Cinnamon oil for ants?

DamnearaFarm · #1 04/06/10, 06:54 PM

Any thoughts? This old farmhouse is plagued with ants. When we lived here before, I paid a neighbor (who owns a large pest control company) a reduced rate to keep 'em at bay. This time, I can't afford it and the buggers are already making themselves known.
I was loading the dishwasher and noticed several along the countertop. Not having any bug stuff, I grabbed the bottle of cinnamon oil I have sitting on the sink and dropped a bit on a sponge. I wiped the counter down and all the ants died immediately. Even better, it's been over 24 hours and no ants are on the area I wiped down, while unwiped areas have ant activity.
I hope i'm onto something.....

lickcreek2 · #2 04/07/10, 09:05 AM

Wow, I don't know the answer, but I hope you are on to something myself. We are starting to see them again, too. And in places I've never seen them before (on the top of my chest freezer?

)

I would love to try something more natural. I hate using bug spray.
Did you use cinamon extract or essential oil? I'll give it a try.

mateosbaby · #3 04/07/10, 11:54 AM

I have tried cinnamon before, but not cinnamon oil. I just sprinkled it around where they came in. They didn't die, but it did keep them away until I swept it away. I have read that ants don't like cinnamon. I will have to try the oil, too!

April · #4 04/07/10, 12:24 PM

I use Pennyroyal oil for ants. It doesn't kill them, but does keep them away.

DamnearaFarm · #5 04/07/10, 08:14 PM

Okay... got the bottle here... it's cinnamon leaf oil by a company called Nature's Alchemy. I don't recall where I bought it, but I bet it was online somewhere. Drugstore.com, perhaps? It's 100% essential oil, so maybe the strength is what makes it work over sprinkled cinnamon?

Still no ants in that spot and I also wiped down the doors and shelves in the pantry, no ants there either. I did have the sponge damp when I wiped, btw.

On your chest freezer, lickcreek? That's weird....

beaglebiz · #6 04/08/10, 07:37 AM

Well, I plan to try this. Thanks for posting Charaty

StephanieH · #7 04/08/10, 07:50 AM

I know I bought a natural spray for ants once & it had pepermint oil in it. The good thing was it smelled nice when I used it.

Maverick_mg · #8 04/08/10, 11:22 AM

Using cinnamon to keep ants away is an old bee keeper trick. I use it in my hives 'cause the bees don't mind but the ants hate it. It work for keeping them out of your house as well it you put it by the doors, windows or where ever they like to get in at. Also if you have a wood pile, check it for rotting logs. Dead and dying trees and rotting wood close to your house will bring ants in.

DamnearaFarm · #9 04/08/10, 11:43 AM

Thanks, Mav... good to know it has some validity to it. What do you think about mixing some with distilled water for a spray?

yw- beaglebiz.

Tricky Grama · #10 04/08/10, 01:03 PM

A diluted orange oil spray will work too.
Not sure which is cheaper, I'd be inclined to go the cheeepest route.

Patty

MattPA · #11 04/08/10, 02:40 PM

Try this: Place some borax detergent booster in a cap and pour in Syrup and stir. Place caps around house and the ants will eat it and carry some back inside walls to nest. Soon no more ants. It kills them from the inside out. Worked great last year. And ants quickly disappeared.I have ants again this year and just stuck some more out around kitchen.

Trisha in WA · #12 04/08/10, 03:50 PM

UGH I found sugar ants in my refridgerator last night! I have no idea how they are getting in there, but we have been batteling them for six months everywhere else (and loosing obviously).
I will have to try the cinnamon oil.

blooba · #13 04/08/10, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tricky Grama

A diluted orange oil spray will work too.
Not sure which is cheaper, I'd be inclined to go the cheeepest route.

Patty

Yep when I lived in FL i used orange peel to get rid of them. I forgot what I had used until I seen your post. I tried Ortho chemical stuff I was so tired of them and still no luck. Orange did the trick though.

FYI these were fresh off the tree oranges not dried up store bought ones.

DamnearaFarm · #14 04/12/10, 10:20 PM

Mixed up a spray... twenty drops to a cup of water and it works great. Mine don't appear to be sugar ants.
Tricky Grama- I figure since I already had it, it was the cheapest :0) I may have to buy some orange oil eventually, it's starting to smell like a candle store in here, lol!

Maverick_mg · #15 04/12/10, 10:30 PM

I've never tried it in a spray. I think I'm gonna give it a shot this year and see what happens. Let us know if it works for you.

Maverick_mg · #16 04/12/10, 10:36 PM

OOPS! Just re-read your post where you said the spray worked good. Good to know. I guess this is my cue to head for bed.

romysbaskets · #17 04/12/10, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trisha in WA

UGH I found sugar ants in my refridgerator last night! I have no idea how they are getting in there, but we have been batteling them for six months everywhere else (and loosing obviously).
I will have to try the cinnamon oil.

Hey Trish,
Romy from Hat Island, Washington here! Ok so my sugar ants are like yours....and when they come a marching in....VINEGAR HURRAH! No kidding! I spray my counters, door frames and anywhere they may come in..... Plain old cheap white vinegar....smell dissipates and they don't come back for some time! I tell everyone who has this problem....I don't even concern myself, just pour it in a spray bottle and in ten minutes I have treated my entire home.....

I was online one day looking at a page called 101 uses for vinegar!~ This was a few years ago. I don't spray a single spray in my home for any surfaces but that now! I use vinegar to clean my windows, cleans off the mold and deters it from coming back on the old single paned windows....the only ones not replaced prior to our buying the place, big picture windows with slider below. Great to clean counters....so many things.... So as you clean with it you are also treating your home!

In short....ANTS=WHITE VINEGAR....and away they go!

At least the kind we get....

I am sure cinnamon must work too from all the posts but vinegar you surely have right in your cupboard!