Do Coffee Grounds Kill Ants?

Coffee has as many myths as it has facts about it. We’re all familiar with the extra benefits of coffee grounds as squirrel repellant. But do coffee grounds kill ants? Well, let’s dig around (pun intended, of course)!

If you’ve ever had an ant infestation in your home, you know how pesky and persistent these insects can be. And if you’re like many people, you may have turned to coffee grounds as a natural way to get rid of them. But does coffee really kill ants? Here’s what you need to know.

Coffee grounds do not kill ants. Neither the fresh grounds nor the used coffee grounds can kill a single ant. But, coffee grounds are one of the best repellents for ants. It can keep away ants from your garden and house areas, not kill them. Sprinkle the coffee grounds around your house, garden, and pets’ house during the ant season. Then, see the magic of coffee grounds on ants.

Ants come to our house areas because of the abundance of food. It is the primary purpose for ants to start coming and colonizing our house areas. And, they move into the house because it is convenient to collect food from your kitchen and others. Ants love to eat sweets, proteins, fats, and seeds. Ants are always looking for the below list of foods.

• Sweets: sugar, candy, jelly, syrup, honey, and juices
• Proteins: meats, eggs, butter, etc.
• Fats: any kinds of fat and greased foods
• Seeds: seed grains of various crops

Ants also may get into your house for shelter, for instance, in bathrooms. Various ants build their colonies in different places. In common, ants like low-temperature moist areas most for their community. Even they do not need much humid area but a less bothersome area. The places include,

• under the sink
• inside kitchen cabinets
• walls near trash bins
• bathroom areas
• underneath the tails
• in the bookshelf
• pet bowls

So, ants choose you indoors and do not wait for your invitations. They will find their ways to build a colony and live with you.

To keep ants away from your house, you do not need any toxic repellants. Just take the coffee grounds from your morning coffee pot. First, detect the places of ant movement and anthills. Now, follow our instructions to use coffee grounds to repel ants.

• Use grounds in the garden
• Use in indoors

Ants live in their anthills or colony inside the tubs or the earth of your garden. Ants love to build a long-spread colony deep down in the soil. And, they only need 2-3 days to establish the whole anthill. They put eggs downward in the territory where the temperature is low. It is more convenient for ants to collect food from your garden. This list includes honey of flowers, plant seeds, and roots of the plants. So, follow the below instruction to sprinkle coffee grounds around the plants.

• Collect the coffee grounds from your brewer
• Put the grounds around each plant in a circle ways. Make sure you do not put coffee grounds in plants’ roots
• If your tubs are affected by the ants, then put grounds on the tubs near the outer side. If it does not work, then take out the plant and remove the ants actively. Place the plant in another new tub. Then, use coffee grounds to keep ants away from the beginning
• Apply coffee grounds in your garden regularly during ant seasons. Sometimes more frequently depending on the need

Coffee grounds are natural and work as the nutritionist to the plants. It supplies nutrition and nitrogen to the plants. So, the plants and vegetables in your garden become healthier.

Ants generally build their nests in walls, beneath the floor, or in less annoying places. They make colonies inside the walls or under the flooring. You could notice some small holes in the corner of your rooms. It is the gateway of ants. Put used coffee grounds at the entrance of their colony. Do coffee grounds repel ants from your house? Yes, this is the suggestion for those already having ant problems.

If you want to prevent ants from coming inside the house, then you need to use more coffee grounds. Spread grounds outside of your home where ants are coming. Also, count the places where your trash bins are. Your pet bowls are not excluded from the list of red zones. Sprinkle coffee grounds all over the possible areas that can attract ants. Ants do not like the smells of coffee grounds.

For more caution, never drop food on the floor. And, always use trash cans to store wastage foods.

Coffee grounds are naturally repellent. So, you can put it without any bewilderment. Use coffee as a deterrent after you brew the grounds. Then, use it as an ant repellent both indoors and outdoors.

