Finding ants marching across your kitchen counters, patio, garden, or around the entrance to your home can be frustrating. Once ants discover a reliable source of food, they can quickly establish a trail and return again and again.
The image shows a simple household ingredient that is often suggested as a natural way to discourage ants: ordinary table salt.
Salt may help in certain situations, particularly when it is used to create a dry barrier in areas where ants are entering. However, it is important to understand that salt is not a guaranteed way to eliminate an entire ant colony. It is better viewed as a simple deterrent that can be combined with good household pest-control practices.
Start by locating where the ants are coming from. Watch their trail for a few minutes and look for cracks around doors, windows, walls, baseboards, pipes, or other openings. Finding the entry point is much more useful than simply scattering salt randomly throughout the house.
Once you identify a small entry point, clean the surrounding area thoroughly. Remove food crumbs, spilled drinks, grease, and anything else that could attract ants. Even tiny amounts of food can encourage ants to continue returning.
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