How to Get Rid of Ants in My House

Ants are very industrious. They are also very small and potentially destructive when they infest homes and apartments. If you see ants inside your home, they could be nesting inside your home, adjacent to it, or both.

The simple solution for an ant infestation is to buy some ant and roach killer and apply it to the areas where you have found them. If they do not return, your problem is likely solved.

But some ants are more aggressive and destructive than others. The following ant prevention tips could help you avoid a catastrophically damaging ant infestation.

Find Any Ant Nests

You cannot get rid of ants without identifying their nests. Once you know where they are nesting, then you can spray ant killer on the nests or hire an exterminator to do it for you.

Many ants prefer soft and spongy wood, which is easy to bore through and provides ants with an insulated space that protects against the elements. And some ants love the taste of wood.

Carpenter ants in particular can be very destructive when they get into your woodwork. They are nearly as destructive as termites and could compromise your home’s structural integrity.

You might see a column of ants moving across the floor, countertop or along the walls. That column could lead you to the nesting site. Once you find a nest, you can spray it with ant killer.

Locate the Ant Trails

When you see a line of ants moving along the same path, there is a good reason why that happens. Ants leave chemical trails that their fellow ants can follow. If you see a line of ants and run your finger across the line. This will remove part of the chemical trail. That causes the ants to stop and try to relocate the trail.

You can erase entire ant trails and make it much harder for ants to infest your home. And those trails act like arrows pointing you to the nests. That makes it easier to rid yourself of ant nests.

What Are Some Natural Ant Repellents?

Many things commonly attract ants, like peanut butter or honey. Those are examples of natural attractants. Fortunately, many things also naturally repel ants.

You can repel ants by using a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water. A handy spray bottle will enable you to spray the mix wherever you have seen ants and help to repel them from your home.

Lemon juice is another effective natural repellent. You can dilute it with water or apply it directly wherever you have seen ants moving around and congregating.

Some spices can also help to repel ants. Cinnamon, black pepper and cayenne pepper are excellent natural ant repellents.

Categorised in: Pied Piper Pest Control

This post was written by Ken Perry