So, you have an ant infestation at home. You don’t like ant baits and pesticides. You want to go all-natural. And then you find out that there are DIY solutions out there for your ant problem. One of the solutions you have found is cinnamon. But does cinnamon get rid of ants?
Why people use cinnamon to get rid of ants
Ant baits and pesticides are great ways to get rid of your ant problem at home. But many homeowners prefer not to use these things because they can be dangerous. Ant baits and pesticides have ingredients that can harm not just the ants, but also the inhabitants of your home.
For example, ant baits on the floor can be consumed by pets or even unsupervised children. Pesticides sprayed on the walls can be touched by the people around your home.
Because of these potential risks, many homeowners are opting for more natural remedies for their ant infestation. Some use essential oils, lemon, or vinegar. Some even combine lemon and vinegar to create a more potent solution.
One of the many natural remedies everybody claims to work is cinnamon.
How people use cinnamon to get rid of ants
Homeowners use the 3 main forms of cinnamon to get rid of ants: oil, powder, and stick. Here are examples of how homeowners use cinnamon for their ant problem:
Cinnamon essential oil
Cinnamon essential oils are more potent than their powder and stick counterparts because they have a higher concentration of cinnamon. Homeowners dip a cotton swab in the essential oil bottle and rub the swab on surfaces where there is a lot of ant activity.
Many homeowners prefer making a solution and then just spray this solution around their home. To make a cinnamon solution, they combine 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water and about 20 drops of cinnamon essential oil. They put the solution in a spray bottle and spray on areas where there is a lot of ant activity.
Cinnamon powder
Cinnamon powder is the most accessible form of cinnamon you can get. You can easily buy one from major retailers like grocery stores. Homeowners simply sprinkle cinnamon powder on the ants’ possible entry points. Entry points include the edges of floors and walls, the gaps between doors and windows, and structural damage like holes in the walls.
Many homeowners believe that the cinnamon powder shouldn’t just be sprinkled randomly. They claim that it’s better to sprinkle the powder in a line, so the powder acts like a wall preventing ants from entering their property.
Cinnamon stick
Homeowners also use cinnamon sticks to get rid of their ant problem. It may sound a little ridiculous, but many of them claim that they have seen positive results. They simply put the cinnamon sticks on the ants’ possible entry points, like cinnamon powder.
Why cinnamon is ineffective against ants
The biggest claim you see on articles online is that cinnamon gets rid of ants because of its strong smell. Ants have a strong sense of smell, so ingredients with strong smells like cinnamon overpower them. Ants also leave a scent on ant trails, and cinnamon’s strong smell can disrupt or mask this scent.
There is some truth to these claims. But they only make cinnamon an ant repellent, not an ant killer. There is a big difference. An ant repellent only repels ants because of their naturally repulsive properties. In the case of the cinnamon, their smell is repulsive to ants.
Because they don’t actually kill the ants like ant baits and pesticides, they can only do so much to get rid of your ant problem. At their best, they can drive away the ants in your home. At their worst, they can only force the ants to look for other spots in your home where they can enter or thrive.
So yes, you can use cinnamon against ants, but it’s not as effective as the claims around the internet. And for cinnamon to be very effective even just as an ant repellent, you will need high concentrations of it.
Natural remedies you can try for your ant problem
It’s understandable if you still don’t want to use ant baits and pesticides to solve your ant problem at home. There are other natural remedies you can try.
- Make food and water inaccessible in your home. Ants are in your home mainly because they can find food and water in it. Make your home less attractive to these pests by making food and water inaccessible. Make sure your home is free of food crumbs and water spills. And make sure to seal your garbage bins too because they can be great food and water sources for the ants.
- Fix the structural damage in your home. Ants like to nest on the structural damage in your home, such as the broken tiles in your bathroom, the rotting wooden door in your living room, and the cracks and holes in your kitchen walls. Make your home less attractive to these pests by fixing these damages around your home.
- Find the ant nest and pour boiling water in it. Ant baits and pesticides are great, but they are not the only effective ant killers. You can’t go more natural than boiling water. Follow the ant trails, and hopefully, they lead you to the ant nest bothering your home. Simply pour boiling water in the nest to get rid of the ants for good.
Cinnamon can help get rid of ants, but it is not the best method
Cinnamon can help get rid of your ant problem. They are excellent repellents. They can even kill some ants in concentrated doses. But these doses are extracted only in laboratories, so you shouldn’t get your hopes up.
You shouldn’t rely on cinnamon as the main solution to your ant problem. Use it only as a supplement to other more effective solutions. If you don’t want to use ant baits and pesticides, make your home as unattractive to ants as possible. Make food and water inaccessible and fix the possible nesting spots around your home. And if possible, get rid of the ants using the most natural method of all – by pouring boiling water in their nest.