Ants in the house can be more than a minor inconvenience. Not only will it irk you to see them walk around, but the colonies can leave a lot of damage in their wake. Other varieties like Fire and Harvester bite hard while some can contaminate your food. Fortunately, there are effective ways to get rid of ants in your home. Here are some of easy strategies you can try:
Eliminate food sources
For starters, ants love to go where there are sweet and starchy foods. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to deter ants is to limit available food sources. Seal your food in plastic bags and containers. Do not leave any cooking utensils lying unwashed in your sink. Use a vacuum or broom to remove crumbs from garbage pails and couch cushions. Clean pet bowls immediately to eliminate food smells that attract ants.
Chalk
Chalk is a great way to rid your home of ants. Chalk has calcium carbonate, which will keep the ants away. Identify entry points for the ants and spray powdered chalk in those areas. You could also draw a line of chalk instead. Have chalk lines in your home to keep ants and other bugs at bay. Ensure that the lines are out of reach of children.
Lemons
Identify the entry points and squeeze lemons there. You could also leave lemon peels in those places. Add some lemon juice to the water when cleaning your house. Ants despise the lemon juice smell, and that will keep them away. Sour things tend to keep the ants away while sugary stuff attract them. You should therefore avoid leaving sugary things lying around in the open.
Ground pepper
Another natural ant deterrent is ground black or red pepper. The ants will be irritated by the pepper smell and keep away. All you need to do is sprinkle some pepper around the baseboards. You can also sprinkle behind appliances. If the problem still persists, you consider hiring an experienced ant exterminator to make the problem a thing of the past.
White Vinegar
The best thing about this solution is that it is readily available in the local grocery stores. Create a one-to-one mix of water and white vinegar. Use the mixture to clean hard surfaces like countertops and floors. This will help keep the ants away even when you don’t see them. Or for a more direct approach spray the solution where you see ants.
Coffee grounds
As it turns out, coffee is not only great for your morning boost. Coffee grounds can also get rid of ants. Brew fresh coffee grounds and sprinkle them on a piece of paper. Place the piece of paper in places where the ants like to congregate. Make new coffee grounds frequently since they can lose potency when they dry.
This is a simple tip to get rid of ants and one that will also leave a pleasant smell lingering in your home. Speaking of pleasant smells …
Peppermint
Peppermint does wonders in keeping insects at bay. It can scare off ants and other bugs. Purchase peppermint essential oils to keep the ants away. Mix a few drops of the essential oils with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray the resultant mixture around the windows, baseboards and other entry points. If you have pets like cats, keep the peppermint essential oils out of their reach. They are a hazard to pets.
Final remarks
If ants have been a source of headache in your home, they do not have to be anymore. We hope some of the tips above will help you get rid of ants as well as keep other bugs away from your home. Seek help from an exterminator if you still can’t figure out how to get rid of the bugs.
