Have ants in your kitchen? Here’s how to keep them out!
Each year, many Florida residents are forced to deal with ants from carpenter ants and sugar ants to pharaoh ants and fire ants. While these tiny creatures aren’t destructive or carry disease like many other pests that may invade your home, an ant infestation can be an annoyance and contaminate your food. Therefore, it’s important to eliminate them. To help you out, let’s look at a few tips that will help you learn how to prevent or remove ants in the kitchen.
Seal All the Leftovers
Just like most pests, ants are attracted to any food source they can find. A big reason you’ll suddenly discover ants in your kitchen is because someone has left food out on the counter or in a similar area for an extended period. Therefore, it’s always best to seal leftovers and any type of open food in airtight containers so that the ants can’t smell it.
Take Out the Garbage
Along the same lines as leaving out leftovers, there’s a good chance you’ll experience an ant problem if you neglect to take your garbage out on a regular basis. If you’re not the type of household to fill up the trash every day or so, the next best thing is to get a container with a lid, which should provide at least a small level of deterrence. Then, when you take the garbage outside, make sure that it’s sealed and placed in a proper container.
Keep the Kitchen Clean
Even if you put all your food away and take out the garbage, there’s still a chance that small bits of food and possibly spilled beverages will attract ants in the kitchen. The best plan of action is to always clean up after yourself and wipe up any spills as soon as they occur. Then, just to be safer, clean the entire kitchen on a weekly basis, which should be very effective in keeping the ants at bay.
Pick Up Some Ant Traps
If you discover ants in or around your home, then it’s time to run to the store and pick up some ant traps. You may also want to set out a few if you’ve had ant problems in the past or seem to have trouble keeping them off your property. These traps contain a poisonous food source that the ants will collect and then take back to their nest. This can be highly effective in eliminating an entire ant colony.
Block the Entry Points
As with other pests, ants need to have a way inside your home. Ants are very small, which means they don’t need a big entryway to accomplish this. To prevent them from getting inside, it’s important to seal as many entry points as possible. If you find any cracks or gaps in your home, particularly around the edges of your doors and windows, seal them with weather-stripping, spray foam, or caulk, depending on the severity of the problem.
Destroy the Ant Nest
If you find yourself with an ant problem and you want to take care of it yourself right away, then go outside and attempt to locate the ant nest. If you’re able to find it, one effective method to kill the ants inside is to pour boiling water into the top. The water will collapse the nest and eliminate the ants. This is a great method, but keep in mind that nests can often be difficult to find. We recommend letting professionals handle ant control, rather than handling it yourself.
Diatomaceous Earth
Many homeowners swear using Diatomaceous Earth and for good reason. This substance works by absorbing the oils found in an ant’s body, which will dry them out and quickly kill them. If you can locate the ant colony, spread some on it and wait a few days. Another option is to apply it in areas where you’ve seen ant trails if you’re unable to find the nest.
Dish Soap and Water
You can’t get much simpler than the use of dish soap and water to get rid of ants. Mix these two together and sprinkle a little around your kitchen. This works by removing the ant pheromones that have been left by recent “visitors.” This helps to prevent other ants from the colony from following the scent and zeroing in on any food sources they’ve found in your home.
Use Ant Repellents
If you live in an area where ants pop up from time to time, then you should think about using ant repellents. Essential oils such as peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, cinnamon leaf, and neem will often do the trick, as well as household vinegar (which is also great at removing the trail of sugar ants). Mix any of these with a solution of water and spray it around your kitchen. These home remedies do a wonderful job at irritating the ants and maintaining proper ant control.
Contact ProHealth Pest Control to Get Rid of Ants in the Kitchen
ProHealth Pest Control is the leader in providing residential and commercial pest control and beyond. Our organic pest control methods can assist you with getting rid of ants, cockroaches, spiders, rodents, wasps, bees, mosquitos, bed bugs, and more. If you have any questions about ants in the kitchen or would like to schedule a free consultation, reach out to us by calling (727) 308-4087.
