Many household products are reputed as wonderful control products for fire ant management. The list includes: Chlorine bleach, rice, grits, ammonia, gasoline, various detergents, plaster of paris, drain cleaners, cat litter, fruits and vegetables and so on. Few, if any, are effective for killing fire ant colonies.  Many home remedies only cause the ants to move to another location.  Some home remedies do kill a few fire ants, but are generally only a waste of time and money and the manner in which they are used can sometimes be hazardous and/or illegal. 

Food products such as grits and rice do not kill fire ants because adult fire ants do not digest solid foods.  

Further, it is illegal to use these products like bleach, ammonia, gasoline, and detergents in a manner inconsistent with their labeling - they are not labeled for control of any type of pest.

Most home remedies pose greater threats to pets, children, wildlife, the soil, groundwater, and surface water than to the fire ants.

List:

Sliced cucumbers over the threshold of doors

Cat litter (used and unused) applied to mound

Cornmeal applied to mound

Rice (uncooked) fed to fire ants

Grits (uncooked) fed to fire ants

Drench with petroleum products – i.e. oil, gasoline, kerosene, etc.  (set aflame or not) applied to mound

White potatoes jammed into mound

Sliced white potatoes jammed into mound

Sprouted white potatoes jammed into mound

Bricks (pavers, mason, cinder blocks) placed on top of mound

White potato (in any form, i.e. sliced, sprouted, etc.) jammed into mound, then covered with brick (of any form, i.e. paver, cinder block, etc.)

Baby powder applied to mound

Drench with liquid ammonia, chlorine bleach, washing detergents

Covering mound with plaster of paris