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Does cinnamon kill ants? Not quite, but it does redirect and deter them! You can use cinnamon to deter ants through the use of powder, oil, or sticks. Most natural remedies work in a similar way, but you can try a wide variety to see what works best for you. Get the full guide below.
Things You Should Know
- Sprinkle powdered cinnamon at entry points to repel ants.
- Place cinnamon sticks in front of entry points and anywhere you've seen ants.
- Dip a cotton swab in cinnamon essential oil and wipe the oil around affected areas.
- This will only be effective if there's no nest inside the home.
Steps
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Sprinkle it at entry sites. The simplest method of using cinnamon is just to grab what you have in the cupboard. Add a dash or two where you see the ants entering the house. The cinnamon is so strong that it disrupts the trails the ants are trying to make, and they'll stop coming in that way. [1] X Research source
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Create a barrier line. Instead of just sprinkling it, you can also use cinnamon to make a line that ants won't cross. If you see them in certain areas, try using a cotton swab to make a line across that area. Rub it in the cinnamon and spread it in a single, thin line. [2] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Use cinnamon essential oils. If you want to go a step further with your cinnamon, try using essential oil instead of the powdered stuff. It tends to be more potent. You can simply dip a cotton swab in it and then rub the oil along the areas where you've seen ants. [3] X Research source
- Some other essential oils may also repel ants. The easiest way to spread essentials around your home is by making a solution with water. Then you just spray it around your home in areas where you've been seeing ants.
- Start with a 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of water and a 1/4 cup of vodka (60 milliliters). The vodka helps keep the solution mixed together well. However, if you don't have it, substitute extra water (another 1/4 cup) for the vodka, and shake well before each use.
- Add essential oils. Try adding 20-25 drops of cinnamon oil. Shake well.
- Try other essential oils. You'll need 15 drops of tea tree oil, 15 drops of peppermint oil, and 7 drops of citrus oil (such orange, lemon, or lime). You can substitute 3 drops of clove in place of the citrus. Shake thoroughly.
- However, if you want to use it in food areas, replace the tea tree oil with more peppermint oil.
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Place sticks down. Another less messy option is using cinnamon sticks instead of the powder. Lay them out next to entrances you've seen. In fact, you can place sticks around anywhere you've seen ants. You can find cinnamon sticks in the bagged spice section of the grocery store. [4] X Research source
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Try white vinegar. Vinegar has such a strong smell that ants will often avoid it. Put some in a spray bottle to use around your kitchen. It's perfectly safe. Just clean your counters first. Then, spray them down lightly with vinegar. Let it dry. The smell will soon dissipate. [5] X Research source
- In fact, spraying vinegar directly on ants may kill them.
- Reapply if you see more ants.
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Sprinkle diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth has been used as a natural deterrent for ants for years. It's non-toxic, so it's safe to use around kids and pets. However, make sure you get the food-safe variety, not the kind used to filter pools. Then just sprinkle it around where you've been seeing ants. [6] X Research source
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Pour boiling water on mounds outside. One way to help reduce the number of ants is to use very hot water. The boiling water won't destroy the whole colony, but it will kill about two-thirds of it. Try about 3 gallons (11 L) of boiling water for each large anthill you see. [7] X Research source
- Be very careful with this method. You can be burned both by the water and the steam.
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Spread bay leaves. An old-fashioned deterrent is bay leaves. You can find bay leaves on the spice aisle, and they are usually still whole (though you can buy ground, too). Spread them out on places where you see ants, and often, the ants will not go in that area. [8] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I get rid of sugar ants without an exterminator?Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.Eliminate any attractants on the property such as rotting wood and standing water. Keep branches and leaves off of your home, and make sure there's a 1 ft (30.5 cm) perimeter between your home and any vegetation or stacks of wood. Inside, be sure to keep your food off the countertops and stored in airtight containers. If you see ant activity pop up out of nowhere, wipe up with the ant trail with a vinegar solution to get rid of the pheromones that may lead other ants inside your home.
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QuestionWhy do flying ants suddenly appear?Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.Flying ants are taking part in their nuptial flights; in other words, that's their breeding season. All of the ones with wings are male—they die off on their own very quickly and that new female queen is meant to go far away and establish a new nest in a new location. If you're seeing flying ants, it usually means that you have a nest either under your foundation or some sort of mud tube that has allowed them to erupt inside your wall. At that point, a chemical intervention is probably the best option.
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QuestionHow do I get rid of cockroaches?Community AnswerUse Borax, sometimes named 20 Mule Team, which is a laundry supplement found in laundry sections of supermarkets. Spread thinly around areas where roaches are seen or around moist areas where roaches like to congregate.
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about using cinnamon to get rid of ants, check out our in-depth interview with Chris Parker .
References
- ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/1303212/how-use-cinnamon-keep-ant-out-house/
- ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/1303212/how-use-cinnamon-keep-ant-out-house/
- ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/1303212/how-use-cinnamon-keep-ant-out-house/
- ↑ https://www.housedigest.com/593723/best-ways-to-get-rid-of-ants/
- ↑ https://staysafe.org/pest-control/get-rid-of-ants-naturally
- ↑ https://www.lsuagcenter.com/articles/page1465841182741
- ↑ https://fireant.tamu.edu/files/2014/03/ENTO_009.pdf
- ↑ https://staysafe.org/pest-control/get-rid-of-ants-naturally
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To get rid of ants with cinnamon, sprinkle cinnamon at all of the entry points in your home, like doors or windows. If there are any areas in particular that you don't want ants to get into, dip a cotton swab in cinnamon and draw a barrier line around them. For easier cleanup, try using whole cinnamon sticks instead of cinnamon powder. You can also mix some cinnamon oil and water in a spray bottle and then spray the areas of your home where you often see ants. To learn how to get rid of ants with other home remedies, scroll down!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Seems like each year when it gets hot the ants want to come in the kitchen, with a fervor. My daughter actually looked up the cinnamon trick and spread the powdered cinnamon all over the counters. Much to my amazement, it worked! I'm going to get the essential oil for maintenance around the entry points. Thanks for your advice." ..." more
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"Seems like each year when it gets hot the ants want to come in the kitchen, with a fervor. My daughter actually looked up the cinnamon trick and spread the powdered cinnamon all over the counters. Much to my amazement, it worked! I'm going to get the essential oil for maintenance around the entry points. Thanks for your advice."
..."
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"I had ants constantly on my washing line and all over the clothes drying on the line. It was driving me crazy for a few years. Then I tied cinnamon sticks on the lines, and after a week or so they just disappeared. At first I thought it wasn't working, but left the sticks there anyway. It really works!"
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"I have some cinnamon scented, squirt bottle potpourri spray I bought from the 99 cent store, and it works every time. It drowns the ants currently in my apartment and keeps others from entering for a whole year while making the apartment smell wonderful."
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"Summer of 2019, black big ants on my kitchen counter. Lined seam between wall and counter with cinnamon. Worked all summer. They are back this year. Doing it again right now!"
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"I was looking for a way to get rid of ants in my kitchen without using poisons. These articles helped me with what might work. Very helpful information."
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