6 Homemade Ant Killer Sprays That Actually Work—Without Harsh Chemicals

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons boric acid
• Pinch of baking soda
• Small plastic container with a lid

Instructions

"To begin, carefully stir these ingredients together in the container, ensuring that they are thoroughly mixed," Luca says. Add a sprinkle of baking soda to the trap to make it more effective—when ants eat baking soda, it can kill them as well.

Once the ingredients have been combined, set up your trap. "Take a pair of scissors or a knife and carefully poke several small holes in the lid of the plastic container," he says; these holes act as an entry point for the ants. Place the trap wherever you see ant activity.

Ground Pepper

If your ant problem is in your kitchen, you already likely have a powerful non-chemical solution at your fingertips: ground pepper.

Materials

• Ground pepper

Instructions

Sprinkle some ground pepper in the spots that you know ants like to congregate. "Ground pepper sprinkled under kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and behind appliances can deter ants. They find the smell irritating," McReynolds says.

Baking Soda and Sugar

This DIY ant trap lures ants with one of their favorite food sources: sugar.

Materials

• Baking soda
• Confectioners' sugar
• Honey, jam, or high-sugar spread
• Cup

Instructions

To make this ant killer, Luca says you'll need to mix equal parts confectioners' sugar and baking soda in a cup. "Using confectioners' sugar is essential in this case. Regular sugar can easily be separated by ants from the baking soda," he says.

Once you've mixed those two together, add another touch of sweetness to really draw the ants in. A dollop of honey, a spoonful of jam, or another high-sugar spread all work.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is another ant-fighting ingredient that you can use to create a spray; simply combine 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts water. "This homemade repellent can also be used as an all-purpose spray around your home," Luca says.

Materials

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