In this guide we’ll take a look at the best ant killers for the UK market.
I’ve compared effectiveness, safety, protection time and cost
to give you my top recommendations.
What is the Best Ant Killer?
In a rush? Here’s my top choice…
Nippon Ant Killer Powder
Effective and long-lasting ant killer, works on other insects too.
This Nippon Ant Killer Powder is easy to dispense, making application very straightforward whether used inside or outside the home. It works quickly and will keep ants at bay for several months, also effectively getting rid of earwigs, woodlice and silverfish. This 150 g bottle will last several applications making it an economic purchase.
Things to Know Before Buying Ant Killer
While having ants in your garden isn’t too much of an issue at first, they can eventually invade your house – and they don’t usually come alone…
An effective ant killer can help to eliminate the problem before the hordes of ant-armies gets out of hand.
The following tips will help you find the best ant killer for the job if ants have started taking over your home:
Your first choice is whether to use a spray, trap, powder or gel ant killer. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages.
Spray
Ant killer sprays kill the insects on contact.
While this is very easy to use and delivers fast results, the downside is that sprays have no effect on the ants that aren’t directly treated. As a result, this approach is unlikely to kill them all or get to the root of the problem.
Ant killer sprays usually contain Borax, a chemical which is harmless for humans but toxic for ants.
Traps
Ant traps are very effective but slower to work. Traps consist of containers filled with poisonous bait.
The ants eat the the poisoned bait in the trap, and also take it back to their colony. Within a few days, the ants that have consumed with bait will die, and so will the ants who came into contact with them back at base. Traps are useful for killing an entire colony, not just a few ants.
Powders and Gels
These work the same was as traps, but you’ll have more flexibility in terms of where to place the poison.
Gel can be squeezed into small cracks, so is easy to position wherever you see ants. The gel sticks to the bodies of the ants, and they then take it back to their colony.
Many ant killers can be used both indoors and outdoors. However, this depends on the ingredients they contain.
Stronger ant killers may be more effective, but not safe for inside use. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to see if a product is intended for indoor or outdoor use.
If you have pets and kids, look for an ant killer that states it is safe to be used around them.
You may decide that certain products are more suitable for use indoors or out – for example, the bait traps are a lot less messy than spreading powder through the home.
This depends on the type of ant killer, but generally ant killer is best applied outdoors when the grass or patio is dry. You should check for signs of infestation every 30 days to give the product time to work, and reapply when needed.
Bait traps and gels normally state how long they remain effective for. They can be put down at any time and often continue working for three months. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure when to switch to new ones.
Ant killers are not only capable of tackling ant infestations, they can also be used to keep control of other pests.
Buying a product which is versatile can save you money in the long run, in case you have problems with more than one type of insect.
It’s always recommended to read the manufacturer’s instructions first, to be sure exactly what your product is capable of and how it should be used, but these are some other insects that can be kept at bay by ant killers:
- Fleas
- Cockroaches
- Earwigs
- Bedbugs
- Woodlice
Everything I Recommend
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More Detailed Ant Killer Reviews
Nippon Ant Killer Powder
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Nippon Ant Killer Powder Review
Nippon is probably the most well-known product for killing ants both inside and outdoors. It has always been my ‘go to’ choice, and remains the best ant killer on the market.
As well as killing ants it is also effective against other crawling insects such as earwigs, woodlice and silverfish. It is safe to use around animals so you don’t need to worry about keeping pets away from the treated areas.
The Nippon Ant Killer Powder is very easy to use. It comes in a bottle with small holes in the top and you shake it out like talcum powder. You can dust it along doorframes and windowsills and any other crevices through which ants are gaining access to your home.
You can also dust it around the garden wherever you see signs of ant runs or evidence of nests. Occasionally the holes get a little clogged but simply banging the bottle on a hard surface will soon unclog it and get the powder flowing again.
The ant killer gets to work quickly, and you will soon see fewer ants around. It can take a couple of days to get rid of the ants completely, but it is long lasting; you’re unlikely to have any problems with ants for several months after use.
The bottle is 150 g which is enough for several applications so one bottle will last a long time. Nippon Powder provides a simple-to-use, cost-effective and long-lasting solution to the problem of ants in the home and garden. It’s the best ant killer on the UK market.
Buysmart Ant Gone
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Buysmart Ant Gone Review
This Buysmart Ant Gone comes ready to use in its own ant-attacking watering can. It contains 5 L of liquid product and is effective against ants and other crawling insects. According to Buysmart it can even be used against ticks, fleas, mites and mosquitos.
I personally decided to use this product to see if it could be the solution to managing several ants’ nests in my lawn.
