Check your houseplants and planters in your garden for swarms of ants, which might indicate nests under the soil. Discard any plants that appear to be infested. Stop ants from making homes in your plants by surrounding them with citrus rinds from either lemons or oranges.
5 things to try to prevent Ants in your Home
1 Glass cleaner and liquid detergent
- Combining spray-on glass cleaner with liquid detergent or dish soap can help deter ants from entering your home. It does this by removing the scented pheromone trail they leave behind when they walk.
- Mix together and spray on areas where ants seem to congregate or originate from. Wipe down the area after spraying, leaving a light residue.
- While there are no studies to support this remedy, anecdotal evidence suggests it’s enough to keep ants away.
2 Pepper
- Since ants seem to find the smell of pepper irritating, you can try black or red (cayenne) pepper as an ant deterrent.
- This remedy to ant infestation is completely natural and safe. Anecdotal evidence suggests that sprinkling pepper around baseboards and behind appliances may help keep ants at bay.
3 Tea tree oil
- Tea tree oil repels and kills ants. Mix 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water and use as a spray. You can also saturate cotton balls and place them around your home where you’ve seen ants.
- If the scent is too strong, try making a mixture that combines tea tree oil with peppermint oil and water.
- Like most essential oils, keep tea tree oil out of reach of pets, especially cats, who can become very ill if exposed.
4 White vinegar
- If you see ants, wipe them up with a solution of 50-50 vinegar and water, or straight vinegar.
- White vinegar kills ants and also repels them. If you have an ant problem, try using diluted vinegar to clean hard surfaces, including floors and countertops, throughout your home.
- Ants can smell the vinegar after it dries, but the scent doesn’t remain discernible for long to most people.
5 Coffee grounds
- This anecdotal ant repellant requires you to brew the coffee first. Brewed coffee grounds have been found to keep ants away – ask your local coffee shop for some. They often have them packed for you.
- Try sprinkling the coffee grounds on disposable surfaces, such as index cards, and leaving them near areas that attract ants, such as pet bowls and plants.
- You can also place the grounds on windowsills. They may lose their potency once they’re dry, so make sure to change often.
Things to prevent Ants
- Keep the outdoors out
- Keep your garden clean of debris. Cut off any creepers, ivy or vegetation that touches or leans onto the exterior walls of your house and windows.
These can make it easier for ants to enter your home. - Cut off their food source
- Eliminating the problem before it starts is the best way to get rid of ants. You can do this by making sure you have no food sources readily available for them. (just like all other pests!)
- This will entail keeping food tightly sealed in containers or plastic bags. Keep in mind that ants are attracted to sweet and starchy things like sugar, honey, and cornmeal.
- You’ll also have to be vigilant about cleaning up crumbs from your home. Don’t forget to clean:
• under and around standing appliances in your kitchen
• in couch cushions
• in bins
• areas of the home where your family eats or prepares food - Pet food can also attract ants. Remove pet bowls as soon as your pet has finished eating. Give the bowls a rinse to eliminate the scent of the food.
- Determine how they’re getting in - It can be next to impossible to seal every nook and cranny, but check your home for cracks in the walls and holes near floorboards and in radiators. You can fill these up or treat with repellent. Also check for rips in window screens, which you can mend.
If all this fails call us on 1800377377
