Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

The population of ants on earth is 140,000 times larger than humans. However, that doesn't mean they will become guests in your home. You can prevent them from entering your home by destroying the ant's nest, removing their food source, creating a barrier, and luring scout ants. Read on to learn how to prevent uninvited guests from coming.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Prevent ants from entering the house

1. 

   Seal the entrances to your home. Tiny in size, ants have thousands of roads entering your habitat. Some can be easily seen; others you will only notice when you see a colony of ants marching through it. First, you need to find out where the ants entered your home: follow the ant's path to see which way they get in and out of your home. Seal any entrance holes you find with silicone, coolant, glue, or plaster. Temporary measures include petroleum wax or sticky clay.
   • If using temporary sealants such as sticky clay, be sure to replace it with a more durable material afterwards. The unstable material will deteriorate over time and the gaps will re-open.

   

   
   

   Kevin Carrillo

   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist Kevin Carrillo is a senior pest control and project manager at MMPC, a certified minority-owned pest control services business. based in New York. The MMPC is certified against the industry's leading set of standards, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and the New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been posted on CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

   

   Kevin Carrillo
   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

   Remove bushes and branches from the perimeter of the house. Ants are particularly fond of nesting in the foliage or under a tree, so if you notice a branch that touches your house, cut it short. Likewise, if there is a creeper growing next to the house or any kind of tree that comes into contact with the house, prune it, otherwise it will lead the ants into the house.

   
   

2. 

   Seal cracks with glue. Seal cracks around windows, doors and walls. Seal all possible openings into the path of the army of ants. Attempts to seal the openings will be most effective if you do them carefully and carefully.
   • Another benefit of sealing your home: You can control the indoor temperature more effectively, thus reducing your electricity bills. Also, this is one of the least risky methods if you're concerned because there are children or pets in the home.

   

   
   

   Kevin Carrillo

   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist Kevin Carrillo is a senior pest control and project manager at MMPC, a certified minority-owned pest control services business. based in New York. The MMPC is certified against the industry's leading set of standards, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and the New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been posted on CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

   

   Kevin Carrillo
   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

   You may have to correct some areas that are being sealed with fillings, mortar or silicon. Ants often dig paths, so it can be difficult to keep them from entering the house. They can quickly tunnel through soft materials such as silicon - materials used to seal small openings, such as those around hand basins, plumbing pipes, windows or baseboards. . I've seen ant paths dug through paving mortar.

3. 

   Sprinkle ants on suspicious entrances. This is a stronger measure than sealing cracks. You can create a barrier to keep ants out with chemicals and powder that repels ants - even killing the ants that accidentally come in. Consider using diatomite soil, salt, or even commercial antitoxin. These substances act as ant baits.
   • Diatomite soil is a fine powder that can kill ants. It works by absorbing moisture from the ant's body, but it's best to use it in a dry environment. You also don't want anyone in the house to inhale (especially children and pets).
   • Try salt. Salt has a similar effect to drying out ants, especially when they are brought back to their nests. You can spread them under doors, near windows and along the wall.

   

   Kevin Carrillo

   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist Kevin Carrillo is a senior pest control and project manager at MMPC, a certified minority-owned pest control services business. based in New York. The MMPC is certified against the industry's leading set of standards, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and the New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been posted on CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

   

   Kevin Carrillo
   MMPC, Pest Control Specialist

   Experts agree: If you want to keep ants from entering your home, choose a substance that repels insects and use it to create a barrier around the house.

4. 

   Make a barrier with tape. Stick the kitchen with tape, the side is sticky above. No need to add toxins or powder. Ants can get caught in the tape when they try to crawl, so you have successfully blocked the ant's path. Make sure the ants can't crawl underneath the tape; You can try using double-sided tape or stick the back of the tape close to the floor, wall and shelves, without leaving room for the ant to crawl under.

5. 

