Pet-Friendly Ways to Prevent Ants in Your Home
Ants: How Could Something So Small Be Such a Big Problem?
Ants…so little, yet such a large annoyance when they come into your home! Recently, scientists calculated that for every person there are 2.5 million ants (yikes!). Unlike a lot of other pests, ants don’t really have a “season.” They can come into your home at any time of year, and when they do, it’s best to be mindful about preventing the problem. A lot of pesticides and ant killers are meant to do harm, which means they can also be very harmful to your dogs. It is important to know what to avoid, as well as safe ways to keep your house ant-free.
From the Bottle
If you prefer a real ant killer from a bottle, here are some good ones that will be safe for your pup (and other small animals) to be around.
1. Ecosmart Organic Pest Control
This long lasting pest control is not only safe for pets and children, but it is good for the planet. It doesn’t contain anything that would contaminate the water or harm animals. It uses a combination of peppermint oil and clove oil which means it won’t have that gross chemical smell either - a big perk. Additionally, it can be used on the inside and outside of your home, and will actually help get rid of other bugs like mosquitos. Plus, an extra bonus is you will probably only have to spray it once or twice since it’s quite effective.
QUICK TIP: If you have peppermint oil laying around, you can also just use that alone to deter the ants.
2. Wondercide Indoor Pest Control
If you only need indoor maintenance, this would be a good option for you. This “pesticide” is a combination of essential oils and can even be used in your kitchen. This pest control will help eliminate all creepy crawlies, but is safe for mammals as well. Like Ecosmart, the smell won’t be full of chemicals and instead be a nice refreshing lemongrass.
3. Make your Own Concoction
If you’d like a bottle of solution, but prefer to not head to the store, you can make your own with household items. There are two combinations you can try: either combine six ounces of dish soap with three ounces of boiling water, or vinegar and water in a one-to-one ratio into a spray bottle and spray the little suckers out of there!
SAFETY TIP: The major chemicals to look out for and avoid are Acephate, Amitraz, Diazinon, Fonofos, and Malathion.
Household Remedies
Besides the spray bottles, there are a lot of natural household items that you can use to get rid of the ants.
Sidewalk Chalk
Do you still have old chalk sitting in your garage? Weirdly enough, the chalk breaks up the chemical scent path for the ants. It may not be the best looking solution, but it will work.
Cinnamon
That’s right, the favorite ingredient in Grandma’s cookies help to deter the ants. Beware that it only deters them, and doesn’t kill them - sprinkling cinnamon on common areas of infestation would be a good preventative practice.
Baking Soda
If the ants just won’t stop coming and you’re at the end of your patience, you can try baking soda. Keep in mind, the baking soda will actually kill the ants instead of just deterring them.
Lemon Juice
Similar to peppermint oil, the strong citrus scent interrupts the path of the ants. You can soak some towels in lemon juice and set them in doorways, or just squeeze the lemons right on the affected areas.
Diatomaceous Earth
This may not be something that you already have in your household, but it is a great option and fairly inexpensive. If you sprinkle this non-toxic dust, you will never see the ants again. And, it’s eco-friendly so you won’t be harming your plants or water.
EXTRA FACT: If your dog keeps getting a little too interested before the problem is solved, don’t worry. Ingesting most household ants isn’t going to be dangerous for your dog. However, watch out for fire ants because they contain a venom that can cause allergic reactions.
Goodbye Ants!
Nobody wants ants in their house, so it makes sense to want them gone ASAP. Whenever you want to get rid of one creature, it’s important to keep all other creatures in mind as well. We hope that now that you know how to safely keep the bugs away, you and your dog can be living your best lives.
Sources
https://www.organiclesson.com/pet-friendly-ant-killer-traps/
https://www.decoist.com/what-kills-ants-instantly/?chrome=1&A1c=1
https://www.pawtracks.com/getting-started/pet-safe-pesk-control/
This blog was written by Samantha Dailey, the Social Media Associate at Dog Tired Adventures. Sam loves to hike around the hills, find new recipes, and to hangout with her Shih-Tzu Maltese she’s had since she was a kid.