Does Alcohol Kill Ants: Know The Facts

Last Updated on November 16, 2021 by Marco C.

Does alcohol kill ants? That’s what we are about to find today. Many of us experience seeing ants in our plants. Most of these ants don’t just kill plants but they also bite like hell. So how do you get rid of this tiny yet fierce creature? Will alcohol kill them? Is alcohol even safe for your beloved plant?

If you have been having problems with ants in your home and around your garden, you will want to deal with them. Ants can be a pesky issue to have. Especially when they invade your home and get into your food. While there are many commercial insecticides and pesticides on the market, we don’t usually recommend using them.

 As much as possible, using natural ways or alternative solutions to kill ants will keep your plants healthy and protect your health as well. For example, when you’re growing herbs and vegetables, you cannot just use any pesticides because later on, you will be consuming your food. The chemical residue from the pesticides will go through your system, which may cause some health issues later on.

So read on and learn how you can use alcohol to kill ants, as well as other solutions to help you get rid of these pesky little creatures.

Does Alcohol Kill Ants: Common Types Of Ants That Invade Plants

The short answer is yes, alcohol can kill ants because it has ethanol. This chemical can dissolve their exoskeleton on contact. It dehydrates and burns them to death once you drench them with it, 

Denatured, ethyl, isopropyl, and rubbing alcohol can all kill ants. So there you go, if you’re asking “does rubbing alcohol kill ants”, now you have the answer too. 

There are more than 12,000 unique types of ants around the world. Even though we find these creatures disgusting, they play an important role in the world. 

They are essential for the normal cleanup team of the world, assisting with reusing and discarding all ways of debris from fallen organic products to rotting wood to creature remains. 

The following are different kinds of ants that you will see usually. 

Sugar Ants 

This kind of subterranean insect can regularly be found in ant colonies close to the home and the yard and nursery. The expression, “sugar ants” truly alludes to a few normal kinds of insects that share comparative propensities and a comparable appreciation for sweet food varieties. They normally stay outside however some of the time lead hunting campaigns into the home looking for (regularly sweet) food sources. 

They don’t do a great deal of harm, yet they can be a genuine issue as they turn up in huge numbers in food arrangement regions, in pet food, etc. Keeping your home clean and food varieties appropriately put away is a decent way of trying not to draw in these subterranean insects. 

Learn more about: How To Drive Ants Out Potted Plants

Carpenter Ants 

Carpenter Ants commonly stay outside building their homes and searching for food in spoiling logs and other regular wood sources. They can track down rotting wood, including the woods in your house, and can get to them quickly. 

Carpenter ants are exceptionally enormous. Does alcohol kill ants of this kind? Yes, it can. However, it is better to use good quality woods for your garden and avoid the rotten ones so your garden will not be attractive to this type of ants.

Argentine Ants 

The Argentine insects come from Brazil and Argentina. They have moved to the US (likely as stowaways in cargo transport freight). Today, they can be found all through the south, up and down the west coast, and in Missouri, Maryland, and Illinois. These ants are omnivorous. However, they favor sweet food sources. 

Hence, if you are planting some fruits indoors or outdoors, your plants might be at risk of these ants. You should be careful when you are planting food indoors. This is because the ants from your plants can easily transfer to other areas around your house and invade your food. Will alcohol kill ants of this kind? Again, the answer is yes. However, you don’t want to be spraying alcohol on your food, right?

Does Alcohol Kill Ants And How Do I Prevent Them?

 Before you put alcohol ants, there are ways that you can prevent them. This way, you don’t always have to ask “does alcohol kill ants?”. 

The following are some ways you can prevent ant invasion. 

Get rid of aphids – First and foremost, you have to get rid of aphids at the first sign of their existence. You can use soap and water to rub on the leaves of your plants. Sometimes, aphids can attract ants. 

Sprinkle artificial sweetener near the ants. Reportedly, artificial sweeteners such as saccharin and aspartame can be deadly to ants.

Set a borax trap. Borax is an effective ant killer but you need to be careful when using it because it can be harmful to humans and animals too. If you are planting indoor and using a pot, we don’t recommend this one. Borax should only be used in circumstances such as you have an outdoor garden and only for the flowering plant. Do not use it for herbs and vegetables.  

Pour boiling water on the anthill. The technique only works if you know where the anthill is and if it is far from your plants. Take note though those ants build their homes with safety from the rain and flooding in mind. So, it may take several attempts before you kill the queen and wipe out the colony.

Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Ants 

 Want to get rid of ants the natural way? Well, you don’t always need to use alcohol all the time or improvise. The following are some alternatives you can use to get rid of the disgusting creatures. Just make sure you get rid of them before they bite you. 

• Natural Ways To Kill Ants In Plants
• Boric Acid (Borax)
• Grits (Corn Meal)
• Cream of Tartar
• Cayenne Pepper
• Essential Oils
• Boiling Water
• Baking Soda
• Lemon Juice
• Cinnamon
• Bone Meal
• Dish Soap
• Vinegar
• Cloves
• Yeast
• Chalk
• Salt