Do ants like coffee grounds? No, coffee grounds and ants are like enemies. The smell of coffee grounds is very sharp and strong. It hugely affects the smelling system of ants. Ants have compound eyes. Despite having their eyes, they depend on their smelling sense. It helps them to find out food sources from distant. The scent of the coffee represses the smelling system of ants. It becomes hard to track foods by their smell within the aroma of coffee grounds.

So, it will be helpful if you put coffee grounds in the door and window ways. Ants are enrolling in your home in these ways most of the time. Ants may enter the house in unusual ways as well. Hence, put coffee grounds where ants have access including, pet bowls. Similar to indoors, your backyard and garden also need to look after. Put coffee grounds on the anthills and around every plant. They will leave your place in 2-4 days.

Coffee grounds have no side effects as chemical ant repellents. You can use it both indoors and outdoors. Particularly for those who have kids and pets in their house. It also provides nutrition to your plants and flowers.

There are many other ways to keep ants away indoors and outdoors. First, check out some natural ways to deter ants.

• Peppermint

Peppermint is an effective natural repellent and can repel bugs, ants, insects, and mosquitoes. Plant a few peppermints and place them beside the windows and doors. Mix 15-20 drops of peppermint into the essential oil. Spray it where ants are available.

• Neem Leaf or Oil

Put neem leaf in the cabinet of kitchens, clothes, and bookshelves. It deters ants, bugs, and other insects from these places. Neem oil is also effective as leaves.

• Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a siliceous sedimentary rock. It is nature’s gift to deter pests and insects from houses and gardens. It repels ants, cockroaches, bugs, fleas, slugs, and so on. Place diatomaceous earth on the way and near the ant colony.

• Pepper

The smell of pepper irritates ants so they avoid the pepper flakes. Sprinkle the pepper flakes in the way of ants and near the ant colony. They will move back.

• Cinnamon

Sprinkle the cinnamon powder around the kitchen and other places to deter ants. Count places like countertops, doors, and windows. It will not harm your pets and toddlers as well.

• Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus

Lemon Eucalyptus is one kind of scented gum tree. The oil of this tree works as a bug and insect repellent. Spread the oil in the ant path even candles made of the same oil work.

You can take a look at chemical ways as well to deter ants.

• White Vinegar

White vinegar easily repels and kills ants in your house. Make a 50-50 solution of water and white vinegar. Apply the solution to the hard surfaces and floors. It works even after it dries.

• Boric Acid

Boric acid is a chemical compound known as Hydrogen Borate, which dissolves in water. Take half a teaspoon of boric acid and eight teaspoons of sugar to make a cup of solution. Deep down cotton balls and place them in the corner of the rooms. Put boric acid in unattainable places for kids and pets.

• Borax

Borax is also a chemical compound but different from boric acid. It is Disodium tetraborate. Same as boric acid, make a solution and use cotton balls to put the corner of the rooms.

• Hand Soap and Liquid Detergent

Make a solution of hand soap and liquid detergent. Spray it the get ways of ants. It will dispel the trails of ants’ pheromones. You can use glass cleaner instead of soap as well.

Except for drinking, do you know that coffee has additional potential? It may include,

• Natural odor
• Natural repellent
  • Repellent for mosquitoes
  • Deter various insects and pests
  • Coffee grounds keep squirrels away
• Nutrients and compost in the garden
• Dye your clothes
• Hide scratches on furniture
• It kills fleas off your pet
• Natural cleaning scrubs for skin
• Shines your hair
• Use as facial tonics
• Enhances taste of foods and tenderizes meats

It is good news for coffee aficionados. You do not need to throw out the coffee grounds anymore after brewing. Collect those for further use.

In a nutshell, used coffee grounds are a more effective natural repellent, but not an ant killer. You can use coffee grounds within house rooms, potted plants, gardens, and outdoors. It has no side effects as a chemical repellent. Moreover, it works as fertilizer in your garden and potted plants.

Your plants and vegetables will be healthy while it deters insects and pests from your garden. We hope you do not question anymore do coffee grounds keep ants away or not. You can get rid of mosquitoes as well! You get it free at cost if you drink regularly. You can collect ground cheap from nearby cafes even if you do not drink. To use as repellents, you do not need an entire sack of coffee grounds either.