Ants are pesky insects that invade your home, get into your food, and can cause damage to your property. If you have found yourself with these tiny, uninvited guests, below are some ways to rid your house of ants.
1. Home Maintenance to Prevent Ants
Your home is not an ant’s preferred living environment. If they are coming inside, they have most likely been driven out of their natural home or something in your home attracts them.
There are two types of ants, carpenter ants, and small black house ants, that most often invade homes.
- Carpenter ants are attracted to damp or old, rotted wood. They won’t eat it. They’ll burrow through it to build their homes. Then, they may explore your home to find food.
- House ants can find the tiniest openings to get inside of your home. They will head straight for any food source they can access.
With a little preventative home maintenance, ants won’t be able to get inside in the first place. Seal doors and windows, and repair or replace any damp wood to keep the carpenter ants away.
2. Eliminate Whatever is Attracting Them to Rid Your House of Ants
House ants are extremely tenacious and will look for a way to get inside of your home if they detect food. They love sugar and sweets but will eat almost anything. You can protect against ants by keeping your home clean, washing all dirty dishes, and putting food away.
3. Use Bait to Get Rid of Ants in Your House
There are a few different types of bait available to rid your house of ants. Generally, baits are easy to use. Just leave them in places where you see ants. The bait attracts the insects, then they carry it back to their nest where the poison kills the other ants.
4. Banish Ants with DIY Tips
There are do-it-yourself ant killers that you can make to rid your home of ants. Most DIY recipes are easy to make and include common household ingredients that you may already have on hand.
5. Be Careful With Pesticides
Pesticides are effective in getting rid of ants in your house, but if you choose this route, be cautious when using them.
- If you have pets or small children, some pesticides can be harmful to them. Read labels for precautionary warnings.
- Sprays are used around the perimeter of the home to repel ants. Unfortunately, those chemicals also eventually drain into the groundwater deep below, causing environmental hazards.
- Chemical sprays wear off quicker than other methods.
6. Hire a Pro
When all else fails, hire a professional. Ordering a pest inspection is a task that you don’t want to put off. An exterminator will rid your house of ants and teach you how to keep them from coming back. There are even exterminators who employ eco-friendly solutions for controlling ant infestations in your home.
New Image Home Inspections provides home inspection services in upstate South Carolina. Contact us to schedule an appointment.