Foundation Landscaping Tips for Repelling Ants
Natural Ant Remedies
Work naturally to repel ants when doing foundation landscaping. These tiny intruders are nature’s ultimate foragers. They are relentless, organized, and weirdly obsessed with sugar. Reclaim counters and baseboards. Discover homemade, kid-, pet-, and plant-safe ant repellent options. Select from spicy powders to zesty sprays. Dig into your kitchen and essential oil stash. Then mix up a natural ant remedy. It will help keep the buggy blues at bay.
Kid Safety Tip
All sweet-and-spicy concoctions (looking at you, ant-bait recipe borax) are tempting to curious toddlers. Always use in out-of-reach locations and clearly label all containers. Avoid applying pepper or cinnamon in crawling zones or on floors used by babies.
Pet Safety Tip
Pepper and cinnamon can irritate a pet’s paws and nose. Borax mixtures should never be accessible to pets—keep them tucked away behind appliances or outdoors near foundation plantings where pets can’t reach.
Black Pepper or Cayenne Pepper Sprinkle
A spicy ant deterrent homemade tactic. Disrupts scent trails and confuses ants.
Bonus: also repels cockroaches and mice.
How to Use:
- Use ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, or a mix.
- Sprinkle a thin, unbroken line at:
- Baseboards
- Door thresholds
- Windowsills
- Around the pantry or trash can
- Along visible ant trails
- Near foundation landscaping features like mulch lines or brick edging
Paste Option for Cracks:
- 1 tbsp cayenne or black pepper
- 1 tsp olive or vegetable oil
- A few drops of water (optional)
Apply into cracks with a cotton swab or spatula.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Use in tucked-away areas—irritating if inhaled or touched.
Vinegar + Peppermint Spray
A classic ant spray home remedy that destroys scent trails and leaves ants lost like tourists without a map.
Recipe:
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 10–15 drops peppermint essential oil
How to Use: Spray along baseboards, door frames, counters, windows, and the perimeter of your foundation (especially under decks or around planting beds).
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Peppermint oil is toxic to cats and birds. Let surfaces dry completely before allowing pets near them.
Bonus Tip: Wondering what essential oils repel ants? Peppermint, tea tree, and clove oil are among the most effective. Always dilute and avoid spraying near pets.
Baking Soda + Sugar
Sugar lures ants in. Baking soda takes them out. A stealthy homemade ant powder that hits them from the inside.
Recipe:
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar
How to Use: Mix and place in jar lids or muffin liners inside and around your home’s exterior, especially in dry soil or mulch beds near the foundation. Replace every few days.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: May cause stomach upset. Keep out of reach.
Cucumber Peels
Especially bitter peels release a scent that ants hate—like a green “No Trespassing” sign. Think of it as spinach for your kids.
How to Use: Place in entry zones—such as windowsills, under sinks, or in shady foundation landscaping areas — where ants are entering the home.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Completely non-toxic!
Cinnamon (Ground or Essential Oil Spray)
Smells great to us, smells like a crisis to ants. Great for anyone wondering what scent keeps ants away.
Recipe:
Option 1: Ground Cinnamon – Sprinkle it across all entry points (both indoor and outdoor).
Option 2: Cinnamon Oil Spray
-
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp cinnamon essential oil
- Optional: Dish soap
How to Use: Spray onto surfaces and let dry—also great along the base of foundation plants or under porch steps.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Can irritate lungs and paws—use cautiously.
Cinnamon (Ground or Essential Oil Spray)
Smells great to us, smells like a crisis to ants. Great for anyone wondering what scent keeps ants away.
Recipe:
Option 1: Ground Cinnamon – Sprinkle it across all entry points (both indoor and outdoor).
Option 2: Cinnamon Oil Spray
-
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp cinnamon essential oil
- Optional: Dish soap
How to Use: Spray onto surfaces and let dry—also great along the base of foundation plants or under porch steps.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Can irritate lungs and paws—use cautiously.
Borax + Sweet Stuff
A powerful homemade ant killer borax station for stubborn colonies.
