[7 TIPS] Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio (FAST)

An ant infestation in your patio can be a difficult thing to deal with. Not only are they annoying and creepy, but they can also cause damage to your patio if you’re not careful.

Ants are a pest that can be difficult to get rid of because they have many different ways of getting in and on your patio. One way is through the cracks in concrete patios and decks.

If you want to find out how to stop ants from coming back, then this blog post is for you! We will go over some common ant signs, how to identify an ant infestation, and what you can do about them once they are found.

How To Know You Have An Ant Problem

Ant Signs to Look For

Ants are usually very small but many come in large numbers. They can be seen walking around your patio looking for food and water sources.

They also leave trails of pheromones so that other ants will follow them into the house. You may see ant nests near cracks or holes on concrete patios, but they can also be found inside the house.

Ant Infestation

When you see signs of ants, there is a high chance that your patio will have an infestation if it doesn’t already. It is important to stop them early before their numbers grow and become more difficult to control.

Ants are very persistent so even with simple cleanup, they will come back unless you do something about it.

How To Get Rid Of Ants On Your Patio

Most people are familiar with the sight of ants in their homes and gardens. However, ants can be a big problem when these insects decide to set up shop on your patio!

Here is how you might go about getting rid of them.

Boric Acid

A very simple way to get rid of ants without resorting to chemicals is by using an ant trap based around sugar water combined with boric acid powder.

Although this may sound like a scary option because it uses harmful substances such as pesticides, boric acid has no known toxicity when handled appropriately and used according to product instructions.

The same cannot be said about other so-called natural pest control products that are widely available with little or no regulation on their contents.

Boric acid is effective at getting rid of ants because it acts as a poison when ingested but has no effect if you touch the powder directly.

This means that the ants will be drawn to any sweet solution containing boric acid and ingest this substance while cleaning themselves – killing the whole colony in one go!

To make an effective ant trap using sugar water combined with boric acid, combine equal parts of white granulated sugar and water (roughly two cups) then add three tablespoons of boric acid powder.

Mix all ingredients well until they form a thick syrup mixture before pouring them into spray bottles for individual use. Finally, shake each bottle before spraying it on to areas where ants are present.

Lemons Or Lemon Juice

Not only will this kill any ants that come into contact with it when mixed with water, but it also deters them from ever coming back.

If you’re wondering how to get rid of ants on your patio and keep them away, this is another great method.

Pour 1 part lemon juice into 5 parts water in your bowl/container. Mix together thoroughly with a spoon or fork and pour the mixture into a small cup or another container (like an old film canister).

Carefully carry the liquid outside and walk around your patio until you find any ant mounds, trails, nests where they’re entering your patio, etc. Dip the tip of a spoon into your cup and touch just the very tip to an ant trail or mound, then take it back to your cup/container.

Repeat this till you have covered all the infected areas.

Diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is natural and non-toxic so it won’t harm pets or children when used properly.

It shouldn’t be inhaled so while it will work for some time after application – it won’t last as long as some of the other chemical options. You’ll need to reapply diatomaceous earth every few days or after it rains.

Immediately after you notice an ant trail, sprinkle a line of diatomaceous earth where they are walking. It will kill the ants that walk over it and prevent future ants from coming through.

Just sprinkle some on and trails or in an ant nest. This will cause the ants to dehydrate and slowly killing them.

Borax

Borax is one of the best ways to get rid of ants on a patio and is a common household product.

It kills them by ingestion or contact, which means their bodies will keep working even after they have died because the borax will poison them from the inside out. You can find this product in most grocery stores’ laundry sections.

Mix one part of Borax with six parts sugar – use this mixture as bait for your ant traps.- Place the traps near problem areas, such as where you see ants crawling up walls or on the underside of your patio.

If you don’t want to make your own ant traps, commercial options are available at most grocery stores and hardware outlets. Or Have A Look Here

Ant Traps

Commercial bait traps, which contain a special food that ants find irresistible, are an effective and inexpensive way to control the most common household ant species. Professionals have two choices of commercial bait: granular or liquid.

Both can be purchased at your local garden center or hardware store. You don’t want to use a liquid form inside your home as it will attract other insects from outside such as roaches, earwigs, and spiders.

Ants are drawn out of the colony by the sweet scent of the bait and take it back to feed it to their queen, killing her in the process.

Once you trap all foraging ants in this method at home (such as around windows) apply outdoor bait stations near potential nesting sites away from children dogs and wildlife.

Baby Powder

One natural method for repelling ants is sprinkling baby powder on the affected areas. The baby powder will leave zigzag lines which will be hard for the ants to cross over because they find it icky!

Boiling Water

One very effective method is pouring boiling water on the ant trails (where most ants will travel). Boiling water should kill both the worker ants and destroy their scent trail (the pheromone trail that they follow).

This will effectively keep them from returning to that area.

Why do I have so many ants on my patio?

Ants are attracted to the sweet taste of sugar and cooking oils. They also love anything with protein such as meat, pets food, or the insects they kill in your yard.

Prevention is key: Clean up spillage, dispose of wastes and pet food and be sure your patio is clean after having a barbeque.

Also, keep any cracks in cement sealed because ants can get through them easily. Remember it only takes a small number of ants to create a big problem so do not wait for an infestation to start taking action against them!

Why Are Ants Attracted To Concrete?

Concrete is an excellent medium to begin a nest in because it does not rot like wood, nor can other insects eat through it as they can with softer materials. It’s also warm and dry inside which are ideal conditions for ants.

Ants seem to be particularly drawn to concrete. They’ll find any little crack or crevice and work their way in. We call them concrete ants but they’re technically known as pavement ants (Tetramorium species).

Some species actually prefer nesting in man-made structures rather than natural habitats due to climate control and protection from predators as well as fewer parasites and diseases that can be problematic.

Can Ants Ruin A Concrete Patio?

Yes, ants can damage your concrete patio. In the case of concrete, ants are bad for two reasons – they like to eat it (or more precisely, the mortar that binds its particles together), and their tunnels weaken and damage the material.

How Do I Know There’s A Colony Outside My Patio?

To tell if they’re coming from the soil under your home, look for large mounds of earth-colored brown or red (like that of termites) with small holes within close proximity to the house .

How To Get Rid Of Stink Ants?

Stink ants are usually found outdoors, so you can try to keep them from entering your home by sealing up entry points with caulk.

You can also use their own scent against them- find out where they’re coming in and put peppermint oil here.

The smell is not easy for the ants to bear making it hard for them to cross over this area again.

Another way is to let small amounts of dish soap sit on top of these areas and once an ant comes, it will drown as the water evaporates. Just make sure you clean up any excess soap after a few days or else pets or children might slip and get wet when stepping on it.

How Do You Get Rid Of Sugar Ants?

There are many types of ants, but the most common in homes is the sugar ant. They’re small and come from outside into your home looking for food or moisture which they get from sweet items like candy, soda, etc.

To rid them of these sources clean up all food messes as soon as possible; if there’s a crack in your flooring or walls where you see constant trails, then use caulk to seal this area off so no ant can crawl through.

You can also put borax near their path- look for little piles of mushy dirt where they’ve been walking around and place borax here- when they go to lick off the borax it will cause a slow death.

Conclusion

Ants on your patio can be a major annoyance. They get into your food, they crawl in your bed, and worst of all, ants infest homes because they are drawn to moisture and warmth.

Hope this article gave you some ideas on how to get rid of your ant patio infestation.