If you’ve been in your home for any length of time, odds are good that you share it with at least a few uninvited guests. While they’re not individually the most dangerous pests around, ants can be a serious nuisance because when one comes, many others follow. To keep your home ant-free, you’ll need to be proactive and decisive.
The first step is to make your home less attractive to ants. An ant that enters a building is generally looking for sources of food; head them off by keeping your food items in sealed containers and cleaning up leftovers promptly after meals. Don’t let dirty dishes and standing water accumulate in the sink; to an ant, that’s dinner and a beverage all in one.
More generally, keep on top of your everyday home cleaning regimen. The dirtier you allow your house to get, the more food and hiding places ants and other pests will find. Wipe down surfaces, cleaning tables and counters with a mild cleaning solution.
Next, you’ll need to find ways to physically stop ants from entering your home. That process will begin outside, as insects often hide in vegetation near the house prying to making their entrance. If possible, move plants and debris away from your foundation to take away those hiding places.
Make sure all of your window screens fit snugly and are in good repair. Ants can slip through even the smallest gaps around windows and cracks in your walls, so you’ll need to carefully seal them with caulk. As a bonus, sealing those air leaks will improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Some potential entryways, such as doors, aren’t so easy to seal. One easy trick is to spread a line of salt in front of the doorway to discourage ants from passing through. It’s not hard to find and not terribly dangerous to children or pets.
If you do see a lone ant wandering around in your home, don’t let it get away. Loners are usually scouts, and if they make it back to the colony, they’ll lead dozens of other ants back. Squishing a scout can save you the trouble of a much larger extermination project.
Dealing with ants can be a tricky process, but you don’t have to handle it alone. At ABC Home and Commercial Services, we’re proud to be San Antonio’s pest control specialists. Read more about our services online, or contact us today for a free estimate.