using cotton balls! Soak up (your recipe) solution in each ball, (obviously, it holds more because it is bigger and taller), then give a little squeeze as you place each one along the inside edge & inside row of the upside down muffin tin. If the squeeze doesn’t get enough solution on the surface, just add more. At night, or when you don’t want kids or cats or dogs to get at it, the muffin tin is easy to pick up and put on top of the fridge or some other safe place (the oven?). You may need to replenish in a few days depending on your own situation. Thought this method might appeal to some of you! In all other parts, Stacy Rules!

    Reply
  58. Carmen says

    October 29, 2013 at 4:12 am

    Hi, I was wondering if I could maybe get some advice…

    So I’ve been having a (seemingly) minor ant problem and I’m contemplating trying this out… I say “minor” because I’ve never really seen swarms–only 5-10 ants every now and then in my kitchen. I’ve since sealed up all my food and cleaned the places where the ants have been. However, I live in a condo so I really have no idea where they’re coming from. If I set these baits out and the ants crawl into this syrup then crawl away to wherever it is that they’re coming from, won’t that leave a trail of sugar between my place and wherever they’re coming from (which might eventually attract other ants–factoring in the possibility that there are other colonies in my building)? There’s no way I can adequately clean their trail after they’ve been in the syrup. Should I still try using this sugar borax solution?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      October 29, 2013 at 7:13 am

      It’s worked for me every time without bringing in new ants. 🙂

      Reply
  59. Pono says

    October 24, 2013 at 2:04 pm

    Thanks for sharing what you know. I’ve found that cutting a drinking straw into short pieces and shooting any bait in the center makes great bait stations.

    Reply
  60. JB says

    September 24, 2013 at 12:26 pm

    Thanks for being awesome!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 24, 2013 at 3:09 pm

      I’m gonna tell my husband you said that. LOL

      Reply
  61. Linley says

    September 22, 2013 at 10:07 am

    This mixture of sugar and boric acid is really the ONLY thing that works….I have been battling ants for five years, since we built our home. I assumed they were sugar ants, but it turns out they are the new and improved Argentinian ants. Check out the base of your shrubs and trees outside – they climb them to eat the aphid waste!

    We had a horrible home invasion of ants the first year, controlled eventually by Terro traps (believe me, I tried all of the Windex, vinegar, cornmeal nonsense). The Terro traps are the same as your mixture, basically, and it works because they take it back to the nest and feed it to the queen. Problem is, you have to keep it up, because they have a gazillion eggs that aren’t affected by the first dose of poison.

    I have successfully rid my home of these pests, but continue to constantly treat the perimeter porches, deck and foundation stone. They particularly love to nest in my gutters (go figure!), so I have to have them cleaned regularly. We have almost an acre of property, and I have seen them everywhere! They are now in my mailbox out at the street….ugh, I hate them so much!!!!

    I put traps out in my vegetable garden this year, but worry about hummingbirds getting to them. Anyone know if they would be attracted to this mixture and/or affected by it?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 23, 2013 at 3:09 pm

      I’m not sure – I don’t know much about birds. 🙁

      Reply
      • Barbara says

        April 5, 2014 at 6:43 pm

        The hummingbirds might be attracted to the mixture because of the sugar…..

        Reply
    • Heather says

      April 12, 2014 at 11:51 pm

      I know it has been a while since this post, but I know humming birds are attracted to color so maybe put the bait on something black or brown and keep it down low.

      Reply
    • Daniela says

      May 4, 2016 at 7:45 pm

      Hi Linley, I have the same huge problem.. it seems to be the new and improved Argentinian ant.
      What recipe did you use for the traps? Thank you!!

      Reply
  62. Becky says

    September 6, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    Hellllllp! 🙁 I only have a small ant problem, so I halved the recipe… Well 3 mins must have been too long to boil, because it turned to a brown, super sticky thick mix. I let it cool and now it’s practically rock hard in my saucepan! How can I get it out? I won’t half the recipe next time!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 7, 2013 at 6:24 am

      I would try soaking it in some water overnight….or for a few days. It’s going to be rather hard to get out. 🙁 It should have been clear and pourable.

      Reply
  63. Maps says

    September 3, 2013 at 1:20 pm

    I have a tip for the brave to make the baits work faster – I put a few baits around where there used to be ants that have since migrated, not expecting much. Then I put a big one near the hole and ant trail where they were coming out of the wall. To get the ants to find the bait faster, I swept up a bunch with a hand held brush and a piece of paper and put them into the bait. Some survived, and the ones that did are already going back to the wall (less than 5 minutes later.) I also poured spoonfuls onto the ant beds in my yard and some other places so hopefully they won’t try to seek food in my home. Wish me luck!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      September 5, 2013 at 9:32 pm

      How did it work out??

      Reply
  64. Stacy says

    August 12, 2013 at 2:27 pm

    Hanging out in a death trap. Ha, ha!

