Homemade Ant Traps

There are many reasons why people may chose to make their own ant traps. For some people they may want to save money, others may have pets and be afraid that commercial products will hurt them, and then there are some that are looking for a method that doesn't kill ants. If you are in the first two groups of people than this article is for you. My homemade ant traps are cheap and easy to make and they kill the ants without hurting your pets.

I started making my own ant traps in an effort to save money. I have used commercial baits in the past and my animals have never bothered with them. However, this summer the ant invasion was the worst it has ever been and when I went to the store to buy traps, I realized that some of them said "without Borax" and this made me realize that if some ant traps use Borax, I could probably make my own traps. So, I left the store, kept the money in my purse, and experimented with making homemade ant traps.

After a few weeks of using the traps, I have found that they seem to actually work better than the store bought ones. The only downside is I had to see all the ants in the trap and it was a little gross. I will say that seeing them in the trap was still better than seeing them in my food!

Here is what you will need to make homemade ant traps:

• honey
• Borax (can be found in the laundry section of the grocery store)
• water
• a metal lid from a used jar
• a teaspoon

I tried using corn syrup and sugar but found that honey was much more effective. Some people also make larger quantities of the ant trap solution and store it, but again I found using a fresh solution was most effective.

If you follow the suggestions for reducing ants in your home, you may find that you don't need traps at all. If you do need to make homemade traps, the honey will attract the ants and the Borax will kill them. Borax is a naturally occurring mineral but it is a poison. Many people have concerns about using the product around children and pets. For these traps you will be using a very small amount of Borax. Although it will be deadly to the ants, it will not harm animals if ingested.

As for little kids, you should make sure the traps are in an area that they can't touch them. The solution will not hurt an adult or child if they get it on their hands, but if a child ingests it, they could develop stomach problems. Children under the age of 2 should never eat honey, so if a child under the age of two drinks this solution of honey and Borax, they may get sick. Again the amount of Borax and honey being used is very minimal so it is likely that it wouldn't affect certain kids at all if ingested, but it is better to be safe than sorry. I recommend keeping these traps (and any insect trap for that matter) out of the reach of children.

You can also kill ants by using these more natural methods:

• Spray soapy water on ants as you see them
• Rub peppermint oil in the areas where the ants visit (mostly just deters them)
• Leave a pile of cornmeal for them to eat (they will go back to their home and die because they can't properly digest it)
• Leave a pile of cream of wheat for them to eat (it has a similar effect as the cornmeal)
• Leave used coffee grounds out for the ants to eat (this will eventually kill them but may take weeks to work)

• Store all food in air-tight containers or containers with tight lids
• Store cat and dog food in heavy plastic bins with tight lids
• Rinse all your cups and dishes and clean them as quickly as possible
• Sweep and vacuum frequently
• Keep kitchen counters clean and free of open food
• Don't leave liquids (juice, soda, or tea) sit in cups for more than a few minutes
• Empty garbage bags frequently
• Keep garbage cans clean
• Caulk areas that ants are entering from

Destroying ant hills outside can help prevent the ants from coming into your house. You can destroy ant hills outside using one of these two methods:

1. Pour hot soapy water over the anthill
2. Pour a mixture of two parts vinegar and one part water over the ant hill