Sometimes the smallest things give you the biggest problems. Ants are no exception to this rule, although they may be small, they are extremely problematic and annoying. They creep into our lives and insist on invading our homes in search of food sources. They can ruin a romantic picnic or even a good piece of delicious cake.
How do I get rid of ants?
Although ants are critical to our environment and play a fundamental part in our ecosystem we need to get them out of our lives. It is going to be best to try to get rid of them as quickly as possible.
Here are some top tips for getting rid of ants:
- Keep your home clean.
- Get rid of their trails.
- Seal off entrance areas.
- Eliminate their safe havens.
- Create your ant baits.
Let’s discuss each one of these in more detail:
Keep your home clean: Keeping your home clean is the very first prevention step against ants. Be sure to clean properly under surfaces and in between counters. Be sure to clean all food crumbs at all times.
Wipe up spills immediately. After you have made food, clean up and be sure to take out the trash regularly. This all helps to take away the ants’ food sources.
Get rid of their trails: No ant lives in isolation, therefore if you see one ant there are more of where that came from. Ants are known to leave a scented trail and other ants proceed to follow the trail.
The best way to eliminate the trail is to mix three parts of water with one part of vinegar in a spray bottle. Make sure to effectively spray everywhere that you have seen ants and anywhere where you think trails could be.
Seal off entrance areas: It is important to try and do some detective work of your own. Try to identify where the ants are entering your home. You can then proceed to seal all the entry holes that you can find.
Seal off all points where ants can enter or leave from. You can make use of glue, plaster, tape, putty silicone caulk or any other strong materials which will do the job well.
Eliminate their safe havens: Simply eliminating ants in your home may not be enough you need to take appropriate measures in the yard and outside. This can be done by trimming bushes, shrubs, and trees.
Do not stack any firewood near the house; make sure that your grass is always trimmed properly. Be sure to rake up the lawn to take away thatch. Try to keep your garden and outdoors as visible and clean as possible.
Create your own ant baits: There are many ant baits that you can buy in the stores; however, these contain chemicals that may clash with natural ant control mechanisms that you may want to use.
You could consider making your ant baits, there are many do-it-yourself websites online that will effectively teach you how to make your ant baits. Consider watching some do-it-yourself videos on making effective and natural ant baits at home.
