Removing An Ant Infestation From The Home

Do you notice ants walking around on your counter tops in your kitchen often? Even if it is only one or two at a time, do you wonder if maybe there are many more of them lurking in an area of your home? There most likely is a nest of ants hidden in a beam or in your wall if you notice ants regularly. Here are some methods for you to use to remove these pesky insects from the home.

Finding The Lair

You will want to try and figure out if there is an area where there may be an abundance of ants together. The next time you see an ant in your home, watch it and follow it to see where it goes. It will most likely disappear under a piece of molding or in a crack in the wall. If you have a general idea of where ants are using pathways to get into your home, you will be able to focus on this area to remove ants.

Clean Everything

If you keep your home clean, you will have a much less chance of ants wanting to stick around. Ants go where there is food. If there are no crumbs to be eaten, they will leave. Regularly clean the tops of your counter tops using a heavy-duty kitchen cleaner. Make sure to clean off the top of your stove so there are no remnants of grease that can be smelled. Vacuum all the rugs in your home to make sure that crumbs do not become embedded to be eaten later.

Food Storage

The way you store your food can have an impact on the habits of ants. If you do not take the time to cover everything, ants will find a way inside of boxes and bags. Take any leftover food materials and place them in plastic storage containers with sealing lids. If you have pets, make sure to take up any food that is not eaten. This should also be done if you feed an outdoor pet, as ants will try to eat its food, staying on your property since there is a source.

Deterrents

Ants dislike the smell of peppermint. Keep a peppermint plant in your home to help it smell fresh and to keep ants away. You can soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and place them in areas where you have seen ants traveling. 

Ants also do not like talc or salt. Sprinkle some of these along doorways to your home so that ants will not try walking inside when people are going in and out. 

Pour a splash of vinegar into a spray bottle filled with water and spray in areas where you have noticed ants. Ants leave a scent along trails that they walk to alert other ants of areas where there may be food. This mixture will mask the smell of the scent, leaving ants unaware that there are other ants in the area. 

Killing Ants

You can try to vacuum up large amounts of ants with a vacuum cleaner. Place some talc in the bag or collection bin, as this will kill ants that are still alive after vacuuming. You could try spraying ants with a mixture made of water with a splash of rubbing alcohol and dish detergent added. Shake well and spray directly onto ants to kill them. If no natural method seems to work, you may need to resort to a professional-grade ant killing spray or you may want to hire an exterminator such as The Bug Man.