Ants tend to gather in very high numbers and can, therefore, be incredibly difficult to get rid of. If you do find yourself faced with an ant infestation, you may be wondering, how can you get rid of them permanently?
Set up ant repellents
There are a number of natural ways you can repel ants and the good news is that you probably already have some of these ingredients at home already.
- Ants hate the smell of mint. You can scatter fresh mint around your home (especially focus on any entry points) or place a few drops of peppermint essential oil on some cotton wool and wipe the areas you know ants tend to pass.
- Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water and spray around windows, doorways and any other areas you notice ants. The downside is it’s not the nicest smell for humans either but it is effective at keeping ants away.
- Ants aren’t keen on citrus either so mix one-part lemon juice to three parts water and spray around the home. This is also a great way to destroy any scent trails the ants are using to remember where they found food sources.
- Ants hate cayenne pepper so sprinkling some around your home is a great way of keeping them away. This may not be the best solution if you have a toddler or a pet who likes to eat anything in sight, however.
- Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is both an ant repellent and killer.
Remove any food sources
If ants are coming into your home, it’s because they’ve found a source of food. Using their scent trails, they’ll keep returning so they can carry as much food as possible back to the nest.
If you’re prone to ant infestations, be extra vigilant when it comes to your cleaning and leaving food out. Wipe up any spills immediately, hoover regularly and store all food in tightly sealed containers.
Ants will eat pretty much anything but their preferences do vary according to their species. Some like greasy foods and meat, others are attracted to anything sweet such as honey and fruit and others burrow into wood (although they don’t actually eat it).
Block entry points
If you do have an infestation we have detailed some key facts on our ant pest control page, however, one of the main things you should do is take some time to observe the movements of the ants because this will help you to locate how they’re getting into your home. Once you’ve blocked these up, it can help to get rid of these pests permanently.
You can do this by adding caulk to holes and spraying insecticide around windows and doors.
Another great tip is to clean gutters regularly because they provide a nice moist home for ants to thrive so this could be a source of the problem. Also, keep trees and shrubs away from your home and move potted plants away from your house foundation. Not only do these help to prevent ants from entering your home, it can keep other pests away too.
The most effective way of getting rid of ants permanently is to call a professional pest controller. They can eliminate an infestation as well as put measures in place to ensure you’re never faced with one again. To book your free pest control audit by getting in touch with us today either via our online form or by calling us on 0800 328 9354.
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