You’re renting an apartment in Austin enjoying the warm breeze through your windows when you notice a line of ants marching in like they own the place. Whether you’re in a rental in Dallas, a townhome in Houston, or anywhere else, dealing with pests is never fun. You could call your landlord and wait for an exterminator, but maybe you’re hesitant about harsh chemicals, especially if you have pets around. Luckily, there are natural ways to send these ants packing—no toxic sprays required.
From simple tricks like drawing chalk lines to DIY deterrents and homemade all natural ant killers, this ApartmentGuide article will walk you through the best all-natural solutions from experts to get rid of ants in your apartment.
1. Mix warm water, borax, and sugar
If you’re looking for an effective natural ant killer, this simple homemade solution might be just what you need. Here’s a tried-and-true mixture that attracts and eliminates ants quickly.
“A natural ant killer I use is a mixture of 3/4 cup of warm water, 1 TBSP of Borax, and a 1/3 cup of sugar. You can pour this in a milk cap or water/soda bottle cap and they run to it. ” – Libby Evans of Maid2Clean Services, LLC, a cleaning service in Palmyra, MO.
2. Experiment with diatomaceous earth
“At Best Portland House Cleaners, we always recommend Diatomaceous Earth as a natural and effective ant killer. It works by dehydrating insects upon contact, making it a great non-toxic option for homes with pets and children. Just be sure to wear a mask when applying, as the fine powder can be irritating when inhaled.” – Jacob Bellinger, owner of Best Portland House Cleaners, a home cleaning company in Portland, OR.
3. Reuse coffee grounds
“Using common pesticides to rid your home of those little buggers can not only be harmful to our ecosystem, they’re also toxic to people and pets. We recommends using coffee grounds instead. After brewing your morning coffee, allow the used grounds to dry for about a day. You can also use fresh grounds, but that’s a waste of a good cup of joe. Once the grounds are dry, sprinkle them along doorways, window sills, and other places that ants will often enter your home. The strong smell of coffee overpowers the ants’ scent trail, so those pesky buggers won’t come marching through your door.” – Robert Schumacher of Cleen Green Enviro-Friendly Housekeepers, a commercial and residential housekeeping company in Washoe County, NV.
4. Create a mixture of vinegar and water
“The best natural deterrent for ants, in my experience, is a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. It does wear off after only a day or 2, but if used to wipe down your kitchen counters and cabinets on a regular basis, along with other good cleaning habits, it will prevent most ant problems. You can clean just about anything with vinegar, and it will deter almost every insect. I use this at my own home regularly.
The exception is carpenter ants, termites, and other insects that are attacking the wood of your home. Spraying the exterior of your home regularly with vinegar isn’t very feasible. So try to keep dirt and plants at least 12 inches away from your siding. Don’t stack firewood or anything else up against your home and maintain a good coat of paint to protect against the critters trying to eat your house.” – Rob Stehle of AARD Pest Control, a pest control business in the Seattle region.
5. Add lemon juice to your mixture
“Many everyday household items can double as effective ant repellents. For instance, vinegar is a versatile cleaning agent that can also disrupt the scent trails used by ants to navigate. Mixing equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and applying it to entry points and trails can deter ants from entering your home. Additionally, lemon juice, with its acidic properties, can act as a natural deterrent when sprayed in areas prone to ant activity.” – Ted of Chicago Plumbing Experts, a plumbing company based in Chicago, IL.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon or diatomaceous earth
“A simple and effective natural ant deterrent combines white vinegar and water (1:1 ratio) sprayed along entry points and common ant trails. The strong scent disrupts their pheromone trails, keeping them from returning. For an additional barrier, sprinkle cinnamon or diatomaceous earth near doorways and windows—both are safe, natural, and effective at repelling ants.” Edward Steele, Founder and CEO of Cleaning Buddha, an organic eco-friendly cleaning company in Portland, OR.
7. Experiment with essential oils
“One of the best ways to keep ants out naturally is by disrupting their scent trails. Spraying a mix of equal parts white vinegar and water along baseboards, countertops, and entry points erases the paths they use to navigate. Another effective method is sprinkling food-grade diatomaceous earth in problem areas—it’s safe for people and pets but dehydrates ants on contact. For a gentler approach, essential oils like peppermint or tea tree mixed with water can create a barrier ants avoid. These simple, eco-friendly tricks help keep homes clean and ant-free without harsh chemicals!” – Sparkling Clean Maid Service, a cleaning company servicing all over Missouri.
8. Plant mint or lavender
“Grow mint and lavender herbs near your home’s foundation. Their strong scents naturally repel ants and add a fresh aroma to your garden” – Nicole Eckel of Sherwood Cleaning Services, a house cleaning service in Sherwood Park.
9. Prevent infestation or use spinosad spray if infestation has already occurred
“For most indoor ants, prevention is the best deterrent for infestation. Fixing leaky pipes and cleaning up food crumbs and spills is the first step. Wiping down surfaces also disrupts the natural pheromone trail ants use to follow one another.
A natural remedy for treating existing ant infestations is spinosad spray, a natural substance made by a soil bacterium that can be toxic to insects. Other natural treatments include peppermint and rosemary oils as they release a scent that is a deterrent for ants. Finally, diatomaceous earth or DE is great for both indoor and outdoor applications. DE is a powder made up from crushed fossils that stick to insects and dries them out by absorbing the oils and fats from the cuticle of the insect’s exoskeleton.” – the team at Pest Patrol, a pest control company servicing San Diego County.
10. Use lemon juice and peppermint oil
“A mix of lemon juice and water along baseboards and entry points can help disrupt ant scent trails. Diatomaceous earth can also be used which is a natural powder that is safe for people and pets but dehydrates ants on contact, making it a great deterrent. A few drops of peppermint essential oil diluted in water can also be sprayed near entry points to help keep ants away.” – Kate Oldfield of Pure Gorge Cleaning, a residential and janitorial cleaning service based in Hood River, OR.
11. Apply a natural cleaner with peppermint and eucalyptus
“Using a natural cleaner like our Simply Magic All Purpose helps deter ants and rodents. This is due to two key ingredients:
- Peppermint: Its strong scent disrupts ants’ communication and sensory receptors, making it hard for them to locate food.
- Eucalyptus: Its strong scent is unpleasant to ants and rodents, and it contains p-menthane-3, 8-diol (PMD), a natural pesticidal component that repels tiny pests.
A safe, eco-friendly way to clean your home and get rid of pests simultaneously without the use of any chemicals.” – Dianna Wacasey of Momo’s Secrets, a company selling chemical-free cleaning products.
