How to get rid of ants safely with pets and kids around
Standard store-bought pest solutions are often too toxic to use around household pets and toddlers, leaving renters trapped between an infestation and the risk of poisoning their animals. Without professional fumigation—which requires expensive relocation—homeowners run out of DIY ideas as ants spread into living areas and beds.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Wiping the area with dawn and vinegar
- 2Using Terro baits placed away from pets and toddlers
- 3Looking for DIY treatments under a specific budget
- 4Trying to handle pest control independently without professional help
- 5Using gel baits instead of sprays
- 6Waiting for sprays like temprid and alpine to dry completely before letting cats near treated areas
- 7Wiping down beds, walls, and floors with vinegar and water
- 8Using Terro Ant gel hidden under baseboards to keep cats away
- 9Using food-grade Diatomaceous Earth
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I've tried every safe way I can think to get rid of them and have had no luck.”source ↗
“We need our supplies for this to be pet, toddler, and pregnancy safe.”source ↗
“I've fully run out of ideas, the ants are starting to come onto mine and my husbands bed”source ↗
“starting to get lots of ants in one bedroom of my apartment. i’ve wiped down the beds walls and floors with vinegar and water but there seems to be more now. not sure how to get rid of them.”source ↗
“thank you. i will definitely try both as the ants are awful i’ve never had to deal w them before”source ↗
“So how can I handle some insects in my apartment? My landlord doesn't do the pest control so it's on me.”source ↗
“I have cats and cannot afford to relocate for however long it takes to fumigate a place, but hopefully I don't need that at all.”source ↗
“So, for around $100, can I get good pest control that will not hurt my cats?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 11Why do I have fleas if I don't have pets?
- 6Why won't house ants go away no matter what I spray?
- 8How to get animals out of the attic without sealing them inside
- 2How to keep palmetto bugs from coming upstairs from the attic
- 2How to naturally deter bugs without harming kids
- 5Why do restaurant fly lights and cleaning fail to stop flies?