   Try building a barrier out of talc. Melt powder comes in many forms that are believed to have antimicrobial effects, although the mechanism of action is unclear. Tailor powder and baby powder usually contain talc, so you can use them as a barrier to block ants. Whatever you use, keep in mind that soluble powder has been warned to be a carcinogen.
   • Many people recommend conventional chalk; however, this kind of chalk is made from plaster, not powder. This misconception can lead to confusion with "ant pollen", which is a pesticide that looks like regular pollen.This chalk was banned in the 1990s in the US, but you can still find it on the black market.
   • Some brands of baby powder are made of cornstarch, so they don't kill ants. You need to check the ingredients before making an ant barrier.

6. 

   Try non-toxic anti-ants. You can protect your home with fragrances and substances that ants don't like. Try a combination of vinegar, peppermint oil, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, and bay leaf.
   • Be careful when using anti-ants: keep pepper and chili out of the reach of children and curious pets.
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Method 2 of 4: Kill ants manually

1. 

   Kill scout ants. The ant nests often send but solitary ants look for food sources. If you see an ant crawling across the table, don't let it survive and return to its nest. It will let the ant nests know where you spilled the apple juice. If the ant scouts back to the nest and returns with some of its friends, they will follow the trail. Unless you are ready to beat ant baits and wait for them to appear, kill all these ants, and act quickly.
   • Spray the ant's trails with a multi-purpose cleaner or bleach solution, then wipe off with a wet paper towel. Spraying the ant's nest can also be effective, but you need to make sure to destroy the whole nest. If you have only partially destroyed the nest, you may be encouraging only some species of ants to make a new nest - meaning you cannot prevent the ant from entering your home.
   • An inconvenient solution is to use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum all the ants. Then, you should smoke a little more dissolved powder or diatomite soil to finish off the ants in the vacuum cleaner. This second step is important: make sure the ants are no longer alive to move into the vacuum cleaner!
   • In an emergency, simply use your hands or a wet towel. Kill ants or wipe them clean. You don't have to use any sophisticated methods to get rid of scout ants.

2. 

   Use water. If the ants crawl all over the floor, splash them with water and wipe them off with a paper towel. If the ant crawls into bed, grab a handful of tissue and a glass of water. Soak a tissue in the water, wring it out - you probably don't want to sleep on the wet bed - and then wipe off the ants.
   • Repeat this process as needed. You may need to do this several times to clear all the ants from your home.

3. 

   Down the nest of ants. If ants attack your home, you will have to attack their "home". If you can identify the nest, you can pour several liters of boiling water into it to quickly kill most of the ants in the nest. If you do not know where they come from, it is best to use an alternative method of beating ants.

4. 

   Kill the queen ant. The most permanent way to get rid of ants is to destroy the source of ants: queens. The queen produces ants in large numbers, and at the same time it guides the way to the nest. Destroy the queen ant, and you will destroy the ants. You can find queens in the middle of the nest. Follow the ant's path back to the nest, if possible.
   • Consider hiring an insect repellant. If worker ant trails disappear in the kitchen wall, it will be very difficult to find. An exterminator can do this for you.
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Method 3 of 4: Eliminate the food source

1. 

   Do not leave food out. Ants enter your home because something is waiting for them: a food source or a warm environment. If your house is too dirty, ants will multiply; So you need to remember to clean the house every day. The cleaner the house, the less food ants are and the more likely they are to go somewhere else to make a living.
   • Wipe all surfaces. Use a vinegar solution or mild bleach spray on tables and countertops. Remember to maintain a regular cleaning routine: sweep, wipe and vacuum for at least a few days a week.
   • If you accidentally put the food out, take this opportunity to track the ants to their source. It is easy to be tempted to wipe the ants clean immediately, but you should try to think further.

2. 

   Remember that everything can start with an ant. If you see a lone ant wandering on a table, it could be a scout ant. It is probing your kitchen for smells and sources of food. If that ant discovers the food source; even just a stick on the shelf; it will report the nest news, and immediately your house will be full of ants.

3. 