Recipe:
- 1 tsp Borax
- 1 tbsp jelly, honey, or syrup
How to Use: Mix and place on cardboard or foil. Tuck it into hidden areas. Put it behind flowerpots or along foundation lines. Double check it is where pets and kids can’t access them.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Borax is toxic, so put it in secure, out-of-reach areas.
Outdoor Option: Homemade Ant Killer for Outdoors
If the problem starts outside, solve it where it begins—your foundation landscaping. Apply pepper paste or borax bait around garage corners, patio cracks, planting beds, or near outdoor trash bins.
Pet/Kid Safety Tip: Cover bait stations or tuck them behind barriers outdoors.
What Do Ants Hate the Most?
Strong scents sent them scurrying. Here is what happens. Pew eww to peppermint. Run for the hills from vinegar. Keep away from cayenne. Skedaddle from cinnamon. Ants also avoid bitter cucumber, citrus, and chalky textures like baking soda. These aren’t just what naturally keep ants away. Natural ant repellents are smart and eco-friendly tools. Add it to your indoor and outdoor pest control toolkit.
Keep the Ants Out—Without Inviting Trouble In
There’s no need to sacrifice safety for effectiveness. Whether you need a quick homemade ant spray or a strategic line of defense in your foundation landscaping, these homemade solutions offer peace of mind without harsh chemicals.
And don’t stop here—next up, we’re tackling cockroaches. Watch for our guide on how to keep roaches out using homemade baits and sprays they’ll never see coming.
From Arch Foundation Repair
Before you grab the cayenne and start planting marigolds like a backyard warrior, remember—these DIY tips are helpful, but they’re not magic spells. If you’re seeing ants crawling in foundation cracks, it may not just be a pest issue. It could be a foundation issue.
Foundation cracks, shifting soil, or sudden moisture problems invite pests. It is also the beginning of long-term problems. When in doubt, call Arch Foundation Repair. Schedule your inspection and keep your home standing strong—inside and out.
Important Safety Precautions:
- Always follow label instructions for any product you use.
- Keep homemade repellents out of the reach of children and pets.
- Avoid contact with skin and eyes.
- Use in well-ventilated areas.
- Wear appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and eye protection, when handling ingredients.
- If you experience any adverse reactions, discontinue use and seek medical advice.
- If accidental ingestion or exposure occurs, contact the Poison Control Center immediately at 800-222-1222
Additional Resources: Ingredient Safety and Toxic Warnings
For deeper safety guidance on the natural ingredients used in homemade ant repellents and killers, check these authoritative resources:
- Borax Toxicity and Use Guidelines: National Pesticide Information Center – Borax Fact Sheet
- Baking Soda Safety Information: U.S. National Library of Medicine – Sodium Bicarbonate Profile
- Essential Oil Safety for Pets: ASPCA – Are Essential Oils Dangerous to Pets?
- Peppermint, Clove, and Cinnamon Oil Warnings: National Capital Poison Center – Tea Tree and Other Oil Toxicity
- Vinegar in Pest Control: Plantgrower.org Fact Sheet
- Cayenne and Black Pepper Irritation Effects: NIH PubChem – Capsaicin Toxicological Profile
- Lemon Juice & Citrus Oil Use: National Pesticide Information Center – Citrus Oils
- Onion and Garlic Toxicity in Pets (Related to Baits): Pet Poison Helpline – Garlic/Onion Safety for Pets
These sources offer safety data, toxicity levels, and handling precautions—especially valuable when using natural pest control near kids, pets, or edible garden spaces.
Foundation Landscaping Eco-Friendly Pest Control Series
- Bug-off Naturally with Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
- Why Make Homemade Insect Repellent?
- How to Make a Homemade Remedy for Termites
- How to Make a Homemade Ant Repellent
- Homemade Cockroach Killers that Really Work
- How to Make Homemade Bug Spray for Spiders
- How to Make Homemade Fly Repellent
- How to Make a Homemade Wasp Trap and Spray
- Powerful Pest-Repelling Plants for Stunning Texas Foundation Landscaping
- Foundation Landscaping: Epic Kid & Pet-Friendly Pest Control