    Reply
  65. Mike says

    August 11, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    This works very well, even without boiling. I have ants every year, and this gets rid of them in a day or 2. Admittedly, bait placement was easier for me because I have pets but no kids. That being said…. for those of you who say that the ants kept on coming back or were not killed (assuming you are making the recipe correctly)
    * realize that you can have dozens of ants nest around your property. First the ants will send out scouts, and your house will be ‘blanketed’ by them, and as soon one of them makes a score, the rest will soon follow. So, you need to make several baits, as colonies will not share baits. You may get away with only making 2, 3, 4…. I usually make about 12 of them. At times I have had to put out about 20 of them, such as during heat waves in the middle of summer.
    * old house, new house, it makes no difference whatsoever. Ants will find a way in.
    * do not clean ant trails. It is a lot of work, and not likely to succeed. The molecules that ants use to leave scent trails are not soluble using anything that will not also eat away your skin, or are otherwise environmentally friendly. Plus, even if you were able to clean the trail on, say, the counter top or floor, you cannot clean the trail the ants leave inside the walls, so the result would be a blanket of a new wave of scouts, and you do not want that => you want them to make a beeline for the bait. An ant trail will evaporate naturally after a few days of disuse, so once you place the baits, the old trail will soon disappear.
    * know your ant. Not all ants are created equal. If the bait does not work, then you probably do not have water or sugar ants. If you are not sure, call an exterminator, or if you can, get a nice, clear, close-up picture and post it to an ant website and ask what kind they are, and go from there.
    * If you have pet dishes on the floor, use a heavy, ceramic food dish, and place it in a shallow tray filled with water. Size the food dish and ‘water trap’ so that the dog cannot slurp up the water. Water ants will walk right across the water and get to the food, but when they take their prize back into the water, they will be too heavy and drown. Also, The ants will not be able to leave a scent trail on the water, and when they die, they will leave a death scent that will tell other ants ‘don’t come here!’
    * you will likely need to replenish baits. One bait can kill an entire colony, but once the colony is dead, a new colony will form.
    * The poison fluid goes into a small plastic container with a lid (small cottage cheese containers, chip dip containers, etc) and poke holes in the lid with an ice pick, and then use duct tape to secure the lid, and I use a loop of duct tape on the bottom to affix it to whatever. Ants can get in the holes, kitty tongues cannot. If you have a dog, you may have to get creative with placement. My solution was to train my dogs to not eat the baits using red Christmas bows as the ‘do not eat this’ identifier.
    Good hunting!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 11, 2013 at 3:16 pm

      They ALWAYS find a way in…no fortress can stop them!

      Reply
  66. Kimberly Castleberry says

    August 11, 2013 at 9:50 am

    Thanks for this recipe! This quickly knocked out a colony that was aggravating me in the kitchen. I blogged, and linked to you, with pictures here: http://happyhomemag.com/ant-killer-recipe/

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 11, 2013 at 3:17 pm

      Thanks so much for the link love! I’m very honored. 🙂

      Reply
  67. Stacy says

    August 11, 2013 at 8:30 am

    Hmmmm, sounds like it. It might still work that way though. Keep me posted.

    Reply
    • Kathleen says

      August 12, 2013 at 12:48 pm

      When I went back, those “stuck” ants were mostly gone. Guess they were just hanging out, vs stuck. 🙂 I still have a couple ants after 2 days, but I am optimistic! Way fewer than before…

      Reply
  68. Kathleen says

    August 10, 2013 at 11:53 am

    Hi! I am current trying this out for the ants in my laundry room. They are definitely going for the syrup, but they just seem to be getting stuck and dying there…did I make the syrup too thick?

    Reply
  69. Stacy says

    August 4, 2013 at 8:03 am

    Those are pesky little boogers. I would press on. And maybe pour some scalding water on their bed if you can find it.

    Reply
    • Nancy Baker says

      June 1, 2014 at 6:47 pm

      Clorox poured into their nests works,too…altho’ it isn’t environmentally approved.

      Reply
  70. V says

    August 3, 2013 at 10:19 am

    This is day 3 and I still have ants. Yes, I make a fresh batch everyday.

    Reply
  71. mouse says

    July 30, 2013 at 1:54 am

    I have little black ants in my kitchen area that seem to work on banker hours, after dark they hide. I’ve put out this mixture and i’ll wait and see. I have tried cornmeal, because I read that grits work to kill them by absorbing body moisture (only having cornmeal on hand) I have tried cinnamon and cyan pepper which worked on my porch but thats when they decided to take up residents in my kitchen. The worst was when my daughter and her friend were eating Lays Carolina BBQ chips and noticed ants on their clothes then looked in the bag and freaked out, ANTS peppered the chips and I’m not sure but they ( the teens ) may have consumed a few crawlies. Now we ziplock everything in our cabinets.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 30, 2013 at 7:51 am

      I have tried cornmeal and grits – neither worked for us. Hope this one works for you!!

      Reply
  72. Sarah Nikolic says

    July 29, 2013 at 10:21 pm

    Just found this site! Whew! Glad to hear this stuff works…these ants are taking over my house and I can’t stand it! I did want to ask about “cleaning their sent trails?” I’m not sure if I can get to all the places they get in…could someone tell me the “whys” and will this still work if I can’t clean every entrance of theirs?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 30, 2013 at 7:54 am

      Just clean everything you can reach. They leave behind a trail that alerts other ants. 🙂

      Reply
      • Tina Ruiz says

        July 24, 2016 at 3:11 am

        What can be used in place of Borax? Any substitutes?

        Thanks.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          July 24, 2016 at 10:32 am

          No, ma’am. That’s the active ingredient.

          Reply
  73. Stacy says

    July 29, 2013 at 9:52 am

    HOORAY!!!!

    Reply
  74. pignkitty says

    July 27, 2013 at 9:34 pm

    today is the 2nd day since we put the bait out, only less then 1/4 of ants still around! So glad it works! thank you so much for the recipe, I blog about it with some pictures here: http://fancythatcookies.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  75. Stacy says

    July 26, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    I’m not sure I would put it over there with the sugar in it. I don’t know much about bees though. 🙁

    Reply
  76. Abbey Normal says

    July 26, 2013 at 2:58 am

    Here is an interesting question. I have an ant problem but my ant problem isn’t affecting my house. It is affecting my beehive I have in the back yard. There are not a lot of ants, yet, but I can usually see 2 to 3 ants crawling around the outside of the hive. If they got inside I think the bees will kill them.
    Regardless I want to get rid of the ants but I don’t want to kill my bees. Both ants and bees like sweet substances and if I put anything sweet down for ants I’m afraid the bees will get into it. And I worry about the ants tracking the borax/sugar combination into the beehive.

