Ants and their presence at home
Ants always move in groups, forming lines to find food to take to their nests. This is their working method and the way we can see them in the field and other natural spaces.
However, the image ceases to be idyllic when we find them inside the house. They are not usually dangerous, but the truth is that they can be quite annoying. In fact, if you don’t remove them, the colony will eventually grow and could lead to more serious problems.
Measures to avoid the presence of ants
No one likes to have a house full of ants, especially during the spring and summer. To keep your home protected, there are several steps you can take to ensure ants stay away.
Use cleaning vinegar or white vinegar
Ants communicate through pheromones, which are chemicals that tell other ants where food is. You can use white cleaning vinegar diluted 50% with water to remove pheromone traces on walls and floors. This solution also repels them due to its smell.
Avoid moisture
Ants don’t need a lot of water to live, so it’s important to avoid humidity in your home. Make sure there are no wet cloths, wet carpets or dripping taps. Keeping everything dry will help keep ants away.
Take care of your pantry
The pantry is one of the places that ants like the most. Any food can attract them, so it is advisable to store products such as flour, sugar or nuts in airtight containers. It is also important to store pet food in the same way.
Clean your kitchen
The kitchen is another place that attracts ants. Be sure to clean up any leftover food, bread crumbs, or other food. If you don’t, the ants will continue to roam around your home.
Repair the cracks
Sealing cracks in walls and floors is an effective preventative measure to keep ants away. This action will prevent ants from entering your home.
Use scents that repel ants
Certain scents such as peppermint oil, lemon or cinnamon can scare away ants. You can dilute these oils in water and alcohol and apply them to areas where ants are to keep them away. You can also sprinkle some pepper or cinnamon on the path that the ants follow in your house.
Use borax
A mixture of borax, sugar and water can be effective in killing ants. Dampen cotton bags with this mixture and place them in the path of the ants. Within 24-48 hours, the borax will begin to take effect and kill both the ants and the larvae.
What not to do to get rid of ants
Throwing away the insecticide is a common solution when you see ants, but it’s not always the best option. Chances are there’s a nest you haven’t seen and you’re just removing a few bugs. Also, when the worker ants detect danger, they warn and the queen divides the colony, producing more larvae. This means that the problem will not be solved, but multiplied.
Follow these steps to keep ants away from your home and enjoy an environment free of these pesky insects.
