When you have an unsettling ant infestation on your hands, the search for a simple home remedy may lead you to baking soda. But is this kitchen staple really effective in helping you get rid of ants inside your home or in your garden? Keep reading to learn more about baking soda as a potent ant pesticide.

Ants as Pests – Basic Information

Ants rank as one of the most common household and garden pests. To understand how baking soda can fight ants, we should take a deeper look into their invasive nature.

Pest control experts regard ants as super workers of the animal kingdom. This comes as no surprise, given that an ant is capable of carrying up to 50 times its body weight. As social insects that live in colonies, ants enjoy strength in numbers and can grow into an infestation if they invade your home.

They are omnivorous creatures that will consume crops and other insects, but they have an especially strong appetite for sweets like honey, maple syrup, and sugar. They are constantly scavenging for food sources to bring back to their nest, including leftovers, crumbs, droppings, and more. This range of food delights makes them a nuisance indoors and in the garden.

Some ant species build large ant hills or mounds from soil, which can damage lawns and garden beds. Other ants, like carpenter ants, burrow into wood and can cause structural damage to the home if their nest goes undetected. While most ant species do not pose a health risk, some tropical species have a painful sting or bite that can cause blisters or even trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

What Is Baking Soda?

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a white powdery mineral commonly used in cooking. When baking soda mixes with moisture and an acidic ingredient like lemon juice or vinegar, it produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that make baked goods rise.

Often mistaken for baking soda, baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and a small amount of cornstarch.

In addition to being a leavening agent in recipes for cakes, cookies, muffins, and more, baking soda has many other household uses. It can absorb odors, clean surfaces, unclog drains, and whiten teeth. Some even use it as a natural deodorant or hair treatment.

With its versatility as a cleaning and deodorizing agent, it’s understandable why baking soda is regarded as an effective way to kill ants. Is it true?

Can Baking Soda Kill Ants?

While baking soda can absorb odors that attract ants, it does not directly kill them. For effective control, you’ll need to use ant baits, traps, or sprays containing active ingredients specifically designed to eliminate ants.

Baking powder and baking soda are not insecticides and have no properties that would kill ants upon ingestion. Take any baking soda remedies for ants with a grain of salt. No reputable research backs them up.

The claim is that ants take the baking soda mixture back to their nest, where the baking soda reacts and causes their stomachs to rupture. Unfortunately, there is no scientific proof that this homemade concoction works.

Also read: Does Baking Soda Kill Bed Bugs

Natural Methods to Repel Ants

When to Call a Professional Exterminator

For heavy ant infestations inside or for ants that return despite your efforts, call a professional exterminator. A professional exterminator is trained to apply stronger pesticides that most consumers can’t buy.

Exterminators also know the biology of different ant species, allowing them to track down the colony or nest and eradicate it at the source. Tactics often include treating infestations around a home’s foundation. DIY products only treat individual worker ants inside and can’t eliminate the colony.

While baking soda has many household cleaning uses, including for odor and stain removal, don’t rely on it as an effective way to treat ant infestations. Consult with a pest management professional if you need help developing an integrated pest management plan for long-term control of ants.

So, Is Baking Soda an Effective Ant Killer?

While baking soda has many versatile uses as a household cleaner, exterminating ants is not one of them. There is no evidence that baking soda kills ants or sharply reduces their numbers. At best, it may indirectly repel them as an odor eliminator. 

That is why, for actual ant eradication, I suggest sticking with commercial baits and ant sprays with active pesticide ingredients approved for indoor and outdoor use. For severe infestations inside your home, it is best to hire a professional ant exterminator who can find and destroy the entire colony and prevent the ants from returning.

Or, if you prefer an ongoing solution, consider reaching out to one of the best professional pest control companies in your region. They can knock your pest issue out as well as continually treat your property to make sure the ants never return.