    Reply
  77. Rachel says

    July 25, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    Hi Stacy! So we have a serious any problem, did the bait and we were ant free for a week. They are back in force! We poured boiling water over any nests we could find outside as well, still ants! I’m wondering after you initially put it out, did you keep putting it out as a continual kind of deterrent? We live in a very arid area and I’m wondering does it dry up if I just leave it out each week? Do you know how often I should keep putting it out? I am so grossed out and embarrassed when people come over! Help!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 25, 2013 at 10:04 pm

      It does dry out, so you’d need to replace it. You can make a batch and keep it in an airtight container and it won’t dry out for a while.
      My ants have never come back after dying. You must have some pretty persnickity ants. 🙂

      Reply
      • Rachel says

        July 26, 2013 at 4:12 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
      • V says

        August 3, 2013 at 10:27 am

        Just had to laugh when I read “My ants have never come back after dying”…..LOL

        Reply
  78. Michelle says

    July 23, 2013 at 9:17 am

    You are a LIFESAVER! … and this stuff is absolutely wonderful! Here’s my story…

    2 days ago, hubby found sugar ants, a lot of them, on our carpet by our table between our couches. Lord only knows what’s been spilled over there, as he’s pretty messy, along with our 2 and 3 year old. We immediately took action, flipping over the couches and breaking out the vacuum. Vacuumed them up and removed the side table and took it outside to be cleaned and such, in case that was what was attracting them. As we don’t keep any bug spray or killer of any kind in the house, since we don’t usually need it, I didn’t know WHAT to do. I started doing google searches. Got out spray bottles with white vinegar and started spraying the walls and baseboard with it, scrubbing down the walls and wiping off stray ants that hadn’t been vacuumed up. Broke out dish soap and water and a spray bottle and HAND WASHED the carpet over there, armed with some clean towels, my spray bottle, and elbow grease… a LOT of elbow grease. Finally after a couple hours, I hadn’t seen but maybe 5 ants, and thought maybe that had put them at bay and maybe, JUST MAYBE, we were home free. Little did I know what was coming next…

    The next morning, I woke up to find my kitchen counter, where my toaster oven and toaster sit, by the kitchen sink was now the center of their attention. UGH. I again, broke out the vinegar, dish soap and water, and began drowning the suckers in whatever was closest…. Being that we only have one vehicle and hubby was at work with ours and of COURSE, he had left his cell phone at home, I was getting super frustrated with what to do with these darn ants! I made a call to my Mom, asking her to bring bug spray, ant traps, and TERRO. She had prior obligations.. OF COURSE, I thought, of course. Google, here I come! After about 15 minutes, I came across this blog. You don’t realize how much agony, frustration, and stress this blog has prevented! Within 15 minutes of finding this blog, I had already threw together the concoction, and it was cooling. 30 minutes later, I was putting my girls down for a nap, pouring this homemade terro in the tupperware lids I had already got down, and setting 3 of these bait/traps in places I had seen/killed ants earlier. I figured there wasn’t much more I could do. I took the opportunity to nap while the girls were, after clearing everything, and I mean EVERYTHING I possibly could, off the counters in my kitchen. Woke up from my nap and those suckers were SWARMING one particular lid… Honestly, I let out an evil, EVIL laugh. It’s working, it’s working! It was an odd conversation with the hubby when he get home, explaining to him to leave the concoctions alone, and to leave the ants alone, as he’s looking at them all in disgust. BUT, I’m glad to say, I woke up this morning to MAYBE 20 ants between all 3 baits (comparing to the HUNDREDS yesterday morning). I will continue to leave this out for another 4 days or so, like you’re supposed to, and hope I don’t have this problem again, but knowing, if I do, I know EXACTLY what to do.

    Again, thank you SO MUCH. You’re a sanity saver. This stuff is a stay-at-home Mom’s DREAM when something like this happens.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 23, 2013 at 9:47 pm

      Thanks so much for that testimonial!

      Reply
  79. Emily says

    July 22, 2013 at 12:22 pm

    Hi, we are having a sugar ant problem in my house, and I also have a messyalmost 3yo. The ants seem to be coming in where my kitchen sink meets the counter. Can I put some of this mixture in that corner and see what happens? I am seriously grossed out that they are on my counter…

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 22, 2013 at 5:09 pm

      Sure. I’ve used it on the counter lots of times. 🙂

      Reply
      • emily says

        July 22, 2013 at 8:12 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  80. Barbara says

    July 20, 2013 at 9:30 pm

    Just read in comments below about the Borax taking care of anything w/legs, lol. I’m dying to try it for mice, they drive me crazy!!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 21, 2013 at 7:05 am

      You need a cat for that! 🙂

      Reply
      • Barbara says

        July 21, 2013 at 7:49 am

        Yeah, I know, I have a part time cat, she does what she can, lol.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          July 21, 2013 at 8:40 am

          Sounds like she needs some motivation. LOL

          Reply
  81. Dee says

    July 16, 2013 at 3:05 am

    I’ve been having an indoor problem with a lot of small black ants over the last couple of weeks. They are coming in behind my kitchen cabinets up the wall and then come over the counter around the sink. Over the last 3 days I’ve reduced their number a great deal by spraying them with Commercial Grade Windex glass cleaner from Lowes as soon as I see them. It kills them almost instantly. Today I accidentally grabbed the Vanilla & Moonlight scented Fabreze instead and it killed them even faster. AN INSTANT KILL!!! I figure either product is MUCH safer to use than bug killers. I’ve mixed up some Terro tonight and put it out after doing the recommended cleaning with vinegar. There’s no ants coming to eat it yet but I should know more tomorrow. Thanks so much for posting what has worked for you.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 16, 2013 at 9:17 am

      LOL That makes me think of My Big Fat Greek Wedding! Have you seen that movie?!

