The “Big 5” Natural Ways To Keep Ants Out Of Your Home

As soon as you notice an ant infestation, you should initially begin looking for the food source that is attracting them. It could be anything, and it may be something sweet, or something savoury. Something as simple as a small soda spill which has dried and gone sticky on a countertop can attract ants. So it is worth being thorough on your search for the source. Once you have located what is drawing the ants in, you should then remove the pheromones that the ants will have left behind. This will prevent more ants from following the trail. You can do this by mixing three parts water and one part vinegar and using this to spray any areas where ants have been seen and around the food source.

As we mentioned, ants are attracted by a food source which could be anything that has been spilt or left open. By ensuring proper clean up after food preparation and making sure that all packages are sealed, you will significantly reduce the chance of ants entering into the home.

Frequently vacuuming your floors will assist in the removal of crumbs that may have been dropped and this is especially important if you have children or animals who are known for dropping more food items. You should also make sure to clean and vacuum behind furniture regularly as food can be dropped here and go unnoticed. Wiping down surfaces frequently is also extremely useful in the prevention of creepy crawlies paying a visit.

If you have pets, their food can be an attraction for ants too, so make sure that the containers are tightly sealed in between use. This also applies to your own food products and special attention should be paid to things such as maple syrup, honey and other sugary foodstuffs

A great way to tackle an ant problem is to make your own natural repellents using things that you likely already have around the house. Ants do not like the smell of peppermint or lavender, and so these are excellent natural products to keep the pests at bay. You can mix a small amount of your chosen essential oil with some water in a spray bottle. Simply spray the mixture anywhere that you have seen the ants as well as around points of entry into the home, such as windows, doors and any small cracks in the walls.

If you have tried using the above method but are still finding ants around your home, you can try a slightly harsher way which will eradicate the ants once and for all. You will need a small plastic container with a lid. Inside the container, mix two spoonfuls of sugar with one spoonful of Boric acid and a small amount of water. The mixture should have a syrupy consistency. Replace the lid, after having made a hole big enough for the ants to enter and exit through, and place the container in a location where ants have been seen. They will take this mixture back to their nest where the Boric acid will finish them off, resulting in no more unwelcome guests in your home. Do be aware that this mixture should be kept well away from children or pets as the acid may cause damage to them.

Take a look around the outside space around your home to see if you can locate the ant's nest. If you can, then a great way to stop them in their tracks is to flood the nest. The nest may be concealed beneath a pile of loose dirt or could be in some damp tree bark or other wood. Once you have found where they are coming from, you can flood the nest in one of two ways.

Use a hosepipe to spray the nest continually for around ten minutes every day. Over the space of a few days, the ants will leave the nest and find somewhere new. It would help if you continued flooding the nest for a few days after their departure to ensure that they do not come back. If you prefer you can mix boiling water with some cayenne pepper and use this to pour directly into
the nest.

By keeping the outside space neat and in order, you can prevent ants from nesting there in the first place, the
same can be said for filling up any cracks within the walls of the home, stopping ants or other creepy
crawlies from being able to enter.

Make sure that any shrubs, trees or branches are not touching your house as this is an excellent access point for
the ants; you can simply cut trim these back so that they do not make contact with the home. As we mentioned, filling up any cracks will limit the points of entry for the ants. This can be done by looking for cracks or holes around doors and windows as well as within the brickwork of the home and
filling them using a silicone gun. Most houses will have a weep hole which allows water to drain out, but they are a way that ants can get inside, but there is a simple solution.
A weep hole cover can be purchased so that
the weep hole can still serve its purpose, but ants cannot get through.

If you have a severe infestation of ants or your natural remedies don't seem to be doing the trick, it might be time to call in the professionals. Pest controllers are fully trained to be able to deal with these creatures and rid your home of them, so they certainly know what they are doing. This is the best option for those who want to get the job done or who have tried everything else and need a last resort.

There are many natural solutions to preventing ants from setting up shop within your home, and for most of
the time, these can be very effective but not in every situation. If all else fails, or if you want a quick
fix to get rid of an ant infestation, you can always employ the assistance of a professional exterminator. This
is great if you have a very severe ant problem, and none of the natural solutions has given any relief from
the problem. These professionals are experts in the field and certainly, know what they are doing and so can
make for a quick and effective solution to ant problems in the home.