Ants can really be a constant bother if they find their way inside your house.
There is always the chance that these pests will find their way into your home, even if you use the strongest cleaning solutions and regularly remove all traces of food debris from the kitchen.
Despite their tiny nature, no one wants ants lurking around their home.
And that’s where the quest for the most effective ant killer begins.
The goal of any ant-killing product is the same: to rid your home of ants.
The effectiveness of a particular pesticide can vary widely depending on factors, including the species of ants involved, the presence of children and pets in the home, and the severity of the infestation.
So, whether you have just a few wandering ants or a full-fledged colony outside, you’ll need an effective ant killer to get rid of them.
There are TONS of ant killers are on the market, making it challenging to select the most effective one.
However, we’ve tested and researched to find the most effective ant killers on the market, so you don’t have to.
What is the best way to get rid of ants in the house?
Various ant-killing chemicals are available, from all-natural remedies to more potent poisons designed to rapidly and effectively eliminate ants.
For starters, there are two leading ant and pest control products: on-contact killers and slow-acting baits.
So, why choose one over the other?
On-contact killers come in handy when you need to eliminate a pest immediately without wasting time squishing it or searching for its nest.
So, if you see an ant around your home and would love to get rid of it immediately, a spray would get the job done.
[amazon box=”B00NES7LMU”]They are also great for getting into tight corners.
Many on-contact ant killers also have a lasting effect that prevents new ants from entering the home for a while.
Unfortunately, contact killers aren’t designed to eliminate pests where they originate, which is where the problem lies.
If you spray an area and the ants die, you may have destroyed the ones directly in front of you, but what about the nest where they originated from?
You haven’t effectively dealt with an infestation if you have no idea where the nest is or if it’s too big for an on-contact killer to have much of an impact.
Here is where slow-acting baits come into play.
Unlike on-contact killers, baits don’t kill ants right away.
As previously noted, killing one ant doesn’t eliminate the entire nest.
This is why baits are designed to grab the attention of ants. This means the ants will consume the bait and return it to their nest to share with others.
The bait is highly toxic to them and will spread across the colony like a sickness, which results in the deaths of many ants, including the queen.
Baits come in handy in a variety of scenarios. Not knowing where an ant infestation begins is a major problem.
But if you set out some bait, the ants will do the rest.
If you’ve tried to get rid of an ant problem, but they keep coming back despite your best efforts, then an ant bait might be your best bet.
Baits come in various forms: liquid, gel, and granular.
Liquid Ant Baits For Your Yard
Most liquid bait comes in pre-packaged traps, making it a simple and easy method of dealing with ant infestations.
As long as the traps are strategically positioned near high-traffic areas, the ant population in your home should begin to dwindle and then disappear within a few days.
Liquid baits are the best option if you use bait in a house with pets or children, as the bait is more difficult to reach thanks to its packaging.
Nonetheless, it would still help if you remain cautious.
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Gel Ant Baits For Your Yard
Unlike pre-packaged liquid traps, ant gel is usually sold in a tube that can be dabbed straight onto the infested area.
It offers nearly all of the conveniences associated with liquid baits.
Gel baits can be applied more precisely to difficult-to-reach regions, while liquid bait requires less preparation since it comes pre-packaged and ready to use.
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Granular Ant Baits For Your Yard
Granular bait is very similar to the other two.
Granular baits are designed to be tasty to humans but deadly to ants. However, there are a few scenarios in which you might choose one over the other.
Initially, granular bait tends to be messier than the other two options. If you have kids or dogs, they are considerably more likely to come into contact with it.
But that doesn’t make it any less effective than the other two.
In most cases, granular bait is the best option for outdoor use.
Remember that granular bait typically loses its effectiveness in rainy weather.
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The best Ant killers For Inside Your Home: Editor’s Top 5
Terro liquid ant baits
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Terro’s Liquid Ant Bait contains borax, commonly known as sodium borate.
The presence of borax in Terro’s liquid ant killer makes it effective against most species of ants.
In addition to killing the ants that consume it, this ant killer is a slow killer, giving the ants enough time to spread the poison throughout the colony before finishing them off.
The baits are pre-filled and ready to use; snap off the lid and set the baits where you’ve noticed the ants.
According to Terro, the innovative design keeps the baits moist for extended periods, which is why they are so effective at luring ants.
The Terro ant killer is easy and does not dry out fast; however, it may take up to 4 weeks to eliminate an entire colony.
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Pros
- Excellent quality bait at an affordable cost;
- Superior efficiency;
- Dual application: it kills ants both inside and outside your home.
Cons
- Borax is toxic and should be kept away from kids and pets.