      Reply
  82. Stacy says

    July 7, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Well, I’ve never heard of that! Thanks for the information! 🙂

    Reply
  83. Denese says

    July 6, 2013 at 5:40 pm

    Thanks for this useful information! We’ve been overwhelmed with ants this year. We’ve tried all kings of things to get rid of them and the effects have been short lived. Terro worked but only for a little while and it was hard to find. I’ll try this home brew and the vinegar wash, since I use vinegar to clean most everything. I’d also like to suggest from our most recent success that you can use Texas Cedarwood essential oil to kill ants and discourage any more from coming back. I take an eyedropper to a bottle of the Cedarwood oil and drop around window sills & floor joints. I’ve washed the floors around the cat bowls with the oil and it seems to keep the little buggers away for a day or two. I may mix some with the vinegar and see how that works.

    Reply
  84. Stacy says

    July 6, 2013 at 7:49 am

    Well, I’ve never had that happen. Hmmmm. Did you clean the site with vinegar first?

    Reply
    • Sharon Rinde says

      July 6, 2013 at 8:54 pm

      Yes I did. It was a 1 part vinegar to 1 part water with some lemon essential oil. The ants are still going after the “syrup” and there is less of the ants, but they are still coming in. Is this suppose to kill them? My husband thinks that since we’ve had ant problems ever since moving in here, that maybe it’s a much bigger problem than we thought and it’s just going to take awhile. Do you think I should clean the area again, and put down a fresh batch and see what happens? I even put some outside where I think they are coming in from. But they aren’t going after it anymore on the outside, just on the inside of my house. I read somewhere that someone does equal parts of the borax to the sugar.

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        July 7, 2013 at 7:07 am

        Mine are usually all gone within 3-4 days. I would take it up, clean it again, and start over. If you have a LOT of them it might take longer.

        Reply
        • Sharon Rinde says

          July 7, 2013 at 1:53 pm

          Thanks Stacy! You’re amazing how fast you respond. Thank you for taking your precious time and sharing! I’m cleaning it all up today & starting over. There does seem to be a lot less ants today. Really only a few stragglers. I put some of the mix outside as well where I saw them coming into a crack in the stucco by the front door. I’m hoping that helps. Thanks again!

          Reply
          • Stacy says

            July 7, 2013 at 3:25 pm

            Less ants?! HOORAY!!! 🙂 Hopefully tomorrow they’ll be dead and long gone!

  85. Sharon Rinde says

    July 5, 2013 at 11:59 am

    Hi Stacy, I recently discovered your blog and am in love with all the stuff I’m learning from you! I am newer to cleaning naturally and cheaply. I had a HUGE ant infestation the other day, we found the source where they are coming into the house from a crack in the grout on our tile. I made this homemade ant killer and put it out. The ants immediately went for it. However, it’s been sitting out from 3 1/2 days now, and the ants are still coming in. They stay around where the “syrup” is. Do I need to keep waiting, should I put down a fresh batch? Or did I do something wrong that is making it not work?

    Reply
  86. Stacy says

    June 30, 2013 at 9:37 pm

    That’s really smart! I’m so glad it works for you too.

    Reply
  87. Melissa says

    June 30, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    Hi Stacy, I think you and I are kindred spirits!! Everything I have read on your page resonates with me, ESPECIALLY living debt free. I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting your blog, and I plan to stop by again!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 30, 2013 at 9:37 pm

      I love finding kindred spirits! And I love Anne of Green Gables! 🙂

      Reply
  88. MJ says

    June 30, 2013 at 2:46 pm

    I use this recipe and it works wonders. To make it a little more child/pet safe I use glass bullion jars with ant sized wholes pocked in the cap. It just takes an inch or so of the liquid in the bottom to work. I wouldn’t leave a child unattended with it but its better than an open container. I like to place one jar outside of the house where they are coming in. Most of the time the ants are gone from the house the next morning because they don’t have to travel the extra footage to get to food.

    Reply
  89. Stacy says

    June 20, 2013 at 12:00 pm

    Yeah, be gone ants…this is MY house.

    Reply
  90. janice says

    June 20, 2013 at 8:46 am

    Thank you! Thank you! I used this and WOW! totally works. I also learned that vinegar eradicates the scent trail, which I never could figure out how to eliminate that, so thank you on that note as well. I would leave Diatomaceous earth all over my counters before I left for work hoping to get rid of the little pests but this stuff is AMAZING. I watched as they ate themselves silly…That actually sounds a little messed up but…who cares…bugs outside are ok, well not mosquitos, but in the house, that is my territory! Thanks again!

    Reply
  91. Jackie Conklin says

    June 6, 2013 at 12:11 pm

    I wanted to use this because ants are coming in from all directions. If only I could find the borax in my store! Bummer:-(

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      June 6, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      I’ve found it at Target and Kroger. And I’ve heard they also have it at Walmart.

