Borax as an Ant Repellent

Ants will march into your home by the hundreds and carry off your food back to their nest. You can keep them out of your house and prevent them from ever returning by using borax.

Function

Borax does not repel ants. It solves ant problems by killing them. When an ant eats borax or ingests it after cleaning the powder off its legs, the borax destroys its digestive system and kills it. When an ant brings borax back to its nest, it can kill other ants that come in contact with it.

Solution

You can create your own ant killer using borax and honey. Add 1 tsp. of borax into 1/2 cup of honey. Heat the honey until the borax dissolves, then add water to thin the mixture. Place small containers of the mixture near where you have seen ants. They will be attracted to the sweetness of the honey and eat the borax, too.

Considerations

Keep small children and pets away from the honey. If they eat the mixture, they could become ill. You can also sprinkle borax powder in areas where you have seen ants. Not only will it kill them, but they do not like to walk over it so it can keep them out of problem areas.

References

• University of Florida IFAS Extension: Pest Control, Roaches and Ants
• "Greeniology"; Tanya Ha; 2007