Ants have enemies. You can use their fears. Sprinkle used coffee grounds near entry points. The caffeine smell disorients them. They get lost.
Try cucumber peels. Seriously. Ants think cucumber is toxic. Leave a few peels by the back door. It’s like a “Beware of Cucumber” sign.
Diatomaceous earth is a dusty secret weapon. It looks like flour, but it’s crushed fossil shells. Ants walk through it, and it dries them out. Sounds gruesome, but it’s effective.
The Vinegar Ambush
Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray it along baseboards and window sills. It’s a chemical warfare that smells like pickles. But ants hate pickles.
Do this every morning for a week. You are rewriting their map. They will give up and move to your neighbor’s house. Sorry, neighbor.