I am sure you hate seeing ants on counter tops, in the pantry and worst, on the dining table. One minute your table is doing ok and the next minute you look a line of ants are already marching along and taking over the cookies you have placed on the table for the kids’ snacks. Annoying, isn’t it?

There are several ways of getting rid of ants. Each of them are very easy to do and, should you need specific materials or tools, I am sure they can easily be found within the house.

How to Get Rid of Ants Easily and Cheaply

Clean Up After Meals

As much as possible, make sure that there are no food spills or crumbs on counter tops and the dining table. Clean up immediately after meals and make sure to eat your meals at the dining table. If it can’t be avoided and you really want to have your dinner or snacks in the living room, use a tray to hold the dishes. Placemats are also recommended for easier clean up.

Vinegar Solution

Mix one part water and one part vinegar. I personally use apple cider vinegar, but if you don’t have it in stock, any kind of vinegar will do. Put the mixture of water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on tables and countertops every so often within the day. Ants hate the smell of vinegar so I’m sure they’ll leave your table and counters alone.

Chalk or Baby Powder

Chalk and Baby Powder contains talcum powder, which is a natural ant repellent. Sprinkle some baby powder or draw a line using a chalk on the spot where the army of annoying ants is coming from.

Cucumber or Orange Peels

Actually you can use either cucumber peels, orange peels, lemon peels or any other citrus peels. Ants avoid citrus peels because the peels are toxic to the specific type of fungi that the ants feed on.

Baking Soda

My mom used to do this trick and it worked wonders every time. Just sprinkle some baking soda on the ant line or even just on the spot where the line is coming from.

I have tried all of these tips myself and they have all worked splendidly for me. My favorite so far is using cucumber and orange peels. And of course, keeping my table crumb-free helps an awful lot!

Good luck! Let me know if any of these tips have helped you fight off those nasty ants!

What about you? Do you have other tried and tested ways of getting rid of ants? Share it with the community by commenting on this post or by emailing me at blog@mommymakeitbetter.com. I’d be so happy to hear from you.