How to Prevent Ants in Your House
Ants have an important role in nature, but they have no business being inside your house. Ants outnumber people by something like 2.5 million to one. But armed with knowledge, effective prevention tips, and a reliable exterminator on your side, you can overcome even the most problematic ant infestations.
Precise Termite & Pest Control is here to help you not only get rid of ants you already have in your house but also prevent them from coming back. From our expert extermination team, here are our best tips for controlling ants in your house.
Keep Your Home Clean
There’s nothing ants hate more than a clean, spotless home. One of the best ways to prevent ants is to keep your home clean at all times and occasionally deep-clean your house.
Avoid leaving out food and dirty dishes to deter ants. Also, wipe your stove, toaster, and other appliances clean so crumbs aren’t left behind. Rinse out recyclables before placing them in the bin, and keep your garbage lids on tightly to limit ant activity. Also, regularly vacuum, sweep or mop your floors to prevent ants.
Seal Gaps and Entryways
Ants are tiny insects capable of squeezing their way through the smallest gaps and cracks in a home. Look for ant trails and follow ants back to entry and exit points. You can seal up openings with silicone caulk, poster tack, paste, putty, or petroleum jelly.
Use Commercial Ant Deterrents
If you walk down the grocery or home improvement store aisles, you’ll find countless DIY projects to control ants. You can certainly try these products to kill existing ants you have in your home.
However, commercial ant sprays are not typically effective in deterring new ants from entering your home and replacing the ones you just killed. There’s also the risk of chemical exposure from harsh sprays, especially if you have kids or pets.
Try Natural Ant Control Alternatives
Alternatively, many natural ant control solutions eliminate the chemical risks and might help you keep an ant situation under control until professional help arrives. Some of the best natural ant remedies include lemons, peppermint, powdered chalk, and red and black pepper.
Learn About Odor Deterrents
There are certain smells that ants hate and that help keep them out of your home. For example, ants dislike garlic, peppermint, laurel, bay leaves, camphor, and lavender.
You can apply these substances as oils or leave them in their natural form as deterrents. It’s also helpful to grow mint and lavender plants near your home’s entryways to keep ants away.
Secure Your Pantry
Your kitchen pantry is an ideal place in your home for ants to invade, live, and destroy. Pantries are open sources of food and are especially attractive to ants seeking shelter from the cold outside during winter. Ensure that everything in your pantry is sealed in airtight containers, and wipe any sticky residue off those containers to avoid attracting ants.
Place Barriers Around Your Home
In addition to sprays, you can build barriers to keep ants out of favorite places like your kitchen. If you don’t already have ants in a space, you can create a barrier with a powdered cleanser or baby powder to keep them out. Other barriers to try include powdered charcoal, turmeric, cayenne pepper, Vaseline, and citrus oil.
Call Precise for Expert Help
If you’ve tried one or more of these ant prevention strategies and are still struggling with an ant problem, it’s time to call Precise for help.
We specialize in ant control and removal in Northern New Jersey, and we provide free inspections, ant extermination, and ant prevention solutions. Please call us at 866-971-2847 to schedule your inspection and get rid of your ants once and for all.