      Reply
    • Pat says

      June 25, 2013 at 4:33 pm

      WALMART

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        June 25, 2013 at 6:11 pm

        They also carry it at Target. 🙂

        Reply
    • Name says

      June 26, 2013 at 5:24 pm

      Just make sure you look in the laundry detergent aisle. It should be in the same area as the Rit dyes. I found mine within the 5 foot shelfing area where they keep the dyes and powders and such. I hope this helps some! Have a wonderful day! DEATH TO ANTS! lol! 😉 <3

      Reply
  92. Nancy says

    May 30, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    Stacy, this stuff is great! For the last hour, my cat and I have been watching the ants pour out from the baseboard to feast on this. I put a big blob on foil next to where they go in and out, the foil is covered! I know, I need a life, but this was great evening entertainment. My cat and I have been chanting, “death to the ants,”

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 31, 2013 at 7:31 am

      I chant that too. 🙂 Hope they’re gone today!

      Reply
      • Nancy says

        May 31, 2013 at 10:35 am

        So far so good. I am 60 years old, but have learned a ton of cool stuff from you, plus, I often burst out laughing at your comments.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          May 31, 2013 at 1:48 pm

          🙂 Thanks!

          Reply
  93. Cheryl says

    May 25, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    This totally works!! Thanks for posting this!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 25, 2013 at 2:37 pm

      Hooray!!!

      Reply
  94. Reks says

    May 7, 2013 at 7:21 am

    I’m not sure if there are any borax item sold in my country so I want to ask, if normal laundry detergent works on this?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 7, 2013 at 7:56 am

      No….maybe look for diatomaceous earth.

      Reply
      • Reks says

        May 7, 2013 at 8:39 am

        I think this is even worse, not even heard of this and I think it wouldn’t appear on the market. Thanks anyway, just want to know if normal laundry detergent work, if can’t, maybe I go try find for borax.

        Reply
        • Charmaine Flecha says

          June 27, 2013 at 8:45 pm

          Maybe you can look online under Sodium Tetraborate Decahydrate (Borax) they sometimes sell it on Amazon in the UK under it’s tech. name. I don’t know just a thought. Hope it helps.

          Reply
  95. Erica says

    May 3, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    Found this on interest, going to try it. Sounds like a win win!

    Reply
    • Erica says

      May 3, 2013 at 2:27 pm

      Oops interest. Not interest.

      Reply
      • Erica says

        May 3, 2013 at 2:27 pm

        OK guess auto correct wins. Lol.

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          May 3, 2013 at 2:38 pm

          LOL Been there. Been there.

          Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 3, 2013 at 2:37 pm

      I hope it works great for you!

      Reply
  96. Alexandra says

    May 2, 2013 at 7:41 am

    Would this work on pillbugs? I have an infestation of pillbugs in my bathroom. The oddest place, I know. Also would borax hurt plants if you sprinkled it outside to kill bugs? Just wondering

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 3, 2013 at 6:59 am

      I’m not sure what pillbugs are, but you might want to try diatomaceous earth. Get the food grade type. I bought mine from Amazon. 🙂

      Reply
  97. Leslie says

    April 21, 2013 at 10:05 pm

    Our contractor told us to put borax down inside the walls and behind our new cabinets when we had our kitchen remodeled, to keep ants, roaches and mice away. His words were that ‘borax keeps away anything with legs!’ He says they always sprinkle it down in the walls of new houses. I thought that was a great tip, if you ever do any remodeling! The only thing ‘with legs’ we’ve seen since then were some ants, but they were right at the front door…far from the kitchen.

    Reply
  98. Leslie says

    April 21, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    We recently had an ant invasion after a heavy rain (seems to always happen that way), so I sprinkled some plain borax along the baseboards, following their trail. Within a day, they were totally gone. The bug man came a week later and I told him we had had a recent ant problem. When I told him I’d put down borax, he said he uses boric acid (borax) pellets all around the outside of the house and to just keep doing what I was doing if I ever see them inside. I thought it was funny that our pest control company uses borax, too, but if it works, it works!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 22, 2013 at 9:05 am

      That sounds like how we use diatomaceous earth!

      Reply
  99. Ann says

    April 10, 2013 at 11:30 am

    Be very careful to not get it on the stove, it pitted my black glass surface:( Sure hope it gets rid of the ants. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 10, 2013 at 1:44 pm

      Boooooooooo!!! 🙁 Hope it works for you too.

      Reply
      • Ann says

        April 11, 2013 at 10:14 am

        I know! But it’s a good lesson to me and hope it warns others to be more careful than I was. Who would have believed burnt sugar could do that? On the brighter side, I think it’s working already!!! I filled yogurt lids and laid them at different places on top of my cupboards. This morning I found some of the lids had ants and other lids didn’t. I moved the other lids next to the ones that had ants in them. Will let you know next week with, hopefully, a good report. Your site is wonderful. 🙂

        Reply
        • Stacy says

          April 11, 2013 at 1:52 pm

          Hooray! Keep me posted.

          Reply
          • Ann says

            April 25, 2013 at 10:17 am

            I’m so happy to report that it worked! And as a side benefit, I instead of creeped out I’m now intrigued by the little pests. I spent way too much time watching them crawl from one place to the “feast” then back again to share it with their nest-mates. The little guys came in at the point where the moulding meets the ceiling. I taped a little clear plastic cup to the places they would enter with white duct tape. I “painted” the tape with the mixture and they were easy to see and fun to watch them as I sat at this computer. After three days there weren’t any on top of the cupboards, but I do see one or two after it rains on the white tape with the killer-paste, that I will leave on the moulding for awhile.
            I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you shared this great safe ant killer. Thanks Stacy!

