It’s your kid’s birthday tomorrow, and you have baked her favorite cake. Imagine the horror when you wake up and find it covered with ants -the tiny ants in the kitchen create big havoc. None of us like ant infestations in our houses, and it can become very tricky and annoying to deal with ant infestations. It is difficult to completely seal off your house from ants, but a few tricks and a little help from professional pest service providers have proven helpful in getting rid of ants. Today, we’ll discuss why ants keep invading your house and how to get rid of the ants. 

5 Reasons You Get Repeated Ant Infestation In Your House 

Is your house constantly under attack from ants? Be it any season, you always have ant infestations that become difficult to deal with. There are a few common types of ants, such as carpenter ants with wings, carpenter ants, odorous house ants, and pavement ants. All these ants are drawn by food, moisture, or entry points. Here are some reasons why ants keep returning to your house and how to effectively stop them.

  • You Don’t Clean Your Garbage Bin Regularly: Yes, it is easy to forget to clean the Garbage bin regularly, but it is one of the most common reasons for ants to invade your house. Also, if you throw in soda cans or anything sweet without sealing it properly, you welcome the ants as they are highly attracted to anything containing sugar.
  • There is Old or Decaying Wood Around Your Home: Carpenter ants make their colony in moist or decaying wood. So, if there is such wood around your house, chances are high ants infest your house frequently. 
  • You Leave Food Out on the Counter: Ants are always looking for food and water, and when you leave leftover food on kitchen counters, they are immediately attracted. That is why ant infestation is most common in kitchens. 
  • There are Open Water Sources in Your House: Ants try to keep their colonies as close to a water source as possible. So, when your house has leaky pipes and moisture, ants will infest it. 
  • Weather Conditions: Ants become more active during summer to look for water, so their infestation rates are high in summers. In winter, ants are dormant, so they do not need to look for warmer places. 

7 Most Effective Tricks To Get Rid of Ants From Your House

Since you can’t completely control or stop ant invasion, here are a few effective ways to get rid of ants from your house:

  • Use Borax or Diatomaceous Earth: You can make your own ant bait using borax. Mix 2 spoons of borax with 1/4th spoon of sugar syrup and place it on cardboard pieces. Leave these cardboard pieces at all places where there are ants. The ants will get attracted to the sweet smell of sugar, and the borax will kill them. You will have to replace the cardboard every few days. 

Diatomaceous earth powder is made of silica, which is not a poison but kills ants and other bugs. Sprinkle the powder wherever you see ants. Be careful not to inhale it or touch it for longer. 

  • Try Ground Black or Red Pepper: Insects find the smell of black and red pepper irritating, so ground pepper powder is a natural ant deterrent. 
  • Ant Traps: This is one of the cheapest and simplest ways to get rid of ants. Buy small plastic ant traps and leave them at all possible entry points for ants. 
  • Make a White Vinegar and Water Solution: Another cost-effective solution is to buy vinegar and make a 50-50 solution with water. Spray this on all surfaces and also when you spot ants. Ants hate the smell of vinegar, and it can also kill them.
  • Use Citrus Fruits: Ants also hate the citrus smell. So, lemons or oranges become excellent ant repellents. You can scatter lemon or orange peels around the house or use any essential citrus oil.
  • Peppermint Oil: Insects stay away from the peppermint smell. So, spraying peppermint oil mixture (mix 15-20 drops of peppermint oil with 2 cups of water and store in a spray bottle) at all doorways and window sills helps to keep ants away. 
  • Get Rid of All Ant Entrances: Try to find all the entry points of ants into your house and then seal them. You can also treat them with some ant repellents. 
  • Contact Exterminators: You may face ant infestations even after trying all the home remedies. It would be wise to contact a professional and get the infestation treated. Take Care Termite & Pest Control uses the latest tools and techniques and provides low-impact but highly effective ant control treatments that attack the ant colonies to prevent future infestation.  

Takeaway

Ants are annoying, and they prey on our favorite foods. Tackling ant infestation is important, and it starts with identifying the reasons ants keep coming to your house and then using effective remedies to get rid of them. Professional exterminators can help attack and eliminate the ant colonies so that chances of future infestation are minimal.