This post may contain affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a qualifying purchase.
When you’re trying to keep a tidy home for your family and you want to avoid nasty chemical sprays and cleaners, there is nothing worse than bugs showing up to crash your party!
Gnats and ants are the most common party-crashers in the kitchen- but how do you stop them from visiting?
If you’re like me and keep a compost pail or garbage bowl (Rachael Ray style!
Technically, the gnats and ants that come visiting are harmless. The real issue is that they’re annoying and embarrassing.
However, you should still do something to get rid of them fast, as soon as you notice these intruders.
Why?
A female gnat can lay up to 300 eggs in one day. And their average lifespan is 4 months. I’ll let you do the math. As you can see, just leaving them to go about their business would quickly become much more problematic. There are a lot of ants in every colony too. Scientists estimate that there are a million ants for every human on Earth. And they are the longest living insects. Some queens can live up to 30 years!
It’s best to nip it in the bud as soon as these pests appear.
But there’s no need to stress when you see them in your home ever again.
Because I’ve actually got some simple remedies to share with you that will get rid of these unwanted guests quickly whenever they come to visit – without chemical sprays.
I like to consider myself a “citizen environmentalist,” doing my little part to make the world a better place. One way I attempt this is to get rid of gnats and ants naturally.
Luckily, there are proven ways to get rid of those pesky pests naturally, easily, and cheaply!
For Those Gnats
My “Gnats Be Gone” Homemade Solution
Are you ready for this? It’s only two ingredients.
Here they are:
Apple cider vinegar and dish soap
Seriously, that’s it!
I literally get out a small bowl, pour in a little apple cider vinegar, put a few drops of dish soap, and stir it up really good.
Then I leave it on the counter and wait.
This naturally remedy gets rid of any gnats in my home in less than 24 hours!
Gnats feed themselves on rotting and decaying substances. That’s why apple cider vinegar is the perfect thing to trick them into drinking, and the soap kills them.
For Those Ants
My “Ant-Proof” Powder
Ants may be strong and be able to lift up to 50 times their own weight, but they have sensitive feet.
They do NOT like to walk through powdery substances and will avoid it like the plague.
So, if you discover where they’re entering your home, sprinkle some baby powder or baking soda around the area, and you’ll stop them in their tracks.
Mix in a little cayenne pepper if you’re feeling really sneaky.
But what if they just find another entrance to your home or find a pathway around the powder?
My “Ants Be Gone” Guilt-Free Goop
If your ant problem is bigger than what a little powder can handle, Terro is your next best step. It’s a gooey substance, kind of the consistency of honey, and you can buy it at the store. It’s not completely natural, but it’s pretty close.
The active ingredient is Borax, a natural mineral found in many common household products such as hand soaps and toothpastes. It has a low toxicity for people and animals, but ants can’t tolerate it. You can read more about Terro here: http://www.terro.com/faq#Borax
The ants will eat it and carry it back to the colony to share with their friends.
Within a few days, your ant problem will be a distant memory.
I promise you that it IS possible to get rid of your gnat and ant problems without resorting to expensive pest control services or chemical sprays around your house. The next time you spot these unwelcome guests, just give these simple solutions a try. You’ll find that your gnat and ant worries will become a thing of the past.
