It’s common to see ants crawling on the sidewalk, around the foundation of your house, and perhaps even on your kitchen counters if they find their way inside. But one place that you might be surprised to find ants is in your carpet. Regardless of whether your carpet is thick and fluffy or short and flat, ants in carpet are a more common issue than you might think.
Here is some information about why ants get into the household carpet and how to get rid of ants in carpet if this unfortunate situation happens to you.
What Draws Ants to Carpet?
First of all, there is nothing inherently attractive to ants about the carpet itself. What ants love to find in carpet are food droppings and residue from spilled drinks.
Many people have carpets in their homes to make the floors softer for kids and pets. But these household residents are likely culprits for spilling and dropping foods and beverages without promptly cleaning them up. Spilled items can become embedded in carpet fibers over time. Meanwhile, carpenter ants can be drawn to the wood below the carpet and access that wood through tiny holes in your carpet.
DIY Solutions for Ants in Carpet
If you notice just a few ants in your carpet for the first time, you might initially turn to DIY solutions and home remedies to get rid of them. Start by vacuuming your carpet more regularly than you usually do to get rid of food sources and suck up the ants. After vacuuming your carpet, you can spray a cleaning solution made with 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the carpet to kill the remaining ants.
Another DIY method is sprinkling baking soda or diatomaceous earth on your carpet to get rid of ants. Ant baits can be set up on and around your carpet to kill them. Some commercial carpet powders contain ingredients that are toxic to kids and pets, however, so you will need to be careful with what you put on your carpet.
Exterminating Ants from Carpet
The safest, easiest, and most effective way to get ants out of your carpet is to call Precise Termite & Pest Control and have one of our professional exterminators come to your home. We offer free inspections and are experienced with all kinds of ants that live in northern New Jersey. Our ant control and removal services are affordable and will keep ants from coming back into your home while also keeping little ones and furry friends safe.
Preventing Ants in Carpet
Once you get the ants out of your carpet, there are steps you can take to help prevent them from returning. Vacuum your carpet at least once or twice per week on a regular basis, and then vacuum up crumbs and wipe up spills as soon as they happen. You’ll also want to mop your floors and wipe down counters in your home so that ants aren’t attracted to other parts of your home and later find their way to the carpet.
When our exterminator arrives at your home, ask the professional for other tips and ideas for keeping ants outside where they belong and not in your house at all. Exterior sprays, for example, can be very effective when professionally applied around the outside of your house and leave long-lasting protection for several months or more.
For more information or to schedule your free inspection, call us at 866-971-2847 or contact us online.