Dish Soap

• A few squirts of dish soap with lukewarm tap water in a spray bottle is a non-toxic yet effective way to kill ants crawling on your houseplants. The dish soap smothers them and is safe to use on your houseplant.
  
  

Mint and Cloves

• Dry mint tea, crushed mint leaves and dried cloves repel ants and can be placed around your plants to ward off ants from making their way to your houseplant. When crushed, the leaves and cloves release their aroma. The potent smell of mint leaves and cloves is unpleasant to ants, which keeps them away from any area that is cloaked in the scent.
  
  

Washing

• Turning the houseplant's leaves upside down under running water washes away pests and is harmless to your plant. The washing process also removes dust buildup on the leaves, which attracts other pests, including dust mites and spider mites.
  
  

Standing Water

• Clear away standing water from underneath the potted plant. Aphids are attracted to the excess water, which attracts their natural predator ants.