With Spring and Summer usually comes the ant invasion for most homeowners. But, how can we keep ants outside, inside of our kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms? There are a few simple precautions every homeowner can take to keep those pesky insects from marching into the home.
Keep the kitchen clean.
Ants love clutter and love food crumbs which is often why they come indoors to find food sources. Be sure to wash pots and pans immediately after cooking and at least rinse plates and cups before storing them in the sink. After every meal, all counters, stovetops, and meal prep areas should be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe to ensure that no crumbs or foodstuffs are left behind.
Get rid of any standing water.
Whether you have standing water outside or inside, you’ll want to empty the water out as those are also natural attractors for ants. Wiping down any water surfaces so they are completely dry are also great precautions to take to keep ants out.
Good to Know
Keeping your living space clean and tidy will keep ants from invading your home.
Look for wall cracks.
Ants are so small that they can travel into your home from open windows or doors and even through small wall cracks. Walking around your home, looking for entry points can be great to do at least once a season to pinpoint where you can better insulate or close off your home from insects and rodents.
Store wood away from your house.
If you have a wood pile, old wood pallets, tree stumps, or other wood debris, it is best to store them away from your home as ants are naturally attracted to wood as well. Plus, wood can also be a source of food for termites that can wreak havoc on your home as well.
Trim branches away from windows.
Ants may make their way into our homes by way of low-hanging branches, especially ones that may rest against windows. Trimming back these branches can at least make it harder for ants to gain entry.
Conclusion
Though ants can’t generally destroy your home in the same way that termites are known to do, having to deal with ants is a nuisance. These are a few easy ways that you can reduce the number of ants coming into your home. However, if you need a more wide-scale ant treatment, then consulting with a pest control company can be the best solution to get rid of your ants once and for all.
Learn how much you should be paying for pest control near you.