Does Ammonia Kill Ants?

Can ammonia kill ants? Is this product a reliable ant control option? Let’s find out.

Ant problems can be very frustrating for homeowners using a variety of ineffective treatments. Whenever you see these creatures in your home, they’re mostly there due to favorable conditions.

These conditions include food, moisture, and nesting areas. The first two conditions are the most probable causes.

Will Ammonia Kill Ants?

A lot of home treatment recipes for ants and ideas have been circulated by many homeowners. These include common remedies that may not necessarily be effective.

Now, this creates a problem for many as most people are interested in only methods that work.

Here, we’ll be discussing one of the many remedies being promoted; ammonia.

Does ammonia kill ants? Will it resolve my ant problem? These are vital questions that are commonly asked and we’ll attempt to provide the right answers to such questions.

About Ammonia

This is a naturally occurring chemical compound that consists of nitrogen and hydrogen and is represented by the formula NH3. It’s a colorless and pungent gas which, at high concentrations can be caustic and dangerous.

When in liquid form, it’s known as ammonium hydroxide.

• Is Ammonia Used for Pest Control?

Ammonia is used for pest control.

However, its use for pest control does not translate to being an effective pest repellent or killer. A lot of times, people use it as a remedy for their pest issues.

You’re unlikely to find pest professionals recommending ammonia for pest control.

With ammonia confirmed to be used for pest control, the next logical question to ask is whether it does repel or kill pests. It’s possible to get results from ammonia when applied in a certain way.

It also depends on the pest being treated. To find answers, let’s focus shift back to the topic being discussed.

Ammonia Vs Ants

Ammonia will kill ants but won’t completely get rid of them. Killing only a few ants using ammonia isn’t enough proof that it will do a great job of resolving your ant problem.

At best, you’ll only kill a few while the rest are repelled by the pungent smell of ammonia.

It won’t be long before these ants returned. Here, it’s evident that these pests are drawn to your home due to certain conditions you need to eliminate.

Once your ammonia treatment wanes, you’ll need to reapply to ensure that pests still showing up are killed and repelled.

How Can I Get Ammonia?

Ammonia is a readily available product that can be bought. A lot of cleaning products are also infused with ammonia. As such, you can get any of these for use on ants.

For more clarity, products containing ammonia include glass cleaners, pet stain removers, multipurpose cleaners, floor cleaners, and disinfectant sprays.

Other products with ammonia include bathroom cleaners as well as carpet cleaners.

To be more specific, particular brands include Armstrong Floor Cleaner, Resolve Instant Eraser, Pledge 4-in-1 Tile & Vinyl Floor Cleaner, Easy-Off Professional Glass Cleaner Spray, and Walmart Great Value Original Glass Cleaner.

Additional ammonia-containing products include Windex Advanced Glass & Multi-Surface Cleaner, Pledge Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish with Future Shine, Lysol Aerosol Bathroom Cleaner, and Lysol Professional Disinfectant Spray.

These are only a few of many cleaning products containing ammonia.

How Ammonia Kills Ants

You might be wondering how ammonia kills ants on contact.

Remember we said ammonia when concentrated is caustic. The ability of this chemical compound to corrode the exoskeletons of ants on contact means they won’t survive the ordeal when drenched in its solution.

You’ll have to ensure that your ammonia pesticide treatment is concentrated enough to get the job done. When it is, ants are unable to survive.

Ammonia Ant Treatment isn’t Practical and Sustainable

Ammonia will only kill some ants when sprayed directly on them. The rest are repelled and keep off for as long as the fumes or pungent odor remains.

Once it’s cleared, ants will return with a bang in search of food. This will sound disappointing to persons having strong confidence in ammonia as an ant killer.

With little to no results obtained, what remains is to seek alternative treatment methods that work. This might sound like a lot of work, but it isn’t.

There are other effective ways to address an ant problem. Such methods include both preventive actions as well as onsite elimination using different strategies.

Looking for More Reliable Ant Extermination Options

We’ve seen that ammonia has its downsides as an ant killer. You’ll need to use a more potent treatment that gives you real results.

Such ant treatments can either completely replace ammonia or can be used together with it. You can use amdro as well as apply preventive measures, or over-the-counter insecticides.

• Amdro

Amdro is poisoned bait designed for ant control.

It can be mixed with whatever foods ants find attractive such as soybean oil etc. When ants come across this, they place it in their crop which is part of their digestive tract, and take it to their nests.

There, the poisoned bait is regurgitated and fed on by colony members including the queen. This ends up poisoning the entire colony, thus making it difficult for these pests to survive.

• Preventive Measures

Any time you see ants around, they’re likely drawn due to favorable conditions like food, and moisture. You’ll need to keep surfaces clean after every meal and properly store foods in sealed containers.

Tiny holes or cracks can also be exploited by these pests. Have them sealed to block off entry.

Doing this does a lot to keep these pests at bay. What more? We earlier stated that ants are attracted to moisture. So, you’ll need to check for any moisture sources in your homes.

Examples of these are leaky plumbing components or clogged drains. Have these been fixed to address your moisture problem?

• Over-the-Counter-Insecticides

Instead of using treatments that don’t work, it’s necessary to try out those that do work. Lots of over-the-counter insecticide brands are available for purchase.

You might want to get any of these for your ant problems. Such insecticides are specially formulated for the killing of ants.

Ammonia will kill some ants when applied correctly. It’s important to take note of the word “some” because treatment with ammonia isn’t that effective.

We’ve provided some other options to try out for better results.