          • Stacy says

            April 26, 2013 at 8:24 am

            I’m so glad it worked for you!

  100. renee reynolds says

    April 8, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    OK I am wanting to kill fire ants outside where I feed squirrels and birds ..solo since they don’t usually eat that stuff will it be safe to put out ? Or maybe just at night I guess. Thank you I will try out and let you know ! Sounds good! 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 9, 2013 at 11:46 am

      Hmmmm, I’m not entirely sure. I’ve never put it outside before.

      Reply
  101. AmandaWright says

    March 22, 2013 at 1:08 am

    ok im gonna try this…i HATE ants and its out of controll here….ALSO, Dottie is a great name <3

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 22, 2013 at 7:29 am

      🙂 She was named when we got her, but I agree!

      Reply
  102. Rebecca says

    March 18, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    Just whipped some up…uuuuhhhhhh

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 19, 2013 at 7:17 am

      Hope it works great!

      Reply
  103. Donna says

    March 17, 2013 at 5:15 pm

    I had to share that this also works for roaches… Those irritating German roaches we get in Texas that even the exterminators say are impossible to get rid of once someone accidentally gets an egg stuck to a shoe or something and brings them into your house.

    Ants annoy me, but roaches creep me out. I used your recipe to get rid of some sugar ants, and found the side benefit that it got rid of the roaches too. Unfortunately, I live in Texas and they just come back anyway. BUT I’ve figured out if I put out the bait every month we are roach free.

    So much cheaper than the exterminator and no odd chemicals in the house with 3 kids. Horray!!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 18, 2013 at 7:41 am

      Wow, Donna! That’s GREAT! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂

      Reply
    • Sonya says

      April 16, 2013 at 9:59 am

      I’m sooooo glad to know it works on roaches! I don’t know what kind we have, but they are big. We just moved in and have seen them a handful of times. Time for them to leave! Thanks for posting the recipe, Stacy!

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        April 16, 2013 at 4:13 pm

        You’re welcome!!

        Reply
  104. Scott says

    March 2, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    Just mixed up a batch. And put a time-lapse camera on it. I’ll let you know how it goes and send you the link to the time-lapse video once edited.

    I have a hunch Australian ants don’t care about your recipe.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 3, 2013 at 2:43 pm

      Those Australian ants must be ornery. Ha! 🙂

      Reply
    • Julia says

      March 19, 2013 at 10:55 pm

      Scott, did you do this? I have two types of ants, one that I would expect to go for this bait, another that probably wont. The ones that won’t are odd, they invade my house to eat tissues. I can’t work that one out.

      I recently tried a bait for flies, it didn’t work on the regular house flies that drive me mad, but all the little ones that come in to hang around the fruit bowl went for it. It was two tablespoons of sugar in a jar, half fill it with vinegar and top it up with water, then cover the top with a piece of paper held on with a rubber band and poke a hole in it about the right size for the flies.

      Reply
  105. Chris says

    January 28, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    I followed your directions closely, but once the mixture cooled it got rock hard, and the ants don’t seem to be going for it at all. Is it supposed to remain soft or is it supposed to do that? What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      January 29, 2013 at 7:05 am

      Hmmm, no that’s not how it’s supposed to be. I’ve never had it turn out like that. My only thought is that perhaps the sugar got too hot and formed a candy like substance. I’d try again and not boil so hard or long. Sometimes different pots get hotter than others.

      Reply
  106. Kelly says

    January 26, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    A little off topic — a different bug, anyhow — but a natural, EFFECTIVE killer for roaches, should you need to kill them, is simply….. soapy water! Unfortunately, we got some big ones coming in last summer… not sure why… we aren’t dirty and it didn’t happen until our neighbors moved out… hmmmm… but I kept a regular spray bottle of soapy water (dish soap, in my case) in our bathroom (for nighttime surprises) and in the kitchen. Just spray them down over and over and you’ll see them keel over in front of you. Better than Raid and better than squishing them. But I still like to resort to my other method…. “HONEY….. BUUUUUUUUGGG!” 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      January 27, 2013 at 7:44 am

      Yeah – if it was a roach, I would totally call Barry home from work – and then tell him your trick. LOL

      Reply
  107. Marsha says

    January 22, 2013 at 9:35 am

    This is the best ant killer I have used I am actually here because I miss placed my recipe for it. Haven’t had ants in a year until recently and I kno they will depart in just 2 days

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      January 22, 2013 at 2:44 pm

      SWEET! Thanks for the testimonial! 🙂

      Reply
  108. Breanne says

    January 15, 2013 at 4:01 pm

    Stumbled upon this site looking for “clean” home remedies. We had an ant problem last summer and I wanted to see what your solution was- same recipe! We kept it in a mason jar, and instead of jar lids we soaked cotton balls in the solution and placed them around the house, including outside. I don’t have children, and after reading about the daughter sucking the ant bait it might not be a good idea with kids, but I have 2 doxie’s and they completely left the bait alone. They actually had more interest in the old poison traps we tried (which I quickly threw away). I didn’t know about cleaning their trails, thanks for that advice!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      January 15, 2013 at 5:37 pm

      We have a doxie too! 🙂

      Reply
  109. Dee Dee McKean says

    December 31, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    This stuff worked great !!! Simply amazing !!! We put it out yesterday afternoon ants had a huge party and now they are gone!!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      December 31, 2012 at 8:53 pm

      AWESOME!!! 🙂

      Reply
  110. Laurie says

    August 24, 2012 at 8:57 am

    I’ve also used honey and borax with great results and no cooking! Very quick and easy.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 24, 2012 at 10:13 am

      Great tip!

