Hey everyone!
Last summer, carpenter ants turned my cedar deck into their high-rise condo. I tried spraying vinegar (they partied harder) and cinnamon (they ignored it). Finally, a mix of borax + sugar water slowed them down, but I’m terrified of harming nearby plants.
What’s your natural arsenal? Share your eco-friendly hacks, epic fails, and whether I should just burn the deck down.
Cedar oil spray! Carpenter ants HATE it. Mix 10 drops with water and spray deck joints weekly. Safe for plants and smells amazing.
Tried borax bait—ants ate it, died… then MORE came for the sugar. Now I scrub the deck with lemon juice + peppermint soap. Works so far!
Prevent rot = prevent ants! Sand and seal with linseed oil + beeswax. Non-toxic and makes wood water-resistant. Reapply yearly.
@SkepticalSue Cedar oil’s great, but citrus oil works faster. Soak cotton balls in orange oil and stuff ’em into ant trails.
My kids play on the deck, no borax! Used diatomaceous earth around posts. Kills ants but needs reapplication after rain.
Find the NEST. Pour boiling water + dish soap into holes. Killed the colony in 2 days. Wear gloves, they fight back!
Vinegar does nada. Tried coffee grounds, ants just built a Starbucks. Now I use cinnamon + clove oil. Mixed results…
Trim branches touching the deck. Ants use them as highways.
@MousePatrol DE is safe but messy! Try food-grade DE and a duster for precise application.
@NightFlyer3 Cinnamon worked for my kitchen ants but not deck ones. Maybe carpenter ants are caffeine addicts?