How to Get Rid of Ants with Cinnamon

Does cinnamon kill ants? Not quite, but it does redirect and deter them! You can use cinnamon to deter ants through the use of powder, oil, or sticks. Most natural remedies work in a similar way, but you can try a wide variety to see what works best for you. Get the full guide below.

Things You Should Know

Sprinkle powdered cinnamon at entry points to repel ants.
Place cinnamon sticks in front of entry points and anywhere you've seen ants.
Dip a cotton swab in cinnamon essential oil and wipe the oil around affected areas.
This will only be effective if there's no nest inside the home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Deterring Ants with Cinnamon

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The simplest method of using cinnamon is just to grab what you have in the cupboard. Add a dash or two where you see the ants entering the house. The cinnamon is so strong that it disrupts the trails the ants are trying to make, and they'll stop coming in that way.^{[1]XResearch source}
Instead of just sprinkling it, you can also use cinnamon to make a line that ants won't cross. If you see them in certain areas, try using a cotton swab to make a line across that area. Rub it in the cinnamon and spread it in a single, thin line.^{[2]XResearch source}
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Use cinnamon essential oils. If you want to go a step further with your cinnamon, try using essential oil instead of the powdered stuff. It tends to be more potent. You can simply dip a cotton swab in it and then rub the oil along the areas where you've seen ants.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Some other essential oils may also repel ants. The easiest way to spread essentials around your home is by making a solution with water. Then you just spray it around your home in areas where you've been seeing ants.
- Start with a 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of water and a 1/4 cup of vodka (60 milliliters). The vodka helps keep the solution mixed together well. However, if you don't have it, substitute extra water (another 1/4 cup) for the vodka, and shake well before each use.
- Add essential oils. Try adding 20-25 drops of cinnamon oil. Shake well.
- Try other essential oils. You'll need 15 drops of tea tree oil, 15 drops of peppermint oil, and 7 drops of citrus oil (such orange, lemon, or lime). You can substitute 3 drops of clove in place of the citrus. Shake thoroughly.
- However, if you want to use it in food areas, replace the tea tree oil with more peppermint oil.
Another less messy option is using cinnamon sticks instead of the powder. Lay them out next to entrances you've seen. In fact, you can place sticks around anywhere you've seen ants. You can find cinnamon sticks in the bagged spice section of the grocery store.^{[4]XResearch source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Other Natural Remedies

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1
Try white vinegar. Vinegar has such a strong smell that ants will often avoid it. Put some in a spray bottle to use around your kitchen. It's perfectly safe. Just clean your counters first. Then, spray them down lightly with vinegar. Let it dry. The smell will soon dissipate.^{[5]XResearch source}
- In fact, spraying vinegar directly on ants may kill them.
- Reapply if you see more ants.
Diatomaceous earth has been used as a natural deterrent for ants for years. It's non-toxic, so it's safe to use around kids and pets. However, make sure you get the food-safe variety, not the kind used to filter pools. Then just sprinkle it around where you've been seeing ants.^{[6]XResearch source}
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Pour boiling water on mounds outside. One way to help reduce the number of ants is to use very hot water. The boiling water won't destroy the whole colony, but it will kill about two-thirds of it. Try about 3 gallons (11 L) of boiling water for each large anthill you see.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Be very careful with this method. You can be burned both by the water and the steam.
An old-fashioned deterrent is bay leaves. You can find bay leaves on the spice aisle, and they are usually still whole (though you can buy ground, too). Spread them out on places where you see ants, and often, the ants will not go in that area.^{[8]XResearch source}

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How do I get rid of sugar ants without an exterminator?
Chris Parker
Pest Control Specialist
Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, Chris specializes in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.
Chris Parker
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Answer
Eliminate any attractants on the property such as rotting wood and standing water. Keep branches and leaves off of your home, and make sure there's a 1 ft (30.5 cm) perimeter between your home and any vegetation or stacks of wood. Inside, be sure to keep your food off the countertops and stored in airtight containers. If you see ant activity pop up out of nowhere, wipe up with the ant trail with a vinegar solution to get rid of the pheromones that may lead other ants inside your home.
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Why do flying ants suddenly appear?
Chris Parker
Pest Control Specialist
Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, Chris specializes in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.
Chris Parker
Pest Control Specialist
Expert Answer
Flying ants are taking part in their nuptial flights; in other words, that's their breeding season. All of the ones with wings are male—they die off on their own very quickly and that new female queen is meant to go far away and establish a new nest in a new location. If you're seeing flying ants, it usually means that you have a nest either under your foundation or some sort of mud tube that has allowed them to erupt inside your wall. At that point, a chemical intervention is probably the best option.
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How do I get rid of cockroaches?
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Use Borax, sometimes named 20 Mule Team, which is a laundry supplement found in laundrysections of supermarkets. Spread thinly around areas where roaches are seen or around moist areas where roaches like to congregate.
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