This product is so straightforward to use, it really takes the hassle out of applying at-home treatments. Simply open the bottle and pour it straight over the ant nest. You can also use it on paths and patios when you can’t get to the nests.
Buysmart say that this product can also be used indoors, but seeing as it is in liquid form you’d have to think carefully about how to apply it if you didn’t want to drench your house.
In my experience, this product worked extremely effectively at killing all the ants on my lawn; they were gone within hours and I have seen no sign of their return in the treated locations in the last few weeks.
I would say if you are looking for a simple, easy to use product, this is certainly one of the best ant killers available. The ready-to-apply nature of this product makes it extremely fuss-free to use.
Home Defence Ant Stop! Bait Station
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Home Defence Ant Stop! Bait Station Review
This Home Defence Ant Stop! Bait Station comes with two ‘bait stations’ which are easy to use.
Simply position them close to where the ants are getting into the home. The ants visit the stations and ant-killer product transfers onto them. They take this back to the nest and works to kill the colony from inside the nest.
I have found that this product to be quite handy if you want something you can a) tuck away out of site, and b) put down and forget about. It saves you from accidentally treading powder around the home, and will continue working for up to 3 months. You can also position the traps outside.
I placed one of these traps in my front garden as there were literally hundreds of ants crawling around and finding their way indoors. At first, I noticed more ants. This is probably because the trap uses bait to intentionally attract them. However, a couple of days later there were no more ants to be found.
This product is very simple to use and creates no mess or fuss. If you are looking for the best ant killer to effectively deal with ants in just a few days, without having to spread any product, you will be impressed with this product!
Home Defence Ant Stop Granules
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Home Defence Ant Stop Granules Review
The Home Defence Ant Stop Granules are for outdoor use only.
I had a problem with ants on the patio, crawling all over me and my family every time we sat outside to enjoy the garden. This was particularly unpleasant when we were eating outside so I needed to find a solution.
The product is in granular form, combined with a sugar-based carrier which attracts the ants. They come in a cardboard canister with a plastic lid, and can be applied straight from the packet.
The instructions advise piling the granules up near the nest site or mixing the granules with water and pouring the solution into the nest.
In my case, I wasn’t sure where the nest was; however, there were a few places where the ants were most prolific, so I just poured a little pile of the granules in each of these places. The idea is that they the granules back to the nest and this kills the whole colony.
Again, the day after I applied this product there were actually more ants on the patio, likely attracted to the sugar. However, after three days we had gone from hundreds of ants on the patio to just a few. By the end of the week, there were no ants at all. This was a few weeks ago and there have been no signs of any ants returning. It is also a large pack, and I didn’t use anywhere near all of it so there is plenty more, for several future applications, if the ants do come back.
I like the versatility of this product as it can be applied as granules or diluted and poured onto nests making it suitable for a range of ant infestations. Another fine example of one of the best ant killers on the UK market.
Rentokil Ant & Crawling Insect Spray
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Rentokil Ant & Crawling Insect Spray Review
This Rentokil Ant & Crawling Insect Spray is easy to use and effective against a range of crawling insects. I used it to get rid of the ants that were invading my kitchen and it killed them all on contact.
The product comes in a bottle with two spray options: a mist spray and a jet spray. I found the mist spray to be perfect in the kitchen. After using it once I was expecting to have more ants return over the next few days (this product isn’t taken back to then nest); however, I was pleasantly surprised that the ants seemed to stay away. In fact, I haven’t had any of them in the kitchen for a couple of weeks now!
This is a great product if you want something to instantly kill ants that are crawling around patio areas or inside the home. It’s a little more expensive than the powders and granules but it is very easy to use and delivers instant results.
This is the best ant killer around if you want something that is going to work effectively on the spot.
Ant Killer FAQs
Ants usually come inside because they are attracted by food. They may be less likely to come in if there is no source of food, especially sugary foods, available to them.
Keep all food-stuff in airtight containers or in bags sealed with secure clips or ties. Rinse out containers before putting them in recycling bins, and wipe and dry kitchen surfaces after preparing food. You might want to keep sugary foods and drinks such as squash and jam in the fridge.
You can also spray a lemon or vinegar solution around the areas where you see ants. This will at least temporarily disrupt them.
To ensure your home remains free of ants you can use granule, powder, or spray ant killers at the points where ants are gaining access to your home.
If you only have a small infestation of ants you could try using a vinegar or lemon solution to get rid of them. However, as a single queen ant can spawn thousands of eggs every day, and ant mounds can contain up to 200,000 ants. The only way to truly be rid of them is to wipe out the colony with a product specifically designed for this purpose.
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