Ants almost seem to come out of nowhere. One day, you’re cooking a meal in the kitchen, and all of sudden you see a string of ants crawling across the counter. This is not the first time you have an ant infestation, and it’s not the first time in which you’re going to spend the next few weeks or months attempting to get rid of them. The good news is that if you stick to the basics, you can remove the ants much faster and keep them out for good.

Cleanliness

Ants will enter the home for several reasons, but the main draw is the presence of food. When ants find a food source, they will leave a pheromone trail to it, which other ants will follow. Most common food sources that are found in the home are uncovered meals, crumbs, and spills. One of the first steps to prevent ant infestations from occurring is ensuring that these food sources are unavailable. Make sure to always clean up the crumbs after you eat, wipe any spills, and that you keep your leftover food in covered containers.

The exterior of the home

Another reason for ants infesting a home is the presence of moisture, and this can be abundant outside of the home, if you do not have proper maintenance measures in place. Make sure to keep your gutters clean and to fix any gutters that are broken. You should also keep the roof of the home in good shape, and seal any cracks or crevices that are found near windows, doors, the foundation, and siding. Finally, you want to make sure that HVAC and gas lines are properly sealed.

Deterrents

Once the ants are already in the home, you will need to move onto deterrent measures. There are plenty of natural solutions that will drive away or kill ants that have entered the home. For example, a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar can be very useful. You also have the option of using store-bought insecticides to take care of an infestation. Borax is a particularly popular product due to its low toxicity and effectiveness at dealing with these insects.

Ant control

Sometimes an infestation is so big that it cannot be driven away through normal means. This is when you will need the help of a pro who will destroy the nest itself. Contact us today if you have persistent ant infestations and we will help you remove them.