Does Salt Repel Or Kill Ants?

Will salt kill ants? Are you having pest issues and want to use only natural control methods?

Salt is one of the many effective products to consider? Apart from its nutritional benefits, salt can be used in a variety of ways to combat pest issues.

However, not all pests will be killed or repelled by salt. This brings us to our main focus; does salt kill ants?

If you’re having ant problems, you’ve likely considered several home remedies. This includes salt. We’re all about providing you with the answers you seek. All you have to do is keep on reading.

Can Salt Kill Ants?

Salt is indeed a natural pesticide that can be used to kill ants.

It doesn’t matter the species of ants you have. Salt does the magic and kills or repels them back. How you apply salt to ant-infested areas determines whether they’re killed or not.

SEE: Salt And Bed Bugs

Basically, salt is either applied directly or in a solution. Whatever state salt is in, ants are affected and keep their distance. Hang on for explanations on how salt application kills or repels ants.

• Sprinkling Salt Crystals Along Ant Paths

Under this method, table salt is applied directly on ants or along their paths. Ants are irritated by these crystals and will keep away from areas where these are applied.

To have wider coverage, you’ll need to sprinkle salt around your home and right to the doorstep of these pests.

If you’re able to locate ant nests, consider sprinkling salt crystals all around them. However, we must say that this isn’t a permanent solution. It only provides temporary relief. You can follow up with additional strategies to have them killed or repel them completely.

• Spraying a Salt Solution

To kill ants, you’ll need to make a salt solution.

Here, salt is added to boiling water which quickly dissolves it. You’ll have to wait for such water to cool down. Next, empty the contents into a spray bottle and seek out these pests wherever they are.

These tireless insects are most likely to be working (scavenging for food). Spray your salt solution along their path until they’re all drenched. Now, these ants breathe through their exoskeletons. So, drenching them with your salt solution interrupts this natural process.

What more?

Salt is a good desiccant and dries up or dehydrates ants to death. What makes salt quite popular for ant control is the fact that it has several uses and is found in every home.

So, why not use this natural substance to combat your ant problems at no added cost?

Can Table Salt Be Used in a Full-Blown Infestation?

There are times when ant problems can be overwhelming. During such times, these pests come out in large numbers that might be scary. When this is noticed, you should know that there’s a reason.

Since salt kills and repels ants, can it still be useful under this circumstance?

Not at all! Heavy ant infestations will prove difficult to contain using salt. You’ll have to adopt more drastic measures.

One reliable way is to call a professional pest management company. These companies are skilled and experienced in all matters relating to pests (including ants). Your ant problems are professionally handled and resolved within a short time.

A one-time salt application (either directly or in a solution) won’t give you the results you seek. This has to be a repeated process every day for about a week. You should see a significant drop in ant activity around your home.

Do Other Types of Salt Kill or Repel Ants?

Apart from table salt, other types aren’t edible.

These have several uses including being useful for pest control. Epsom salt, a magnesium sulfate compound is widely used for treatments. It serves as a pain reliever and is also used as a healing agent.

Does Epsom salt kill ants?

Instead of killing ants, Epsom salt in its crystal form only serves as an effective deterrent. Its application is quite easy! You only need to sprinkle around ant-infested areas.

Such may include your yard or garden and around your home.

Epsom salt also serves as an ant bait. To make this bait, you’ll need to dissolve the salt in a bowl of water. This bowl is placed along their paths.

To make it easier for ants to get in, consider leaning some sticks on the bowl to serve as a bridge. Epsom salt made into a solution kills ants.

Focus on Eliminating the Cause

Although salt is a good remedy for ant problems, you won’t have much progress if you only focus on their presence. In other words, you’ll need to focus more on the cause rather than the effects.

Ants come into homes for several reasons. These range from food, water or moisture, reproduction & propagation, to climatic & habitat.

• Food

Food is among the primary reasons why you find ants around. These insects go about scavenging for food and once this is found, the others are alerted.

Pheromone trails are left behind for easy navigation to food sources.

Using salt to kill them will only provide temporary relief as another wave of ants will troop in as long as the food source remains. Your best bet is to eliminate the cause by keeping a clean environment.

In other words, you’ll need to remove all food sources by cleaning all food crumbs and spillage.

Foods must be properly stored and tightly sealed before keeping them in the pantry. Food spillage shouldn’t be left unattended. It must be cleaned immediately.

• Water or Moisture

Ants generally need water to survive. This can either be found in the food they scavenge or from other sources.

A damp wood or a leaking pipe is enough to invite ants into your home.

• Reproduction & Propagation

As an ant colony expands, it leads to some of its members flying off to mate and establish new colonies. This could be one of the reasons why you’re seeing flying ants around.

The conditions above are sufficient enough to make your home a target.

• Climate and Habitat

Your home is likely to serve as a hideout or shelter for ants during winter. These ants seek structures they can readily nest in.

Conclusion

Salt will kill ants when dissolved in water and sprayed on them. However, this isn’t the best deterrent to use for an ant problem.

One major reason is that certain ant species prefer salty environments. Such types of ants include plant-eating ants staying more than 60 miles from the sea.

Although the salt recipe for controlling ants may work, its effect may not be far-reaching.

To kill ants using salt, a strong or concentrated solution will need to be made. This should be mixed with the desired quantity of water.

A strong salt solution acts as a desiccant when sprayed onto ants. It works by drying up their exoskeletons. Though it can give you the results you seek, there’s also the downside to using it.

Salt is a good corrosive agent. Thus, it will react with a lot of surfaces. This degrades and corrodes such surfaces as metal and wood etc.

To avoid this, you may want to consider finding an alternative. Luckily there are several low-cost ways to rid your home of ants.

This includes the use of essential oils like peppermint oil etc.

Although salt kills ants, it isn’t as effective when faced with a full-blown infestation. In such cases, you might need a better response.