Simple Steps to Keep Ants from Invading Your Home

Ants come out in hordes in late spring and early summer periods. This is the time when the weather starts becoming warmer and hence these pests can be seen on the outside. Ants begin making anthills and searching for food in this period. They also start entering houses and residences if there is no proper cleanliness and hygiene. Read this blog for some simple steps to keep ants from invading your home:

• Find and remove ant trails

Ants leave trails for other ants to use it and follow it to the source of the food. Find them and remove them with the help of a water and vinegar solution. You also need to keep an eye out on the changes from the old trails and any new ones to spray them down. Vinegar can also be used to wipe down any sweet or sticky substance spillage instantaneously to ensure ants do not appear.

• Lemon juice

Spraying lemon juice on trails, corners, cracks and holes can also be useful in repelling ants. Sprinkle lemon peels around the entrances, and windowsills which will keep off ants from the house.

• Store food properly

Store the food you consume and also that of your pets in airtight containers. Sealing the food containers tightly will ensure that the ants cannot access it. Controlling their access to food sources in these ways will keep ants as well as other pests away from your property.

• Kitchen cleaning routine

Scraps of food lying here and there in the kitchen and the dishes in the sink instantly draw ants. Clean up the dishes and cooktop immediately after use.

• Vacuum regularly

Eliminate food crumbs and scraps from the floor efficiently by vacuuming and sweeping the floor regularly. Also cleaning out dining areas after every meal is helpful in keeping ants from coming to that spot.

• Remove cracks and access points

Removing cracks, and sealing off access points is another essential in preventing ants from entering your home. They can use very tiny cracks to enter into homes. Look for holes, cracks and crevices in the home that are of course potential access points for ants. Seal those cracks and openings in walls, windows, doorframes, edges and foundation of the home. The strength of these sealants degrade with time and hence you should reapply them regularly.

• Use ant baits

Placing ant baits in all spots that are frequented by ants can help in eliminating their colonies effectively. These baits are sweet and thus attract ants to them. Though, you may notice a larger influx of ants around the baits that will kill off larger colonies of ants and not just the ones visible to you.

• Diatomaceous earth

Sprinkling diatomaceous earth on edges, cracks and crevices near windowsills, doorframes, near cooking appliances will help in getting rid of ants. This natural substance will dehydrate and kill every ant that comes in contact with it.

• Black Pepper

Pepper grounds can also work wonders in getting rid of ants in an effective way. Sprinkle pepper grounds on areas that have trails of ants and also on the food source they have been feeding off from.

• Coffee grounds and peppermint oil

Coffee grounds can be effective on its own. Just sprinkle them in all areas that have ant activity. You can also combine the grounds with pepper mint oil and then spray the solution on the trails. This solution will act to give the ants an instant death. Pepper mint oil diluted with water also can act in the same way to get rid of ants. The oil suffocates and kills the ants without harming pets, children or wildlife.

• Ant barriers

Ant barriers can be easily sourced from the hardware stores near you. They are known to be effective in preventing ants from entering properties. Spraying the barrier on the edges of the foundation of the house can repel ants from entering inside.

Ants can contaminate food sources and make it inedible. They can damage the property and furniture around it. Removing them with the help of home remedies may or may not guarantee results. Opting for consultation and services from professional ant control experts can guarantee long-term results and relief from these annoying and destructive pests.