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Safe and Effective Ant Control Strategies to Try at Home

An ant bite is far from deadly. However, the insect can trigger infection and food contamination. There’s also a species that can cause structural damage in your house. It’s only right for you to apply ant control strategies.
Eliminating ants isn’t that hard. Yet, many homeowners struggle keeping the bugs out. To get rid of them, you should start by finding their nest.

Inspection
If you see an ant in your house, there’s a chance that its nest is nearby. It could be in your house or yard. Following a single ant can help you find its home. However, it will be quicker if you look for an ant trail instead.
You can spot an ant trail on your carpet or on the edges of your floor. Try searching on and near your kitchen counters as well. Don’t forget the walls in your kitchen and dining area.
If you bring food and drinks in other parts of you home, you can also look for ant trails therein. For example, check out the table or counter in your deck.
Like termites, some ants are also drawn to wood. You may find such species near rotting wood structures. Your basement and roof are their potential hiding spots.
It’s worth noting that carpenter ants are nocturnal. For other ant species, you can look for trails in the morning. But for carpenter ants, you have to do your hunt at night.
When you see an ant trail, don’t try to disturb it. Just follow and find out where their queen and fellow ants are hiding.
Ant nests are usually made up of mounds of sandy soil. You can discover these at the end of an ant trail.

Extermination
When you spot the nest, you shouldn’t destroy it out right. You’re just risking the ants to spread out and attack you.
You don’t have to resort to strong insecticides for ant extermination. More often than not, ant baits are enough.
Ant baits come in three forms: gel, granules and container-based. You may also consider child-proof and pet-proof container-based ant baits.
You can put the baits near the floor, kitchen counters, or tree roots. These won’t kill them right away. They’ll have to carry the said baits to their nests first. Once the baits are in their nests, they can process them and get poisoned. The process is a bit slow but it’s safe and effective.
Make sure you follow the instructions included in the packaging of the ant baits. As much as possible, you should do the extermination when your kids aren’t around. You should also secure your pets.
If the infestation is severe, you may consider insecticides. Before using them, don long sleeves, pants, gloves and mask. Read and follow instructions as well. Direct the insecticides on the nest and not on individual ants.
You can also call professionals instead. If you’re going to hire, you should plan where you and your family might stay for the meantime. The service won’t take days, but it may not be safe to go back soon.

Prevention
Ants are usually after sweets and protein-based foods. No matter how far, the workers will search for those. It doesn’t matter if it’s just crumbs.
Don’t give them any reason to forage your home by cleaning crumbs and spills right away. Avoid piling up plates, glasses and utensils in the sink, and leaving them for hours.
Clean your waste bins, too. Use an old rug to wipe spills in the waste bins. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed. You should also tidy up its surrounding area.
For spills in your carpet, you can wash it with soapy water. You can vacuum it afterwards. If you have a carpet cleaner, you can use that instead.
Keep leftovers and sliced fruits in ant-proof containers. Put them inside the fridge right away as well. Wash your hands before opening your fridge and pantry. Don’t forget to wipe their handles right after your use.
Get rid of possible entry points for the ants. You may not do much for your yard. The insects can climb fences or enter through the dirt.
As for your house, you can remove old caulk and replace it. Seal cracks. Fix faulty doors, screens and windows.
Visit your garden regularly as well. Check the mulch and soil. If you spot a small mound of sandy soil, you can pour hot water right away. Afterwards, collect the soil and dispose it.
If there’s a stump in your yard, hire a removal service. The stump doesn’t have any use anyway. Aside from being an eyesore, it will also attract carpenter ants.
If you have fruit trees and vegetables in your garden, you should pick up fallen fruits on a daily basis. See if the fruits have damaged parts. If they do, collect them in a container and put them on the waste bin for the meantime. For those that are damaged-free, wash them and let them dry before putting them in your pantry or fridge.

In case the ants are in the stems, you can wash the fruits and stems with soapy water. Rinse afterwards.
Make sure the trees and shrubs are properly trimmed, too. Their branches should never reach any part of your home. You should also collect the fallen branches, twigs and leaves regularly. Include cleaning your gutters before the rainy and snowy season hits.
After a storm, call a roofer to inspect and repair your roof. Don’t forget to get flooring service if you get flooded. Check the areas near pipes, too. Hire a plumber to fix leaks. Dispose damaged wood instead of trying to reuse or repurpose them.
Reorganize your firewood as well. Make sure they’re not touching the ground. They should also be well-covered.

Eradicating ants is something you might do when it’s rainy season. The insects aren’t usually aggressive and destructive. They only tend to do so when they need a place to stay and food supply. Understanding their behavior will help you prepare for their next possible onslaught.

Of course, you can leave it to the professionals at Fromms Pest Control to eliminate your ant infestation. We are equipped with the tools and knowledge to get rid of those pesky ants for good.