Baking soda by itself will rarely eradicate an entire ant colony in a house.

Baking soda can kill individual ants and sometimes harm a colony if a sufficient number of foragers ingest and carry it back to the nest, but this requires repeated, strategically placed baiting and patience. Use a simple bait mix of one part baking soda to one part powdered sugar or corn syrup to attract ants, and place small amounts near trails, baseboards, and entry points in sealed shallow containers or on wax paper so pets and children cannot access it. Replace baits daily until you see no activity for several days and rotate bait locations to catch different forager routes; severe infestations may need applications for two to four weeks. Combine baiting with rigorous sanitation by removing food residues, storing pantry items in airtight containers, and wiping surfaces with a vinegar and water solution to disrupt scent trails. Locate and seal entry points by inspecting window frames, door thresholds, and utility penetrations, using caulk or weatherstripping to deny new foragers access. If the colony is large, subterranean, or has multiple satellite nests, supplement baking soda baiting with commercially available ant baits containing slow-acting active ingredients that workers will transport to brood and the queen.

Three common mistakes are relying on baking soda as a one-time spray or scatter treatment, assuming visible dead ants mean the colony is gone, and neglecting sanitation and exclusion. Scattering baking soda once near a few ants usually only kills those foragers and does not reach the queen or brood, so repeat and place baits along trails so foragers carry material back to the nest. Seeing dead ants in the kitchen can be misleading because colonies send new foragers, so continue monitoring for at least two weeks and move baits to new trails if activity returns. Ignoring crumbs, pet food, and entry gaps allows surviving colonies to rebound, so clean food sources nightly and seal gaps around pipes and doors promptly.

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