5 Natural Ant Killer Methods To Keep Pests Out Of Your RV

Unfortunately, if you have found one lonely ant, there are likely many more that you don’t see. This may not be an issue if you are enjoying a picnic lunch at the top of a scenic hike, but if there are ants in your home, you’ll want a quick solution.

There are several ways to eliminate ants from your tiny home. Here are some natural ant killer methods to keep your RV ant-free.

1. Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a type of silica. It is comprised of crushed fossilized skeletal remains of diatoms and algae.

Diatomaceous earth is inexpensive and effective. It’s also non-toxic to kids, birds, and pets. While safe for family, it destroys ants, earwigs, slugs, beetles, ticks, fleas, cockroaches, and bed bugs.

As these pests move across the powder, the powder sticks to their feet and legs only to get into their joints and exoskeleton. Some claim that the earth is jagged and so it works like broken glass to scratch the insect’s body then dries them out. Other sources say it kills ants and other bugs by absorbing the oils in their skeletons, which dries them out.

Regardless of the how, it is an effective DIY ant killer.

While it is not poisonous, it is an irritant. Avoid breathing in diatomaceous earth or getting it on your skin.

You can purchase food-grade or horticultural grade diatomaceous earth online. To use it as an ant killer, sprinkle the powder liberally around the perimeter of your RV, on anthills, and leave little piles in your cupboards.

Diatomaceous earth isn’t an instant kill. It could take days or weeks to be rid of ants completely.

2. Borax

Another natural ant killer is borax. Just so you know, borax and boric acid are not the same compounds. Borax is a mineral mined from the ground and used in many common products. After further processing, borax turns into boric acid. 

Borax has low toxicity for humans, pets, and other animals, however, it is fatal for ants. When the ants eat the borax, it interferes with their digestive system. Unfortunately, it is not an instant killer either. Worker ants take the borax bait back to the colony for the other ants to eat, eventually eliminating the queen ant and the rest of the colony.

Another important thing to note is that ants won’t be enticed by borax alone – you have to bait them with their favorite snacks.

A popular liquid recipe is mixing half cup of sugar, 1.5 tablespoons of borax, and 1.5 cups of warm water. Place the mixture in a trap for the ants to consume.

A popular solid recipe is mixing a 1-to-3 ratio of borax to powdered sugar. Combine the ingredients and place them in the ant’s path for them to consume.

3. Boiling water

Boiling water is a great natural ant killer. If you have an ant problem in your RV, the only way to get rid of them for good is to get rid of their ant colony and the queen – located in the anthill. Once you identify where the ants are coming from, instead of using chemicals, you can use boiling water.

After finding the anthill – just follow the trail of ants – boil water. Carefully walk the water to the anthill and pour the boiling water over the hill. The boiling water makes the hill cave in and kills the ants inside. Check back in a few days and repeat if needed.

If you are dealing with fire ants, or any aggressive ants, be sure to approach the anthill with appropriate protective clothing. These types of ants can be territorial and attack you if they feel threatened.

4. Cornstarch

Cornstarch is another natural ant killer method that you can use if you notice a trail of ants invading your RV or in the surrounding area. Did you know that ants leave a scented trail of pheromones for other ants to follow?

This trail can help you kill ants naturally. For the cornstarch method, sprinkle dry cornstarch along the scent trail. Ants who follow the trail will pick up with the cornstarch on their legs and carry it home.

After around 24 hours, fill a spray bottle with water and spray any visible ants. Don’t spray them so much that you rinse off the cornstarch. The water reacts with the cornstarch and creates a cement-like mixture. As it dries, it traps and kills the ants. Sweep away the dead ants after a few hours.

Alternatively, if you come across a large group of ants, liberally cover the entire group with cornstarch. Spray the coated ants with water. The group will become encased in the cement and die.

5. Essential oils

There are several types of essential oils that repel ants – and some that can be used to kill them too.

Peppermint oil is a natural insect repellent. Mix 10 to 20 drops of this oil with 2 cups of water. Spray your door frames and windows with the mixture to naturally repel pests.

Tea tree oil can be used to repel and kill ants. Mix 5 to 10 drops with 2 cups of water. Spray around your door frames, windows, and anywhere you’ve seen ants. You may also saturate cotton balls with the mixture and place them where you’ve seen ants.

Lemon eucalyptus oil is another oil that can be used to repel pests. It contains citronella, which is a popular ingredient in candles to repel flying bugs such as mosquitoes. Some evidence indicates it’s also effective at repelling ants.

To use, saturate cotton balls with the undiluted oil. Place the balls in areas where ants have been seen.

Cinnamon leaf essential oil contains trans-cinnamaldehyd which has been found effective at killing and repelling ants including biting red ants.

Try saturating cotton balls with the oil and leaving them where you’ve seen ants, or sprinkling the powder around on windowsills and baseboards. Some evidence indicates powdered cinnamon is also effective at repelling ants.

Have you tried any of these natural ant killer methods? Let us know in the comments below, on our Facebook page, or share them with the RV community on iRV2 Forums.

Continue reading: The Best Way To Get Rid Of Ants In Your RV