Is Club Soda Really An Effective Way To Eliminate Ant Hills?

Step outside on a sunny morning and chances are you will spot them: little domes of displaced earth dotting your lawn like small landmines. They seem harmless at first — until they multiply. If you have scrolled through DIY lawn care forums or swapped stories with a neighbor, you may have heard of an unusual solution to your ant hill problem. Club soda, the same stuff you splash into a cocktail or use to remove a stubborn wine stain, may be the solution to your ant infestation. It might sound like a quirky hack, but some gardeners swear by it. 

So, does this sparkling solution really work? The answer is a resounding no. While some homeowners say this is an effective way to tackle ant hills around your yard, it simply is not enough to get rid of a full-blown infestation. When the club soda is poured into the mound, the carbonization is supposed to suffocate the ants by displacing the oxygen in their tunnels. But ant colonies are complex systems that travel far deeper and wider than a single can of soda can reach. Even if ants near the surface are affected, most of the colony will remain untouched. Without taking care of the problem, this trick will simply anger the ants and cause them to relocate their hill nearby, potentially causing further damage to your lawn. The lack of consistent results or scientific backing make this gardening trick more myth than magic.

While there are ant species that build mounds, fire ants make the large, loose hills. These mounds will not have a surface entry point, making it easy to identify when you are dealing with fire ants. The club soda theory is said to eliminate these mounds by working its way into the intricate network of tunnels. When you pour club soda over an ant hill, the fizzy bubbles release carbon dioxide, which travels through the tunnel system. The gas displaces the oxygen in the soil, cutting off the colony's air supply and suffocating the queen. Without a queen, the colony — and the hill itself — should die. But, in practice, this is not the case. The amount of carbon dioxide produced by a simple club soda is not enough to displace the oxygen supply.

What can you use instead of club soda? You could pour boiling water down the ant hill. It might seem counter intuitive — especially if carbonated drinks do not work — however, it has been proven effective. The downside is that it only works on ants that it comes in direct contact with, meaning you need to ensure you are completely covering the underground network with a few gallons. You may also want to try Diatomaceous earth if you are looking for natural ways to get rid of ants.