Ants are annoying when they get in your kitchen because they tend to invade in huge numbers when they've located food. They take over your pet's food dish or get inside packages and ruin the food in your cabinets, causing you to waste money.
Getting rid of ants is tricky because the colony is usually outdoors in a hidden area. Killing off the ants in your house doesn't put a dent in the colony, and the ants just keep coming.
Getting ants out of your home involves taking away food that attracts them as well as blocking their means of entry and attacking them with insecticide. Here are some suggestions that should help.
Clean the Kitchen to Remove Their Food
In addition to keeping your food sealed in containers and not leaving pet food out all day, give your kitchen a thorough cleaning to get rid of crumbs and stains that attract ants.
Wash your trash containers to get rid of stains and remove the odor of food. Clean the drains in your kitchen and remove crumbs from the oven and toaster. Cleaning the kitchen also removes traces of the scent trail that ants leave for other ants to follow to the source of food.
To completely remove the scent trail, try spraying a vinegar-and-water solution along the trail or using a regular household cleaner. Choose a cleaner safe for the surface you intend to use it on and let it dry in place.
Also, sweep or vacuum under the table and clean the area where pet bowls normally rest. If you eat in another room such as on the couch while watching television, vacuum those areas thoroughly to remove crumbs and food odors.
Plug Gaps With Caulk
If you're patient, you can watch the ants move in and out of your house so you can easily pinpoint where they get inside. Use a caulk gun to seal gaps to keep the ants out.
Look for tiny gaps around window frames and doors as well as openings around vents. In addition, if they are coming in around or under a door or window, clean the area to get rid of their scent trail.
If you keep garbage cans or pet food outdoors near the house, you should move it to another location. If you have to keep them close, keep the garbage can sealed and use anti-ant pet bowls, so the ants won't be able to use the bowls or cans as a source of food.
Use Baits and Sprays
Remember to focus on killing the nest when you're trying to remove ants. Select products the ants will carry back to their colony, so as many ants as possible will be wiped out. Baits are perfect for this.
You can place ant bait outside or inside your house. Ants carry the poison morsels back to the nest and share them with other ants to greatly reduce or destroy the colony. Some ant sprays work in the same way.
Choose a spray that is non-repellent because you want the ants to walk into the residue and get the poison on their bodies. When they return to the nest, they'll spread the poison around to other ants. You can apply an insecticide for ants inside and outside your home.
If you plan to treat a large area, buy a canister or backpack with a spraying wand to make the job easier. Be sure to follow the instructions on the insecticide label, so it will be effective in killing the ants.
When you undertake a DIY assault on ants or any other household pests, you want to use quality products that are safe and effective. Buy them from a store that specializes in pest control products so you can get advice on what to buy and how to use it.
Visit Pest Control Supply Co. for all your pest control
needs, including the baits and liquid insecticides you need to get your ant problem under control quickly.
