Ants are one of the most common pests we have to deal with. They are a big nuisance and can have an even larger impact on our health if they live close to our homes.
If you’re having a problem with ants, you will want to learn what you can do to get rid of ants.
Why Do Ants Love Your Driveway?
Ants love building their colonies in driveways because it provides them shade and a cool environment.
The ants also use the cracks in your driveway as a place to lay their eggs and protect them from the sunlight.
You can get rid of ants in your driveway by using a combination of baits, pesticides, and natural remedies to control the ant population.
You might also like: Claiming Back Your Yard: 10 Best Ant Killers For Yards
What Happens If You Do Not Exterminate Ants in Your Driveway?
If you don’t exterminate ants in your driveway, they may start chewing on the asphalt and causing damage to it.
This will eventually lead to potholes forming, which could be dangerous if someone were driving over them while trying not to hit any pedestrians crossing at an intersection nearby (e.g., children or people with disabilities).
What You Should Avoid When You Have Ants in Your Driveway?
Before we get into how to get rid of ants, let’s discuss what you shouldn’t do. It may be tempting to use your garden hose to spray them off the driveway, but this will only cause them to scatter and find other places in your yard and home.
Pesticides from the store should also be avoided because they aren’t as effective as they used to be. Ants in your driveway have likely been exposed to these chemicals before and are resistant to their effects.
It’s also important not to try and get rid of ants by using bleach or boiling water because these items will damage your driveway.
Measures You Can Take To Keep Ants Out of Your Driveway
Keep Your Driveway Clean
When you have food, grease or oil spilled on your driveway; you’ll attract ants. Often these spills are made by people parking their cars in the driveway.
So it’s important to talk to family members and visitors about cleaning up any spills they make.
If you can’t get them to clean it up, pick up the spill with a paper towel or rag as soon as possible so that it doesn’t attract ants.
Seal Cracks in Your Driveway
Use a caulking gun to seal all cracks in your driveway with resilient caulk. This will close off the access points for ants that want to enter your home from the driveway.
Dry Up Standing Water Near The Driveway
Ants like damp areas, so if you have any standing water near your driveway, dry it up or remove it.
If you cannot dry it up, then use a chemical that kills ants combined with ant bait and place it near the area where there is standing water.
The ants will then take the ant bait back to their nest and kill the queen, which will eradicate the entire colony.
5 Natural Ways To Kill Ants
You can get rid of ants without harming the environment. For example, if you have an ant problem in your driveway, you can get rid of them in a way that won’t harm your children or pets.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is an effective natural treatment for ants. Ants leave a pheromone trail that helps them to find their way back and forth from the nest to a food source.
When you erase this pheromone trail, ants won’t be able to find their way into your home. Simply mix equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it along any areas where you see ants coming inside.
You can also spray the solution directly on the ants themselves to kill them instantly. If you have pets, make sure they don’t lick the sprayed areas until it’s dried completely.
Saltwater
Saltwater is a popular and effective way to get rid of unwanted ants in your driveway. However, it is important to note that this method may not be completely effective.
The easiest way to make saltwater is by boiling water and adding salt. Once the water has cooled, pour it into a spray bottle, and spray it directly on ants or on ant trails that you see around the driveway.
However, you might need to repeat the process if the ants come back or spread out to other parts of your driveway.
Ice and Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil, citrus juice or lemon peels, and eucalyptus leaves have insect-repellent properties.
Add one to three drops of tea tree oil to six ounces of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on ants or the areas where you’ve seen them.
To make a repellent with citrus juice or lemon peels, steep the peels or slices of lemon in boiling water for 20 minutes. Let it cool, then put it into a spray bottle.
To make a repellent with eucalyptus leaves, boil 10 grams of leaves in 16 oz of water for 20 minutes. Let it cool, then strain the liquid and put it into a spray bottle. You can also soak cotton balls in any of these repellents and place them near ant trails.
Baking Soda and Cornstarch
Baking soda has so many uses. It can be used to clean the house, balance body pH, and shine your teeth.
It can also be used to kill ants. Make a solution of 50% water and 50% baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the ants, and they will take it back to the colony. The ants will die within two days.
Cornstarch can be poured into cracks and crevices to kill ants on contact. They eat it, and it expands inside their bodies, causing them to die. White vinegar kills ants and also repels them.
Turmeric Paste
Turmeric is a root that is well known for its medicinal properties. It contains curcumin, which has antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and can help get rid of the ants.
How to Use Turmeric to Kill Ants:
- Mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder with a little water to make a thick paste.
- Apply the paste where you see the ants.
- You can also apply this paste to the ant mounds.
Other Ways of Getting Rid of Ants
Use Ant Traps
Ants are attracted by the smell of sugar. Ant traps, also called ant baits, are cylindrical or rectangular devices containing a sugar-based substance.
A tube or crack in the container allows the ants to enter, feed on the bait, and go back to their nest. The queen ant will be killed by eating the bait, and this will cause the colony to die off completely.
Place ant traps in any cracks in your driveway where you have seen ants entering or leaving their nest.
You may also place them near any trees or plants that are attracting ants to your driveway.
Ants do not like direct sunlight, so you should place the trap near an overhang or under a plant if possible. This will increase its effectiveness as more ants will be exposed to it before it dries out in the sun.
Use DE in Your Driveway
Diatomaceous earth (DE) can be used to kill ants and other insects. DE is a powder made from crushed fossilized algae called diatoms.
It works by puncturing the exoskeleton of the insect and causing it to dehydrate. DE is commonly used as an insecticide and must be reapplied after rainfall or watering.
Apply DE to the cracks in your driveway using a flour sifter or plastic shaker container with holes punched in the lid.
Sprinkle a thin layer of DE into the cracks, making sure to reach all areas where you’ve seen ants. You may also sprinkle DE around the perimeter of your home and around other areas where pests congregate.
Buy Borax in Powder Form and Use It as Bait To Get Rid of Ants
Mixing borax with powdered sugar is a great way to kill ants with little effort. The borax kills the ants while the powdered sugar attracts them.
To make this mixture, simply mix equal parts of each ingredient and place it where you’ve seen the ants.
The mixture can also be placed in an empty bottle cap or jar lid and left near the nest or entryway. If you see live ants, they’ll soon be dead after consuming this poisonous mix.
Kill Queens in Outdoor Nests
If you can find the queen ant in an outdoor nest, you can put her in a jar with some isopropyl alcohol at night while she’s out foraging.
This will kill her, making it impossible for the colony to survive. However, if you don’t find and kill every queen in a nest, this method won’t work because another queen will take her place quickly.
Key Takeaways
There are many reasons why ants can appear on your driveway pavement. As a homeowner, one of your first tasks is to identify what attracting factors are causing ants to get into the cracks of your driveway.
The most likely reason is that you have water that is collecting in the cracks of your driveway, creating a paradise for ants.
