So small and yet … ants can be a real nightmare when they invade the home. Organized in colonies, you won’t come across just one or two ants in your home, but a whole army of them.
Although harmless, ants most often invade the kitchen and any other space where they are likely to find food. Cupboards and other pantries are their favorite places, and some even manage to get inside jars, especially when it comes to honey or sugar.
Enough is enough! It’s time to take action and get rid of the ants that have taken up residence in your home. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.
Preventing ant invasion: a few good tips!
Preventing ants from invading your home is the best way to avoid having to get rid of them afterwards. Here are a few tips to help you do just that.
- Adopt impeccable hygiene in the kitchen to avoid attracting ants, by cleaning all surfaces with bleach (worktops, floors, cupboards, etc.).
- Vacuum every corner of the kitchen and house.
- If possible, use a steam cleaner, not forgetting the darkest corners.
- Never leave food out in the open, and use airtight tins.
- Always close the garbage can tightly.
- Make sure there are no gaps where ants can enter the house (cracks, window and door frames, etc.).
- Don’t leave dishes or water standing in the sink.
- Do not store firewood indoors.
- Always clean gutters thoroughly with specific products.
Getting rid of ants at home: a necessity
Black ants are the species most frequently found in homes. Unlike other ant species, they are neither dangerous nor aggressive. Nevertheless, it’s important not to let them proliferate in the home.
The main challenge is to prevent the queen from finding her way into the house, because when she does, she quickly colonizes every room in the house.
A true invasion that can affect not only the kitchen, but also ceilings, terraces and all other rooms in the house, where ants will establish their path of passage in single file. At this stage, only total extermination will get rid of the ants.
Extermination, the ultimate method for getting rid of ants
There are many ways to get rid of ants in your home. Here’s a selection:
1. Ant traps
The ant trap is designed to catch the insects before they proliferate throughout the house. They can be simply made. It’s important to remember, however, that this type of trap has no effect on the anthill, only on the ants that enter the house.
To begin with, you need a plastic bottle that you cut in half horizontally. Then fill the lower part with bait (water or beer with sugar or jam works well).
Next, capture 2 or 3 ants and place them in the trap. This will make it easier to attract the others.
Finally, place the top part of the bottle upside down in the bottom container to create a funnel.
This trap should be placed horizontally in the path of the ants, which will rush in and die.
2. Insecticides
Anti-ant insecticides come in a variety of forms: gel, powder, spray or granules. These products can be used in the home, or directly on the ant farm according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
On the whole, this type of product is fairly effective, but be sure to observe the conditions of use specified in the leaflet, especially if there are children or pets in the household.
3. Homemade methods
- Use damp coffee grounds to kill ants by placing them in their path.
- Make an insecticide with 90° alcohol by mixing 1 teaspoon of alcohol with 2 tablespoons of washing-up liquid and spraying on the ants.
- Scatter Diatomaceous Earth along the path of the ants and in any nooks and crannies where they get in. After 48 hours, vacuum.
- Scald the anthill by pouring several liters of boiling water directly onto the anthill.
4. Natural products for ant control
For those who prefer natural products and gentle methods, there are several solutions for getting rid of ants without killing them.
- Lavender essential oil is a good ant repellent for spraying around the house.
- Peppermint essential oil is very pleasant for humans, but is hated by ants, who move away from the house when they smell it.
- Baking soda used as a paste with washing-up liquid blocks ants from entering the house.
- Sliced lemon can also be used to keep ants out.
- Basil is excellent in salads or pasta dishes, but is especially effective in keeping ants out of the house. A few leaves can be scattered in strategic places.
- Cinnamon is an excellent ant repellent. A few sticks can be placed where ants enter the house.
- Oatmeal or corn flour can be sprinkled in a few strategic places to keep ants away.
- Grated powdered chalk is extremely unpalatable to ants. It should be placed in all insect-infested areas.
- White vinegar is an excellent natural product for use throughout the home. Sprayed on the places where ants come and go, it will keep the little insects away for good.
And that’s how you get rid of ants and your home back to health!