      Reply
  111. John says

    August 10, 2012 at 9:57 pm

    Wow! This stuff works GREAT and has NO smell!
    It’s very easy to clean up with just a wet cloth.
    We put the bait right on the path of an ant trail coming into the kitchen before going to bed last night … The ants were gathering and enjoying their “Borax Party”. When we woke up this morning there were a couple of dead ants, but not a live one to be found anywhere! We left the bait out all day in case, but no ants came back. Great solution, thanks for the tip!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      August 11, 2012 at 6:17 am

      I’m tickled to hear that! 🙂

      Reply
  112. Adam says

    July 23, 2012 at 3:28 am

    Thanks so much for the recipe! I noticed we were being invaded tonight and I put out the last of the Liquid Terro in a prescription bottle cap. They love the Terro but I’ve gone through several bottles this past year and didn’t want to have to buy another bottle. So, lo and behold, I googled for a homemade recipe and found your easy-to-understand (and fun!) recipe page. Thanks so much! 🙂

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 23, 2012 at 5:43 am

      Good luck! I hate those creepy crawly ants. 🙂

      Reply
  113. Pamasita says

    June 27, 2012 at 1:45 pm

    I have never tried this remedy, but my mother swears by it. Just sprinkle cornmeal around the area where you are seeing the ants, they will take it back to the nest, & presto, it kills them all, cause they can’t digest the cornmeal. Harm-free!

    Reply
    • Barry says

      June 28, 2012 at 4:10 pm

      I have heard this method works for lots of people…but we have tried and tried and our ants just won’t bite. 🙁

      Reply
  114. Stephanie says

    May 13, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Does this work on all kinds of ants? We have the big carpenter ants, which don’t tend to hang out in packs. We’ve tried a different ant poison recipe which they didn’t even touch. I’m about at my wits end trying to figure out how they think!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 13, 2012 at 9:17 pm

      Stephanie, I’m not sure…we have the small, swarming type of ants here. But, you could give it a try and see! 🙂

      Reply
  115. Katie says

    May 6, 2012 at 7:15 pm

    We must have very smart ants in these parts! 😉

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 7, 2012 at 7:33 am

      LOL

      Reply
  116. Katie says

    May 6, 2012 at 2:58 pm

    When I made a liquid version, the ants weren’t going for it. When I left it as a powder, it worked. http://www.livingcrunchy.com/2012/03/how-to-get-rid-of-ants-the-natural-way/

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 6, 2012 at 4:25 pm

      Wow…that’s the first time I’ve heard that. Thanks for passing that along! 🙂 My whole family uses the liquid version with great success, but I’ll keep this in mind.

      Reply
  117. Laura says

    May 3, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    THANK YOU! I had Terro on the list this week b/c my ants have surfaced once again. I am going to try this instead! Terro is becoming hard for me to find and it costs more.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      May 3, 2012 at 9:04 pm

      I hope it works great for you!

      Reply
  118. Jenn says

    April 27, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    I’ll have to try this! We have ants every year, and we’ve tried everything from sugar and baking soda to pest control, and NOTHING has worked. Not even the pest control people who doused our home with poisonous chemicals (I wasn’t keen on that solution, but my hubby was fed up and he called them). Ant traps are out of the question; I have forbidden my hubby from laying them down after I caught my daughter sucking on one of them one day (needless to say, I completely freaked out on that occasion. My daughter, fortunately, was completely fine).

    Anyway, my point is that I would love to find a natural solution that doesn’t involve any poisonous chemicals, but that actually WORKS (unlike the baking soda & sugar, which just seemed to provide them with a nice, yummy buffet).

    My neighbors told me to try sticking dryer sheets in the places they enter the house…something about the smell offending them and keeping them out. Yeah, well, that didn’t work either. Anyway, I am SO going to try this! Thanks for sharing! The testimonials are very encouraging!

    I’m going to Stumble this for you! Hopefully some other folks will happen upon it too! 🙂

    Have a great weekend!
    Smiles, Jenn @Misadventures in Motherhood

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 27, 2012 at 3:13 pm

      I feel your husband’s pain. That’s how I felt before we started using this. LOL I tried everything natural – people swore by grits and Cream of Wheat. For some reason, my ants weren’t interested in grits or Cream of Wheat. I hope this works as good for you as it does for me…and my mom! 🙂

      Reply
  119. Rheann says

    April 27, 2012 at 11:19 am

    I have used Diatomaceous Earth, which looks like a white powder, that you can buy at your local feed store to kill ants. It works wonders also. It is earth friendly, so if you have pets and children there is no worry at all for them. Lots of different uses for this stuff, but I mainly use it for ants.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 27, 2012 at 11:20 am

      Never heard of it. Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
    • rann says

      September 7, 2012 at 11:48 am

      Diatomaceous Earth, while good, is a fine powder and a bit messy. Is the remains of a type of hard-shelled algae that has fossilized. The ants or roaches for that matter, crawl through this and it cuts their exoskeletons. So, better to put this in cracks, behind appliances and in out of the way places.

      I’m going to try this recipe but rather than put in shallow plastic lids, I’ll bought a bunch of cheap, plastic shot glasses and will put a bit of paper towel in each, then fill with the liquid. I’ll then put them around the house where ants are most active.

      They literally took over my kitchen and were coming in through the ceiling. What a mess when I sprayed. Dead ants and needed to wash everything that the spray fell on.

      Reply
      • Stacy says

        September 8, 2012 at 9:33 am

        You’re right – it is a tad bit messy….so I’ve only been using it in places where that doesn’t matter. 🙂

        Reply
    • Miranda says

      October 16, 2015 at 8:43 pm

      Make sure you get food-grade DE; the stuff for swimming pools is toxic to humans!

