How To Get Rid Of Ants - Bunnings New Zealand
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How to get rid of ants

Ant killing powder being sprinkled onto a lawn

Overview

Check out our tips and techniques to help you get rid of ants from your property. We'll show you how to prevent them from becoming a problem, along with some natural and artificial methods to completely eradicate them.

Steps

1Ways to prevent ants

Ants are attracted to fatty or sugary food, so try to avoid leaving these lying around in places such as your kitchen. If you do find an ant trail, wipe the trail clean where the ants have been walking – this will get rid of the pheromones that attract other ants. You should also seal up any holes, gaps or cracks that ants can crawl through.

If you do get an ant infestation indoors, ant baits provide an easy, no-mess solution. They contain an insecticide that attracts ants, which then take it back to the nest.

Ants swarming around a crack in a brick wall

2Ways to remove an ant nest

A simple and natural way to get rid of an ant nest is by pouring boiling water over it. There are also artificial methods like granules that you can pour into crevices and cracks or onto trails. You could also spray a liquid repellent onto the nest, or areas the ants might be attracted to, like garbage bins. Powder products work much like granules, so just apply them anywhere you find ants.

Person pouring ant killer granules onto a grassed area
Health & Safety

Please make sure you use all equipment appropriately and safely when following the advice in these D.I.Y. videos. You need to be familiar with how to use equipment safely and follow the instructions that came with the equipment. If you are unsure, you may feel it is safest to consult an expert, such as the manufacturer or an expert Bunnings Team Member.

Grave health hazards are linked to asbestos, which may be in homes built up to 1990. Health hazards may result from exposure to lead-based paints in older materials and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer. You can also use a simple test kit from Bunnings to indicate the presence of lead-based paint.