Ants make terrible houseguests. They enter your home uninvited, walk all over clean counters and floors, eat your food, and can cause a smell. Luckily, if you’re dealing with house ants, they’re more of a nuisance than a threat.
These common pests may emit an unpleasant odor, but they don’t carry disease or cause damage. The same can’t be said of carpenter ants that like to chew rotted or damp wood and harm your home.
Ants tend to show up in the warmer months looking for food and water sources. Are ants in your home? There’s no reason to stress. If you’re dealing with an ant problem, follow these tips and you’ll have an ant-free home in no time.
A Guide to Controlling Your Ant Problem
The good news is that getting rid of ants doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, you’re probably doing more prevention work than you know through completing basic household maintenance tasks. Keeping areas clean and staying on top of repairs goes a long way in keeping unwanted pests out of your home. Keep reading for more of our top recommendations!
1. Properly store your food
If you’ve ever been to a picnic, you know ants love leftovers. Once ants finds a food source (which can be just about anything edible), they’ll bring it back to the whole colony. Then they’ll bring a few hundred of their friends back for more.
It’s important to clean up any spills or crumbs quickly and to store food in airtight containers. Ants leave a scent trail for others to follow, and a regular household cleaner isn’t going to cut it. If you notice an ant trail, try using a vinegar solution of 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water to remove the odor.
2. Fix or Remove Any Damp Spots or Rotted Wood
Carpenter ants love water-damaged wood. Be sure to identify and fix any leaks and replace any water-damaged spots. As you’re assessing the condition of your home, don’t forget about the deck. Wooden decks are particularly susceptible to water damage and can seem like an invitation to carpenter ants to take up residence in your house.
3. Avoid Ant Sprays
We don’t recommend using insect repellant sprays indoors for several reasons.
First, the ingredients that kill ants can also be harmful to humans and pets. Depending on the pesticide, your babies and furry friends could experience headaches, dizziness, weakness, and nausea. Next, a spray is only effective if it kills the whole colony. If you spray ants you can see, it will likely drive other ants to a different location in your home.
4. Use Ant Bait Traps
We do recommend using ant bait. These traps are full of a sweet substance that contains insect poison. Ants will take the sweet bait back to their colony, killing any ants that eat the bait.
When ants track the liquid back into their colony, it also kills larvae and controls the population. Be mindful of where you place the bait traps to prevent any pets or small children from accessing them.
5. Call A Professional Ant Control Expert
The best way to handle an ant problem is to call a professional and get their help with ant control. Expert exterminators will know exactly what type of ant you’re dealing with and the appropriate method for dealing with it, so you don’t have to. At Bug Man Exterminating, our pros are extensively trained and certified so you can have peace of mind knowing that your home is in the hands of an experienced professional. Plus, we make it easy to have an ant-free home:
- Complete the online service request.
- We’ll contact you to schedule an appointment.
- After the initial treatment, we’ll make a treatment plan to meet your needs and budget.
- You’ll enjoy first-class service and a pest-free home!
Contact Bug Man Exterminating to Get Rid of Ants
Bug Man Exterminating has rid hundreds of Roanoke, VA homes of their ant problems. We specialize in green exterminating solutions that are effective and safe for your pets and family. Contact us today to learn more about our pest control services or schedule an appointment!