Raid Max Ant Baits
[amazon box=”B01NBK9GPA”]When it comes to finding the best ant control product, these Raid ant baits have you covered with not one but two distinct bait options.
Ant baits are some of the best options on the market because they’ve proven to be effective at eradicating entire colonies.
The ants will starve to death after consuming the bait.
They take the bait back to the nest and distribute it to other ants, eventually eliminating the colony from within.
The ants are lured in by powdered sugar, peanut butter, and so on.
Then they take the bait back to the colony, where it is used to kill the other ants.
Avermectin B1, the active substance used to kill ants, is a recognized developmental toxin; however, because it is confined within the baits, it is unlikely to harm humans or animals.
The best spots for the baits are at the edges of rooms and near vertical walls.
Raid claims that ants will begin disappearing within days and that the baits will continue to get rid of ants in your home for up to three months before needing replacement.
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Pros
- It is easy to use.
- Designed to get rid of entire ant colonies
- The applicator can reach tight spots and corners.
Cons
- You may need to use more than one tube to cover larger areas.
See other pricing options here.
Combat Max Ant Killing Gel
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Combat Max Ant Bait Gel is available in 27-gram tubes.
Depending on your needs, you can get one single unit or a case of six.
And it is very similar to liquid ant baits. But in this case, you’ll need to apply the gel to a chosen location instead of setting a trap once you notice any ant activity.
The gel itself doesn’t make a mess, and the container is made to be difficult for kids to open.
Combat Max is designed indoors and outdoors, and this product is packaged in a syringe for precise application.
The manufacturer claims you will see results in as little as 3–5 days, but several customers have expressed skepticism online.
Many users have complained that the new Combat gel is ineffective at luring away the pesky ants, suggesting that the company may have changed its formula.
It’s difficult to predict whether or not the product will work for you, even though some people still have positive results from using it.
In addition to being a tremendous indoor ant repellent, the Combat Max Gel is also an effective outdoor ant killer.
[amazon box=”B072FHLYN2″]Pros
- It is easy to use.
- It is safe to use around kids, thanks to its brilliant packaging.
- It can be used both indoors and outdoors.
- Results can be seen within a few days.
Cons
- Only effective for some people.
- The packaging contains a small amount of the product.
EcoRaider Ant Killer & Crawling Insect Killer 
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The active ingredients in this citronella-scented ant spray are essential oils like lemongrass, geraniol, and cedarwood oil.
According to the manufacturer, this product is effective against all types of ants, including odorous house ants, carpenter ants, and fire ants.
This spray will kill ants when applied directly to them and also serve as a repellent for the region.
This works similarly to other contact ant killers in that it only kills the ants that come into direct contact with the spray.
Although the spray is dermatologically and toxin-free, it is not recommended for use around children, pets, birds, or fish.
Remember that the spray’s aroma is powerful but fades away quickly. If you want to eradicate an entire colony, we suggest using this in addition to ant bait.
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Pros
- Fast-acting ant killer
- Guaranteed to be lethal upon contact
- Perfect for both indoor and outdoor use
Cons
- Some people might find the scent too strong.
Raid Ant & Roach Spray 
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Raid Ant and Roach Spray is another option for spraying insecticide, and it comes in a 17.5-ounce container and in single or double quantities for your convenience.
This spray has been developed specifically for indoor use, so feel free to put it to good use anywhere inside your home.
Since Raid was developed to combat ants and roaches, it won’t be as effective against other pests.
The spray is intended to be lethal on contact and lingers for up to four weeks.
A few customers have complained that it takes a long time before the bug is killed and is relatively ineffective against roaches.
Even though the spray doesn’t smell like chemicals, it acts shaky and foams at the nozzle. But for the most part, Raid Ant & Roach is effective.
Further, it’s not limited to outdoor use; it works effectively indoors.
[amazon box=”B00NES7LMU”]Pros
- Helpful in getting rid of cockroaches
- Long-term effects that last for up to four weeks
- It can be used both indoors and outdoors.
Cons
- Not as lethal or efficient as it should be.
- Unable to combat a wide range of bugs
Get rid of an ant infestation using our top picks for indoor ant-killers
Stopping these annoying little ants from entering your home can be tricky. The first line of defense against an ant invasion is to repel the ants before things get out of hand.
You can choose from various effective methods if you need to eliminate ants.
Ultimately, which option you choose solely depends on your requirements and the severity of the infestation.
Liquid traps are a convenient option for individuals wishing to get rid of ants without difficulty.
And if you’re looking for a way to deal with ants head-on, either spray should do the trick.
