How to Get Rid of Ants

It’s that time of year when the ants suddenly start appearing out of nowhere – or so it seems. From April through until June, crawling ants will be seen all over the place – on the ground, on walls and, unfortunately, in your home, too.

You may not be too worried about having ants outside your home – unless you have spotted an obvious nest. In that case, the ants from the nest will be doing their level best to find all kinds of tasty treats to take back with them. That could mean accessing your home to see what they can find.

Unfortunately, preventing ants from getting into your home can be tricky. After all, they’re very small, and can therefore gain access in all kinds of ways. Ideally, you want to try and prevent them getting in to begin with, rather than tackling the problem when it appears. However, if you’re already seeing them all over the place, there are things you can do to combat the problem.

Firstly, make sure your kitchen is scrupulously clean at all times. Don’t leave food out unless it is covered. Sweep any crumbs off the floor and clean the work surfaces once you have finished preparing food. Ants are opportunists, just like many other animals and pests. If they spot a good source of food, they’ll take full advantage of it.

As far as preventative measures are concerned, there are some very simple things you can do to stop them from getting in to begin with. For example, buy some chalk and draw lines across all thresholds. Ants hate the calcium carbonate in the chalk, and they won’t cross it. It’s simple but it will help manage the problem. Just remember to redraw the lines after rain, or when they wear away. Flour works in a similar fashion, and can be used in other areas of your home if need be. However, chalk is arguably more practical.

If you have a serious ant problem and you have identified one or more nests in your garden or close to your home, you may want to get a professional pest controller in to deal with the problem. If you decide to use a home remedy, make sure it is safe to use in the presence of any pets you may have around. The same applies if you have children you will want to keep safe.