Ants can cause damage to your house’s structure and spread unwanted bacteria. Fortunately, only a handful of ant species are likely to invade your home, and there are straightforward ways to eliminate those that do. Here are a few tips on how to solve an ant problem.
How to Solve an Ant Problem
In this post, we’re going to look at how to solve an ant problem once and for all. The process starts with identifying where the ants are coming from so that you can deal with the problem from the source. Once you identify the colony, you can then go ahead to use some natural remedies, practice good sanitation and seek professional help.
Understand the Ant Colony and Its Queen
Start by eliminating the ants you don’t see so you can get to the ones you see. As strange as it may sound, it’s an effective method. And that’s because the queen of the colony never leaves the nest. The queen stays behind, being fed by the workers and continues to reproduce more ants. So, spraying the ones you see (the workers) is only a temporary solution as the queen will continue reproducing.
Watch the Trailing Ants
Your next course of action is to watch the ants entering your house to see where they’re going to and coming from. Ants come into your home in search of food and once they find some, they go back to their nest, leaving a scent trail for other fellow workers to follow and collect more food.
Vinegar
Vinegar has a wide range of household applications and can work well to get rid of ants. Spray some vinegar near any cracks, baseboards and on countertops where ants may be traveling. You can wipe the vinegar with a clean cloth or allow it to dry on surfaces. The idea is to eliminate the chemical trail which can deter some of the stragglers and keep them outside. Do this several times a day.
Maintain a Clean Home
Making sure your home is clean is a good way to prevent ants from invading your home. Keep crumbs, garbage and spills cleaned up in the kitchen. You also want to store all food, especially sugary foods and sweets in zip-lock bags or sealed containers.
Natural Remedies
Mix a spoonful of peanut butter with one teaspoon of borax and a tablespoon of sugar. Use a plastic straw and tap one end into the mixture until the straw is full. Cut the straw into small pieces of about ½ inch each and place them next to the ant trails.
Peppermint essential oil can also work well as a natural remedy. Put a few drops of oil on a cotton ball and place it in areas where ants are crawling around.
Bottom Line
There are plenty of tips on how to solve an ant problem. Before anything, find out where the ants are coming from and why they find your home attractive. A long-term approach to dealing with ants is to make sure they’re unlikely to come back to your home. Ultimately, if you’re unable to deal with the ant problem, you can seek the help of professional exterminators.