During the warmer months, the pest that you will most commonly see are ants. By the time you spot out an ant invasion, there may already be hundreds of them inside your home. Fortunately, ants are more of a nuisance pests that do not carry diseases, spread diseases or cause damage to a home or business (with the exception of carpenter ants). In most cases, you can rid of them following the DIY steps below.
Let’s talk about Preventing an Ant Infestation
When their habitat is destroyed, ants will search for food and water sources elsewhere, most likely inside your home. Although ants find sugary liquids most appealing, they feed on just about anything. Here are a few things you can do around your home to make it less inviting to ants.
- Keep your home clean and tidy. Clean up any spills and crumbs, especially sugary foods and drinks.
- Clean your indoor house plants. Excretion from aphids is called honeydew and is an ant attractor. This secretion leaves a white residue on leaves, so wiping the leaves often will eliminate this ant food source.
- Rid of damp spots and rotten wood. Carpenter ants feed mostly on rotten or wet wood and can damage doors, windows, and even structural wood framing. Repairing any rotted wood and discarding any damp wood will prevent carpenter ants from invading and causing additional damage.
- Keep ants outdoors by providing them with appealing food sources. Having plants outdoors that attract aphids can be an excellent DIY remedy to keep ants outdoors. For the same reason, you want to rid of aphids inside your home. Having aphids outside will provide a food source for ants and keep them outdoors.
How to Get Rid of Ants
Here are a few home remedies that may help you eliminate your ant problems without calling a professional.
- Chalk it! Chalk contains carbonate, which is useful in keeping ants away. Sprinkle crushed chalk around possible entryways.
- Try lemons. Ants are appalled by sour scents, so spraying lemon juice, lemon essential oils, or even lemon peel shavings can be a natural and safe way to repel ants.
- Spice it up. Ants despise spices like pepper, red cayenne, or ground chili. Sprinkle them around points of entry to prevent ants from entering your home.
- Clean with vinegar. Using vinegar is a standard chemical-free cleaning product, but we bet you didn’t know that it can be used as an ant repellent. In a spray bottle, add one part water and one part white vinegar. If ants are currently invading your home, use it as a spray to eliminate ants. The vinegar residue will prevent ants from returning.
- If all fails, give us a call. Our trained pest management technicians can assess your home and provide you with the best pest management strategies to ensure your home does not become a haven for ants.
AANTEX Pest Control offers a variety of free inspections and services to the entire Bay Area. 1-800-471-5555
