 Three ways to get rid of ants with things you already have. Lemon juice. Mix one part lemon juice and three parts water and spray around to any place where they might be coming in. Or just save your peels and scatter them around the house. This will mask the ants' scent trail and stop them. Cinnamon. Studies show that cinnamon actually contains a compound that repels and kills ants. Just a little sprinkle will do. Definitely better than all those harsh chemicals. Salt. Sprinkle table salt in their path to repel the ants or spray them with salt water. This will dehydrate and get rid of them because they're actually more gross than you might think. And often transfer E. coli to food surfaces which can make you really sick.