      Reply
  120. Sara says

    April 17, 2012 at 10:16 pm

    Just made a batch and within 5 minutes I had a hoard of ants. Die ants die! Thank you so very much for posting this! I dispise ants but worry about bait with my two little girls. Thank you again this is awesome!!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 18, 2012 at 6:44 am

      I surely hope they go bye-bye. Keep me posted! 🙂

      Reply
  121. Valerie says

    April 11, 2012 at 9:16 am

    I know this works! Every spring, I mix up a batch of “Auntie Val’s Bug Juice” using the same ingredients and put it in empty yogurt containers near our doors, both inside and outside. Within a few days, ants are gone!

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 11, 2012 at 9:37 am

      Thanks Valerie! I’ll add this above. 🙂

      Reply
  122. Lenna says

    April 6, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    I know borax is harmful to humans, so will mixing it in a sauce pan that we frequently use be harmful too? Obviously we will wash the pan after, but I just don’t know if there is any residue left?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 6, 2012 at 12:44 pm

      Lenna, Borax is actually not as harmful as people think. There’s not a single warning label on the box. You might find this post helpful: http://www.crunchybetty.com/getting-to-the-bottom-of-borax-is-it-safe-or-not
      When I use Borax, I just make sure I thoroughly wash everything…..just like I would with any other cleaner I used. 🙂 Hope that helps!

      Reply
  123. Elise says

    April 4, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Oh my, we have been fighting ants ever since February. Definitely trying this one. (crossing fingers that it works) 😉

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      April 4, 2012 at 10:30 am

      I do so hope it works as good for you as it does for me and my family! 🙂

      Reply
  124. Shana Putnam says

    March 29, 2012 at 10:00 pm

    So this works outside too?? My son is deathly allergic to ants. We live on 11 acres and yes we have lots of ants. I battle them every single year and am so tired of it. I have to use spray in the house but can’t use chemicals outside as we have free range chickens and I don’t want them ingesting the stuff or our horse. If I could do bowls with lids and holes poked in them that would be awesome.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 30, 2012 at 6:39 am

      Shana, I have never used it outside…but I’ve never had an ant problem outside. I would just go ahead and try it to see. Yesterday morning I woke up to ants in our kitchen. I put this out and they were all gone by the time I went to bed. And there are none there this morning. 🙂

      Reply
  125. THX1138 says

    March 16, 2012 at 11:18 pm

    Borax is almost exactly as toxic as ordinary table salt, so you or your dog would have to ingest over a pound of it to be fatal. It is very safe to humans and pets.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      March 17, 2012 at 6:41 am

      If Dottie found something other than her dog food, she might ingest a pound. LOL

      Reply
  126. Amanda says

    July 24, 2011 at 7:36 am

    Dumb question, suppose I put this out, the ants eat it and then my dog eats the ants before they die. My pattern would be similar to yours as far as putting it out when we are all in bed and naps. But I didn’t know if they die fast or what.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 24, 2011 at 7:08 pm

      Not dumb at all. Since ants are so little, and ingest a small amount compared to what a dog gets with one swipe of his/her tongue, I wouldn’t think it would hurt the dog badly……although I wouldn’t let Dottie eat it. 🙂 They die fairly fast, usually within 24 hours so I’d just try to keep all pets and children away.

      Reply
  127. Tara says

    July 20, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    Just wondering if you can store the mixture and if so for how long?

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 20, 2011 at 4:58 pm

      Great questions Tara! 🙂 I made my last batch about two-three months ago and it still looks just like the day I made it. As for storage, we just put ours in an old yogurt container.

      Reply
  128. YIN says

    July 14, 2011 at 7:28 am

    It worked…..Thank you! After 12 hours, almost all the ants are gone….yeah! Thanks again.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 14, 2011 at 8:07 am

      GREAT! 🙂

      Reply
  129. jenny says

    July 13, 2011 at 11:26 am

    We use a similiar recipe…I just take the Borax and mix it with a little honey in a lid, and presto~ the ants flock to it, and then magically “disappear” after a couple of days!

    Reply
  130. Christina says

    July 13, 2011 at 11:14 am

    I love Terro and next time I need it, I’ll do this and make my own. We used Terro this year (like every other year) only they still wouldn’t go away after like 2 weeks. My husband read some stuff online and saw something about baby powder, so we put it right where they were coming in the house at and presto! No ants within 12 hours and they’re still not back!

    Reply
  131. YIN says

    July 13, 2011 at 9:02 am

    WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ANTS LATELY. I SPRAY AND THEY COME BACK. I WILL TRY YOUR RECIPE TODAY AND SEE HOW IT GOES…I CAN’T WAIT:-)

    Reply
  132. Allison @ Novice Life says

    July 13, 2011 at 7:55 am

    Great tip — thanks for sharing. We get ants on our patio every summe – ugh.

    Also, didn’t realize that about the borax!! Good to know!

    Reply
  133. Amanda says

    July 13, 2011 at 6:39 am

    Not sure why that says wiggiliest ….stupid smart phone.

    Reply
  134. Amanda says

    July 13, 2011 at 6:38 am

    This stuff is awesome and it works!!! I kept a couple of small bowels wiggliest like sheds spread. I poked holes in the bowel about halfway down, poured the terro in and snapped the lid on. I left one indoors put one under my house and another near the trash can outside. We were ant free after about 4 days.

    Reply
    • Stacy says

      July 13, 2011 at 9:19 am

      Thanks for the testimony Amanda! 🙂

      Reply


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