Ants in the house are not only annoying, but can also be dangerous. To get rid of them, baking powder or baking soda can be used as a home remedy. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
ant problem
Ants are useful animals and worth protecting. They contribute significantly to maintaining a natural balance in nature and, in particular, to removing dead animals. However, they become a problem when they enter our homes and nest there. It's not just the disgust that many people feel towards the little crawlers that plays a role. The animals can also pose a very real he alth risk. Some species spray an acid that can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions in humans. In addition, there is always the risk that the ant nest will cause significant damage to the building structure. An ant infestation in the apartment or house should therefore always be combated. The goal must be to get rid of the animals completely.
Home remedies
In order to eliminate ants as effectively as possible, a chemical club does not necessarily have to be used. Although there are now a whole range of very effective ant poisons available in specialist shops, these can also pose a danger to other living beings. So-called home remedies that do not contain any poison are therefore recommended. Something that could be mentioned here would be:
- Stinging nettle manure
- Cinnamon
- Vinegar
- gypsum dust
- Chalk
- Baby powder
However, none of these remedies kill the animals. Rather, they drive them away because ants either find their smell extremely unpleasant or hate walking on plaster that has been spread, for example. There is therefore a great risk that they will simply look for new routes within the apartment. The only home remedies that can actually kill ants are baking soda and baking soda. Basically, it's just about the baking soda, which is also contained in many baking powders. However, the prerequisite for this is that the powder or baking soda is also eaten by the animals.
Baking powder/baking soda
Baking powder is a so-called raising agent. It ensures that the dough “rises”. The actual driving agents are either sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate, which are contained in baking powder along with other substances.
Note:
Baking soda that contains only potassium bicarbonate does not kill ants. Only baking powder with sodium bicarbonate is effective.
Research has shown that baking soda is only deadly to ants if the proportion of sodium hydrogen carbonate is at least 1.5 percent. It is therefore always more efficient to use pure baking soda, which can easily be purchased in drugstores and pharmacies. Regardless of whether it is baking powder or pure baking soda - in order to be effective, it must be absorbed by the animals, i.e. get into the inside of their bodies. This then leads to an increase in the body's pH value, which in turn means that certain enzymes can no longer be formed. As a result, the entire metabolism is disrupted and the ants die. However, this doesn't happen immediately. It takes a few days for the animals to die.
Note:
It is a myth that ants would burst after ingesting the raising agent. Although it expands a little in their bodies, it does not burst.
Application
It is not enough to simply sprinkle baking powder or pure baking soda somewhere in the apartment to repel or kill ants. The animals simply don't absorb the powder. Rather, it must be provided with an attractant that the ants consider attractive, if not irresistible. The following is suitable for this:
- Sugar
- powdered sugar
- Sugar water
- Jam
- Honey
- Liver sausage
These foods and the immediate surroundings should be sprinkled well with the respective powder. Unfortunately, it is not possible to provide information about the exact mixture. Ultimately, you have no choice but to experiment. By the way, sprinkling an ant trail with baking powder or baking soda has proven to be completely ineffective. The animals are able to avoid the powdery and alien ground. They then simply switch to other walking routes. Without appropriate bait or attractants, ants will not ingest the powder. However, an effect can be achieved if the animals are sprinkled directly. It then enters the ants' bodies via the tracheae. However, the respective concentration also plays a role. Not to mention that poisoning ants in this way might be quite a laborious task.
Boundaries
Basically it can be said that baking powder containing soda and especially pure baking soda can kill ants. However, this does not mean that an entire population of ants will be driven out of the house.can be destroyed. The problem is always the ants' nest or the queen, who resides in the nest and hardly ever leaves it. Only if she is killed too can there be no more offspring. And even if you succeed in killing the queen, there is a great risk that the empty nest will then be colonized again by other ants. Certain pheromones attract the animals and show them the way. In principle, the only thing that helps is to locate the nest and then close it permanently.
