AnnaMaria
Dealing with ants in your home can feel like a never ending cycle of frustration. One day everything looks clean and quiet, and the next day you find a marching line of ants crossing your counters, moving along the floor, or sneaking straight into the pantry. Over the years, I tried almost everything imaginable to get rid of them. I bought chemical sprays, placed baits in every corner, used sticky traps, and even attempted several of those homemade tricks that people swear by. Some of these methods helped for a short time, while others seemed to make no difference at all.
Everything changed when my aunt told me about a simple technique she had been using for years. It took almost no effort, yet she managed to get rid of an entire ant colony in just 3 minutes after they discovered the bait. If you are tired of fighting ants and dealing with the same problem over and over again, this little trick might be exactly what you need.
The Problem with Conventional Ant Remedies
Before talking about the trick, it helps to understand why most common ant control methods fail or only provide temporary results. When you see ants crawling around inside your home, you are only seeing a small percentage of what actually exists. Most of the colony is hidden away, deep inside walls, under the floor, or outside in the soil. Spraying the ants you see may give you the satisfaction of quick results, but you are only killing the workers on the surface. The queen remains safe inside the nest, continuing to reproduce and send out more ants.
A lot of commercial ant killers are designed to work on contact. They destroy the ants instantly, which may seem ideal, but in reality it prevents the poison from reaching the queen. As long as the queen survives, the colony stays alive, and the problem continues. This is why so many people notice that ants disappear for a day or two and then return with the same strength.
The Trick: Borax and Sugar Solution
My aunt’s method is extremely simple but incredibly effective. It uses borax mixed with sugar to create a bait that ants cannot resist. Borax, or sodium borate, is a natural mineral often used in cleaning products. When ants eat it, it interferes with their digestive system and slowly kills them. The sugar in the mixture acts like a magnet, drawing the ants toward the borax without raising alarm.
Here is how you can make your own bait at home:
What You Need
Borax, which you can find in most grocery stores in the laundry products section.
Regular granulated sugar.
Water to create a syrup.
Cotton balls or small pieces of cardboard to hold the solution.
A small mixing container.
Instructions
Prepare the mixture by combining one part borax with three parts sugar. For example, if you use one tablespoon of borax, mix it with three tablespoons of sugar. The sugar is what draws the ants in, while the borax does the real work later.
Add small amounts of water to the dry mixture until it becomes a thick syrup. You want it wet enough to soak into a cotton ball but not so watery that it runs everywhere.
Place the solution on cotton balls or drip small amounts onto pieces of cardboard. Position these baits wherever you have noticed ant activity. Good spots include along baseboards, near window frames, around the sink area, or inside cabinets where you have seen ants coming in.
Now all you have to do is wait. The ants will quickly be attracted to the sweet smell and begin feeding on the mixture. Because the borax does not kill them immediately, they have enough time to carry the poisoned food back to the nest. They share it with other ants, including the queen.
What surprised me most is how fast the process begins. Within about 3 minutes of the ants finding the bait, the workers are already consuming it and preparing to transport it back to the colony. Over the next several hours, you should see a dramatic decline in the number of ants. Within a day or two, the colony collapses completely because the queen is eliminated and new workers are no longer produced.
Why This Method Works So Well
The true strength of this technique is that it targets the source of the problem rather than just the visible ants. Instead of chasing the ants you see, you allow them to deliver the poison directly to the nest for you. They essentially become your helpers, carrying the bait to the queen and the rest of the colony.
Another benefit is that borax, when used correctly, is much safer than most commercial chemical sprays. It has been used in homes for decades and does not carry the same risks associated with harsh chemical insecticides. Still, you should make sure to keep the bait away from pets and children to avoid accidental ingestion.
Additional Tips for Preventing Ants Long Term
Even though this borax and sugar method works extremely well, it is wise to take a few extra steps to make sure ants do not come back.
Keep your home clean and free of food particles. Ants search for crumbs, spills, and moisture. Wiping down surfaces and sweeping regularly can help stop them from returning.
Seal any cracks or gaps around windows, doors, and pipes. These small openings often serve as the main entry points for ants.
Store your food properly. Keep items like sugar, honey, bread, and snacks in sealed containers. Ants are especially attracted to sweet and greasy foods.
Reduce moisture. Fix any leaks and avoid leaving wet areas around sinks or floors. Ants are drawn to water as much as food.
Handling ants no longer needs to be a constant struggle. With this simple borax and sugar trick, you can eliminate an entire colony in a very short time without spending a fortune on expensive products. The next time you spot a trail of ants moving through your home, give this method a try. You may be just as amazed as I was when my aunt revealed it to me.
By attacking the problem at its root and removing the colony entirely, you ensure that the ants are gone for good and do not find their way back into your home.
