Ants in the home can be a menace since they cause property damage. They also affect the comfort of one’s home, so a homeowner should find a way to handle the problem fast. Getting rid of ants oneself can prove hectic, so it is vital to hire pest control services.
Top Methods for Removing Ants
There are numerous ways to eliminate ants in a home. Most of these methods kill or repel ants, ensuring they do not form colonies. Experts recommend natural ways to avoid leaving toxins in the environment. Here are the top techniques for removing ants.
Natural Methods
These are the best methods for dealing with an ant infestation since they don’t pose a safety risk to the household and pets. Below are some of the natural ways one can opt for
1. Applying Detergent
When applied on surfaces, the regular detergent can deter ants from entering the home. Ants rely on their sense of smell to follow trails that move around the house. The detergent helps clear such tracks, ensuring the ants stay out. Using detergent is beneficial since it is affordable and safe to use.
2. Sprinkling Silicon Dioxide
Also known as Diatomaceous earth, Silicon dioxide can effectively help one eliminate ants in their home. It works by drawing oils from the ant’s skeleton, causing them to dry out.
Sprinkling silicon dioxide on areas of entry or ant paths within the home helps keep pests at bay. Individuals should be careful when applying the compound since it can cause skin and respiratory irritation. The best news is that it is not poisonous for humans and pets.
3. Spraying Essential Oils
Natural scents of essential oils from peppermint, eucalyptus, and lemon often mask the scent of food. The smells also repel ants, meaning essential oils go a long way to eliminate the pests at home.
Spraying tiny amounts of essential oils throughout the home ensures the best results. One can focus more on cupboards or window sills – areas one can potentially find ants – to permanently do away with the ant problem.
4. Wiping surfaces with White Vinegar
The scent of vinegar is a natural ant repellant. After noticing ants at home, one should mix vinegar and water and wipe the surfaces. Such action will kill existing ants, and the lingering vinegar smell will ensure the problem does not resurface.
Preventative Methods
When thinking of how to eliminate ants, it is vital to account for how to prevent future infestations. Here are some of the preventative methods one can go for:
1. Check the Houseplants
Ants use houseplants as hosts for their colonies. As a result, they can frustrate one’s efforts when dealing with the ant infestation since the problem remains within the house.
Checking the houseplants and discarding plants or pots that potentially have nests under the soil help remove ants from the surrounding. One can also use orange and lemon rinds or peels around the plants to prevent them from making camp.
2. Cut Off Food Sources
Ants love starchy and sweet foods, so they are attracted to food sources in the house. Dealing with them will need a homeowner to cut off food sources.
Some of the ways one can do this include:
• Tightly seal all food containers and plastic bags• Washing plates and utensils regularly• Cleaning up crumbs around the kitchen and dining areas
3. Find and Eliminate Ant Entrances
Ants often create trails that they follow to get into the house. It means the whole problem might result from a few ant holes near the residence, so one should follow the ant trail to locate them.
Sealing cracks or crevices in a home eliminates ant entrances to help deal with the ant problem.
Work With Top-Ranked Pest Control Services
Ant infestations can be stubborn to handle independently. Hiring the best pest control services will ensure one enjoys impressive results. The pest exterminators handle inspection, monitoring, and control to help keep the ants away permanently.