Best ant killer: Eliminate an infestation with the best ant-killing solutions around
Ants can be a regular nuisance, so stop them in their tracks with a range of powders, sprays, bait stations and humane killers
April to September in the UK is ant season. The little blighters can get everywhere, contaminating food, biting and, most serious of all ant-based concerns, potentially playing havoc with your home’s foundations.
You’ll know when you’ve got them. You may notice fresh cracks in concrete outside your home; you may notice that flagstones in the garden have become uneven; or you may spot one tracing across the floor of your kitchen. But there’s never just one.
In the majority of cases, colonies will consist of just a few dozen predatory ants, although they can form colonies in which millions of ants exist. But don’t panic – if you had a million-strong colony on your hands, you would know about it by now.
Fortunately, removing ants from your property can be very simple and requires very little effort on your part. Indeed, by using individual methods of ant elimination or a combination, you can be ant-free in next to no time. The only question is: what method suits you best?
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Best ant killer: At a glance
- Best powder-based ant killer: Nippon Ant Powder | £5
- Best ant killer bait station: Home Defence Ant Stop! | £5.88
- Best budget ant killer: Zero In Ant Killer Powder | £3.48
How to choose the best ant killer for you
Why have I got ants in my home?
It’s likely that you’ve done something (or rather not done something) to attract them. Leaving food out or not clearing up crumbs in the kitchen is an open invitation to ants, or you might just have too many tasty treats in your cupboards! While ants are a problem, it pays to keep all food areas spotlessly clean, and to tidy away potentially enticing foods into sealed containers.
How do I get rid of the ants I have?
There are options aplenty here. First, there are the natural “remedies” that ants are said to detest, such as cinnamon, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and garlic. Also, a 50-50 solution of white vinegar and water can help to repel ants. But if you want to be absolutely certain of ridding your house or garden of ants, one of the professional products on the market will offer a more foolproof solution.
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What kind of ant killer is right for me?
The answer to that really depends on your individual situation. There are highly effective ant powders that can be used both inside and outside the house and – once the entrance is located – deployed into the nest itself to kill off every ant inside.
There are also neurotoxic sprays that also disinfect as they kill, and bait stations that you simply place in areas of ant activity – these are filled with a poisonous bait that ants find so irresistible they carry it back to the nest with them, killing them in the process.
For absolute peace of mind, we recommend a blend of bait stations and powders or sprays, just to make absolutely sure that you get every last ant, egg, larvae and pupae in one fell swoop, saving you having to repeat the process in the not too distant future.
If you don’t want to kill them, then there are some humane options that seek to irritate the ants into moving home. Nemasys’ No Ant is just one such product, so may be worth trying if you’d rather avoid products that kill ants (and often other insects) outright.
Anything else?
Ant killers should be handled directly as little as possible – they routinely contain chemicals that, while not always particularly harmful to people and pets, can cause allergies and irritation.
Also, it goes without saying that you want to make sure that neither animals nor children can ingest them. Make sure you handle products with care, follow the instructions to the letter, and always lock them safely away after use.
The best ant killers you can buy in 2023
1. Home Defence Ant Stop! Bait Station: Best ant killer bait station
Price when reviewed: £5.88 | Check price at Amazon
The Ant Stop! Bait Station from Home Defence is a top seller; it also happens to be the very solution I use in my occasionally ant-prone home. If properly applied and maintained, it’s both incredibly effective and gets results within three to six days. With repeated applications, you can wipe out an entire colony in a matter of months.
Each bait station is small and lightweight. You break off the four plastic spurs, place in problem areas and wait for the ants to carry the preloaded poisonous bait back to the nest, which should kill the entire colony, including the queen.
The bait stations must be kept dry, so they need to be covered with a tile or brick for outside use. Also, be sure to regularly check whether all the bait has been used and, as with all insecticides, handle with care and dispose of any leftover bait with care.
Key specs – Product type: Bait station; Usage: Indoor/outdoor
2. Nippon Ant Powder (300g): Best powder ant killer
Price when reviewed: £5 | Check price at Homebase
A highly effective solution to ridding your home of an ant infestation, Nippon Ant Powder has 50 years of success to recommend it. The active component is the insecticide permethrin, and the powder-based formula kills ants and many other unwanted insect variants on contact.
Safe to use both indoors and out, the best method is to trace your way to the nest by following the ants themselves. Then it’s essential to give the whole area a liberal dusting, ensuring it gets into any cracks and therefore the nest itself. If getting the powder into the nest isn’t possible, ensure to cover the entrance completely.
Offering six months of ant control, naturally care should be taken not to use Nippon Ant Powder in food prep or storage areas, and you should also keep it away from soft furnishings.
Key specs – Product type: Powder; Usage: Indoor/outdoor
3. NOPE! CP Ant Killer Spray (500ml): Best spray-based ant killer
Price when reviewed: £13 | Check price at Amazon
NOPE! is a professional-quality ant killer that has been approved for use in household environments by the Health and Safety Executive.
The formula contains cypermethrin (CP), which is used as an insecticide in large-scale commercial agricultural applications, and as a result NOPE! CP behaves as a fast-acting neurotoxin in insects, eliminating your ant problem with almost immediate effect.
NOPE! CP is ideal for spot treatment of ants, as in addition to killing ants on contact, it also wipes out their eggs, larvae and pupae, therefore wiping out the entire infestation cycle. Once applied, the odourless formulation stays active for up to three months.
The most effective method of application is to spray NOPE! CP directly onto the routes ants take in the home and also the entrance and exit points – this ensures maximum contact and spread among the colony.
Key specs – Product type: Spray; Usage: Indoor/outdoor
4. Zero In Ant Killer Powder (300g): Best budget ant killer
Price when reviewed: £3.98 | Check price at Toolstation
While most of the ant elimination methods we’ve looked at here are hardly expensive, Zero In is a great option for dealing with an ant infestation on a tight budget.
The powder and puffer package is effective against ants, woodlice, cockroaches, earwigs and other crawly interlopers, and the 300g pack gives a sizable 15m² of coverage both inside and outside the home and garden. The puffer action of the bottle allows you to blow the ant powder inside deep into cracks and crevices to permeate deep into the nest.
The secure, child-resistant cap is a welcome sight, but it’s worth bearing in mind that – like most ant-killer solutions – the Zero In Ant Killer Powder is incredibly toxic to aquatic life, so it’s essential to use it away from garden ponds. And naturally, ensure that you dispose of any waste powder and the empty packaging carefully.
Key spec – Product type: Powder; Usage: Indoor/outdoor
5. Nemasys No Ant: Best humane and environmentally friendly ant killer
Price when reviewed: £11 | Check price at Gardening-Naturally 
Nemasys No Ant offers an unconventional approach for dealing with ant colony infestations. This chemical-free treatment doesn’t actually kill ants – instead, it uses microscopic nematodes to repel the most common varieties of UK ants, including the flying type.
Rather than poison the pests, Nemasys’ unique formulation harmlessly irritates ants to the degree that they abandon the nest and move away to a different area.
Nemasys No Ant needs to be kept refrigerated from delivery until use, at which point it should be diluted in water (follow the instructions on the packaging to ensure the correct mix) and applied directly on top of ant activity outdoors using a watering can with a coarse rose. This should be repeated to keep the area moist for a minimum of two weeks.
Naturally, the formula is harmless to pets, people, other wildlife and the environment, too. If you want to be rid of ants without the killing, Nemasys No Ant is the obvious solution.
Key specs – Product type: Concentrated liquid; Usage: Outdoor
