Ant nests will be 'destroyed' and won't come back if you use 2 kitchen items

Just two kitchen cupboard essentials could provide the answer to your ant infestation.

Ants are a widespread nuisance that numerous households encounter, particularly during the spring and summer months when these insects are at their most active. They infiltrate your property while hunting for food, and due to their minuscule size, they require only the smallest gap or opening to gain entry.

While most insects prove bothersome when they invade your property, ants can be especially aggravating, as they typically arrive in substantial numbers. You might descend the stairs one morning to discover hundreds of them across your kitchen worktop hunting for particles of spilled sugar from your cup of tea, and it's sufficient to make your skin crawl.

Thankfully, however, there's actually a straightforward method to eliminate these uninvited visitors and stop them from ever coming back - simply by utilising two kitchen ingredients you probably already have to hand.

A viral TikTok video showed how to deploy baking soda and sugar to successfully tackle both ant and cockroach infestations. While cockroaches do exist in the UK, ant infestations are considerably more prevalent, so it's highly probable you'll require the trick to eradicate ant colonies.

The man in the video explained: "You're going to need some baking soda and some sugar. It doesn't really matter what kind of sugar you use, the sugar is just to attract the ants and the cockroaches."

He recommended combining one cup of baking soda with one cup of sugar, though you can adjust the quantities depending on the severity of your infestation. The crucial thing to bear in mind is that the 1:1 ratio must be maintained - so if you increase the baking soda, be sure to increase the sugar accordingly.

Should the ants' entry point be visible, he advises sprinkling this mixture directly over the affected area. If the entry point cannot be located, it's best to spread a layer of the powdery blend along the skirting boards instead.

He explained: "What's going to happen is the cockroaches and the ants are both going to eat this mixture because they're going to be attracted to the sugar. But it's going to have baking soda mixed in with it.

"They're going to be completely fine for now, but when they go back to their nest, and they drink water, a chemical reaction will happen inside their stomach, and it's going to kill them."

Furthermore, the ants will carry the mixture back to their colony, sharing it with other ants that never entered your home, ultimately resulting in the destruction of the entire nest.

How to get rid of ants in your home

To address an ant problem, you must first ensure there is nothing drawing the insects into your home. This requires eliminating food sources by clearing up any crumbs, spillages, or leftover food around your property. Empty your bins regularly and wipe down worktops with a solution of vinegar and water to eliminate scent trails.

There are numerous household remedies you can try in order to eliminate ants, including:

1. Vinegar and water: Mix equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray this solution directly on ant trails, entry points, and even their nest if it is visible. Repeat daily and ants will lose interest in the area.
2. Lemon juice: Squeezing fresh lemon juice along ant entry points and windowsills can disrupt their scent trails and repel them, as they dislike the smell of citrus.
3. Baking soda and sugar: Mix equal parts baking soda and sugar together and place in shallow dishes near ant trails. The sugar attracts the ants, and the baking soda disrupts their digestive systems, killing them.
4. Ant bait: If these methods have not worked, you can buy commercial ant baits that the insects will carry back to their nest, killing the colony. This may take a few days to get results.