Can You Use Cinnamon to Kill Ants? Experts Weigh In

No matter how hard we try, sometimes we can't avoid pesky ants making their way into our homes. They tend to be drawn to rooms like the kitchen, where it's easy for them to find food sources to bring back to the rest of their colony. If you've recently been swarmed by ants, you might have heard that cinnamon is a good deterrent, possibly even killing them. But is that true? We spoke with pest control experts about whether cinnamon can kill ants, how it works to deter them, and other ways you can rid your home of ants naturally.

Does Cinnamon Kill Ants?

In short, no, cinnamon does not kill ants. But it does help to deter them due to that aroma that we humans enjoy so immensely. "Cinnamon is a product with a strong scent, and this strong scent can create an unfavorable environment for ants, making them want to leave your space," says Nicole Carpenter, president of Black Pest Prevention. "The scent of cinnamon itself doesn’t kill ants. However, it makes the life of ants much more difficult."

How Cinnamon Works to Deter Ants

Cinnamon, and generally anything with a really strong scent, like vinegar or certain essential oils, deters ants by intercepting their pheromone trails, which they use to find food. "The primary ingredient in cinnamon that might agitate ants is cinnamaldehyde," says Ismael Girard, CEO of Pest Agent. "This substance tampers with ants' pheromone trails, making it harder for them to navigate toward their food sources or return to their colonies. Ants find the 'smell barricade' uncomfortable to cross."

Ants tend to gather in spaces where there is easy access to food sources as well as easy ability to communicate with other ants in their colony (which may be inside or outside your home), says Carpenter. "A strong scent of cinnamon makes these tasks difficult for ants, so they need to leave this space and find another one," she says.

How to use: To use this method, sprinkle ground cinnamon along the ants' pathway and entry points. You can also mix water and ground cinnamon and dab it with a cotton swab along their path and at entry points like windows, cracks, and doors.

Other Natural Ways to Deter Ants In Your Home

Beyond cinnamon, there are a few other ways to deter ants from invading your home. First things first—you'll want to make sure you're regularly cleaning your home, especially areas where ants might naturally be attracted, like your kitchen or where you keep your pet's food sources. "Keeping your surroundings clean, especially your kitchen, will naturally aid in the decrease of ant populations," says Girard. But if you find yourself dealing with an ant invasion and no cinnamon on hand, try these other methods for deterring and killing ants.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a true multi-use workhorse. Besides its ability to make our dishes sparkle and brighten our clothes in the laundry, its strong odor can also deter ants. "Ant trails can become disorganized if vinegar and water are mixed in equal amounts," says Girard. "It won't hurt the ants, just like cinnamon, but it takes away their scent trails, forcing them to relocate."

How to use: To use vinegar to deter ants, pour equal parts vinegar and water into a spray bottle and shake the bottle well. Then, spray thoroughly along their path and at their entry points.

Essential Oils

Essential oils like peppermint, tea tree, citronella, lavender, or eucalyptus all have very strong scents and can act in much the same way that cinnamon does to disrupt pheromone trails. One thing to keep in mind is that if you have pets or small children, some essential oils are toxic to dogs, for instance, so you'll want to make sure whatever you choose is safe to use in your home.

How to use: You can either make a spray with the essential oil of your choice or dampen cotton balls with the essential oil and place them at entry points. To make a spray, you'll need your essential oil, distilled water, and a high-proof grain alcohol like vodka. Mix about 30 drops of essential oil with 30 drops of alcohol and 60 milliliters of distilled water in a spray bottle, shaking it well. Then, spray along their path and at windows, baseboards, and doors.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a natural substance that is made from fossilized diatoms, tiny organisms found in water. Naturally occurring, it's found in underground deposits and kills ants and other pests. "Food-grade diatomaceous earth is one of the most effective natural methods to get rid of ants," says Carpenter. "Diatomaceous earth doesn’t smell, but has unique absorbing properties. When ants come into contact with diatomaceous earth, it scratches their exoskeletons and absorbs moisture and oil, eventually leading them to dehydration and death."

How to use: Carpenter says the key to using food-grade diatomaceous earth, which you can find in home improvement stores like The Home Depot or Lowes, is to spread a thin layer along trails and points of entry—make sure that it's evenly distributed, not more than what would appear to be a fine layer of dust. "If you create piles of diatomaceous earth, ants will simply avoid them, which makes this method completely ineffective," she says.

If all else fails and the problem is severe, turn to ant baits to effectively kill ants, says Dr. Tracey Ellis, an entomologist with FarmSense. She says to try using ant baits to pinpoint the entire established ant nest or colony. "Deploy ant baits, not sprays, that advertise 'queen elimination,'" says Ellis. "Contact sprays only eliminate the ants you have sprayed, which is a very small portion of the colony."