   Store food in tightly closed containers. Even if you keep the food in the cupboard, ants can still find their way through the smallest crevices. If the ants can see and get there, they will pop up. Storing food in sealed containers also has the added benefit of being able to keep food fresher.
   • Consider purchasing a Tupperware or another brand of sealed food containers. It is easier to keep the carrying cases (lid and bottom) if you use the whole set.
   • Consider rinsing off collapsible containers, then use them to store food. Maybe it's yogurt boxes with lids, plastic boxes, or even zippered plastic bags.

4. 

   Keep the sink clean. This means no dirty dishes, no standing water for ants to drink and no food left over from the drain. If you wash your hands, wash food and dishes in the sink, remember it should be a safe and hygienic place.
   • Place the pet food bowl in a slightly larger bowl, then pour some water into the large bowl. So you create a 'moat' around the pet's food bowl that ants cannot pass.
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Method 4 of 4: Use ant baits

1. 

   Choose a poison. Boric or borax (borax) acid mixed with maple syrup is the most common ant baits; Some common ants also use this blend. Boric acid affects ants both externally (when in powder form; similar to diatomite soil) and internally (when digested). Ants will bring poison (borax or boric acid) back to the nest and spread them around. If you use the right amount and at the right time, you can wipe out an entire large ant nest, but this can take weeks or months.

2. 

   Mix the mixture carefully. A bait that is too strong will kill the ants before they return to the nest, while a bait that is too light will only temporarily weaken the ant's nest. You should consider the quantity of substances when mixing. The goal here is that the poison needs to be spread all over the nest before it kills all the ants. Boric acid kills ants, water to dilute boric acid; and ways to attract ants. You can try the following formula:
   • Mix 1 cup (240 ml) of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of boric acid.
   • Mix 3 cups water, 1 cup sugar, and 4 teaspoons of boric acid.

3. 

   Put the bait. Try placing the ant baits in the lid of the box upside down or in a shallow dish to allow the ants to enter. If you have children or pets in your home, keep the bait in a container that ants can enter but not large enough for larger organisms to eat. Carefully shake the poison to settle to the bottom of the tin. Squeeze one side of the tin, but leave enough space for the ant to crawl inside.

4. 

   Wait for ants to appear. Eliminate all other ant repellants if you are using them; The goal is to make your ant baits attractive and the ants will harm themselves. Don't use bait to lure out new ants, or you may be luring new ant nests.

5. 

   Gradually move the bait closer to the nest. When a row of bustling worker ants appear, place the baits near their path. The ants will gather around the ant baits. Gradually move the baits away from the kitchen and closer to the pathway where they entered your home.
   • Be careful not to put ants in their path. You will confuse the ants and block their way back to their nest, reducing the ants' effectiveness.
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Advice

• If you want to stop the ants, use only insect sprays.
• If the number of ants is too large for you to handle on your own, try asking a friend or an exterminator for help.
• Most room sprays can kill ants on contact. They act as insecticides, and furthermore make your kitchen fragrant!
• You can get rid of ants with some household products like vinegar, cayenne pepper, black pepper, cinnamon, Windex cleaner, and powder.
• If you have to deal with fire ants, you may need to step aside and call an exterminator.Fire ants are very aggressive, and you won't want to risk getting burned.
• If you can't find the nest, put some food on the table. An ant will see and report to the comrades in the nest. Follow the ant, but don't kill it before it tells you its way.
• Windex cleaner kills ants on contact.
• Use borax detergent. The type you usually use to wash diapers. Use a plastic spoon to scoop out the borax powder about 1/3 of a teaspoon. Try to tilt the spoon and sprinkle it in the crack / gap between the carpet and the baseboard. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of the room and the windowsills. The borax detergent will keep ants from entering until it's all sucked away when you vacuum, so sprinkle it under the carpet if needed. Close windows so that small children cannot reach them and handle them on the floor when they cannot see and are curious what you do; It is the same with pets. This method works very well with carpeted rooms; It not only stops ants, but also prevents other bugs from moving by crawling through floors and windows.

Warning

• If you have young children in your home, avoid setting ants. Most of these traps are toxic and toxic chemicals.
• Glue traps are not toxic.
• Diatomite soil can cause allergies or breathing problems. You need to research carefully before using it.
• Beware of large fire ants.