Things You'll Need:
- Cup of very hot tap water
- Dawn dishwashing soap
- Good pair of shoes, so that the ants don't bite you when you're out in the yard
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Step 1
Go out in your yard, and search for fire ant piles. Make sure that when you're doing this that you have on a good pair of shoes. You should NOT be in sandals or you could get bit.
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Step 2
Come back into the house to get the items you'll need. First get a good sized cup of hot water, or even a tea pot of hot water would be good. You can just use the water from your tap. Just let it run, so it's good and hot. You will also need a bottle of Dawn dishwashing soap.
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Step 3
When you find the pile of fire ants, it works best if you get them angry. You can use a stick to do this or a garden tool. If you feel better about not doing it, that is fine also.
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Step 4
Take the hot water and set close to the pile of fire ants. Next take the dish soap, and squeeze it all around the pile in a circle. You have to make sure you mark around the fire ant pile, so that when the ants start coming out they will land in the soap if they try to leave the area (get the soap on them as they move). Then mark back and forth with the soap over the pile or hill of fire ants. Make sure you cover the pile really well with the soap.
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Step 5
Then take the cup (or tea pot) of hot water, and slowly pour it over the area you soaped, the fire ant pile. It should be bubbling up some what as you're doing this, if it's not pour more slowly. The key is make the dishwashing soap bubble up.
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Step 6
After you have done this, you can add more HOT water, but don't over do it. You want to make sure that some soap remains on the pile, some bubbles. You are NOT trying to wash them away with the water.
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Step 7
This should kill the fire ants within 15 to 20 minutes after you do these steps. If you see that some ants have escaped, then you need to pour a solution of water and dishwashing soap on those ants. It will kill them within a few mintues. That is a good solution to getting rid of fire ants without using something that is really poisonous in your yard, especially if you have pets or small children.
