You might not immediately think of them as pests, but make no mistake about it, ants are not good to have around. Ants can infiltrate and infest your home as well as the outdoors and can cause a lot of damage as they forage for food and establish a home. Although most cases are minor, major infestations can cause serious health problems. Getting rid of these takes a whole different arena than just buying an over-the-counter bug spray, as you’ll need to call in a professional if a few basic options don’t seem to help. Consider a few tips and tricks to help rid your home of ants, and almost anywhere can be a bit subtropical.
Look for cracks and openings
First, you need to find areas where insects may want to enter your home. The reason this is important is because pests generally don’t want to settle in a home. They want to search for food and items you have inside and then take them out. To avoid having to deal with the infestation, be sure to close all cracks, windows, and anywhere small insects can get into your home. That includes using caulk around windows, door frames, vents, and more. You have to reinforce your house before anything else.
Using Ant Baits to Trap Them
In the event that you have a nest at home, or have found many in your house, install ant baits that can help control them. These are not going to be intrusive, do not harm animals and are safe around children. You will want to install them in areas where many pests appear. When you have them in place, they will attract a lot of the trouble and take pieces back to their nest, wiping out the infestation in a short amount of time.
Clean up and don’t leave food out
Another way to help with ant control is to make sure you clean thoroughly. You cannot leave crumbs outside, you must vacuum, sweep and clear eating areas, kitchen areas and anywhere food may be. By doing this, you will have nothing to attract ants from outside. As long as there is no food to eat, you don’t have to worry about any changes or problems. Cleaning should not be done sporadically, you should set a schedule to make sure cleaning is not an afterthought.
major problems
When you’ve tried all of the above, and have even tried sprays and other over-the-counter solutions, it may be time to call in a professional. Sometimes you will need to have a professional come by your home and find out where the source of the infestation may be coming from. That can help you not only see the problem, but also get rid of it through a variety of different methods. It’s not just spraying that helps, there are several things to consider in order to properly fix the problem.