How to Stop Ants from Infiltrating Your Home

Your home is supposed to be the place where you can relax fully after a long day at work. Unfortunately, some unwanted guests may have something to say about that. Those unwanted guests are otherwise known as ants.

Ants are bothersome because they can make us uncomfortable in so many ways.

Want to rest on the couch or in bed for a bit? Some annoying ants may start biting you and make that impossible.

If you’re looking to grab a snack, you may also find that the ants have beaten you to your food. Oh, and an ant infestation should also give homeowners pause because those insects can inflict serious structural damage.

It’s in your best interests as a homeowner to keep ants as far away from your home as possible. Listed below are some tips that should help with that.

Seal Any Potential Entry Points the Ants May Breach

Home improvement experts will tell you that sealing any cracks or small openings is important. They’ll say that creating a proper seal is needed because it helps with temperature regulation and energy efficiency.

Those are not the only reasons why you should look to patch up leaks along your walls and windows, though. Ants can also use those small openings to enter your place of residence and wreak havoc.

Use caulk or other sealants to close any openings. If you notice that your window frames have large gaps that can no longer close without affecting how they work, it would be better to replace them.

Clean and Maintain Your Home Regularly

Ants don’t want to be pests. They aren’t entering your home and pestering you because they want to. For them, this is all a matter of survival.

Ant colonies need reliable shelter and a stable food source to survive. The bad news for many folks across Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas is that their homes are dream destinations for ants.

Houses with older wooden walls are ideal living environments for ants. They may find those areas more suitable for shelter if they are tucked away into dark corners.

You may also be presenting ants with a buffet whenever you leave food unattended. Some bread left on the table or even leftovers on a plate is attractive to ants.

To prevent ants from seeing your home as a dream destination, make it unaccommodating to them. You can do that by maintaining and cleaning your home regularly.

Check on your walls and see if you need to replace any rotten or old wooden panels. Moist pieces of wood are also suitable ant shelters, so get rid of them. This article from the University of Minnesota also recommends checking your insulation and hollow doors because those are good locations for worker ants.

As for the food, do your best to clear the table whenever possible. If you do have leftovers you want to save for the day after, store them in the refrigerator. Sweeping before going to bed or leaving your home will also help get rid of any food crumbs on the floor.

You should also look at your pet’s food bowls. Ants will go after pet food if they can, so store those treats as well.

Get Rid of Overhanging Branches Close to Your Home

Many homeowners have a hard time with ant infestations because they don’t notice the insects until it’s too late. Instead of putting a stop to a smaller infestation, they may already be dealing with ants taking up residence all over their home.

You need to keep a closer eye on any potential infestations. To do that, remove the possible entry points that you cannot monitor all the time. More specifically, you want to cut away the overhanging branches.

Those overhanging branches may direct the ants to spots where they can easily access your home. If there are holes in your roof, for instance, the ants will go through them.

Don’t leave your home vulnerable like that. Be proactive and trim any branches that you think will reach your home as soon as possible.

Use Peppermint Oil to Keep the Ants at Bay

Are you looking to shoo ants away but would rather not use insecticides yourself? That’s not a problem because there are other substances you can use to stop a potential ant infestation.

One such substance is peppermint oil.

According to Hunker, peppermint oil will not kill the ants or do anything to their colonies. The only thing the peppermint oil will do is scare the ants away. It’s probably your best bet if you’re looking for an easily accessible ant deterrent.

The other plus to using peppermint oil as an ant stopper is that it imparts a pleasing aroma. You can use it inside the bathroom or in your bedroom to create a more relaxing environment.

Call on the Professionals for Help

In cases where the ants have seemingly taken over your home already, the tips above may not be enough to scare them away. You’ll likely need to call on the professionals for help.

Understandably, some homeowners are hesitant to rely on exterminators. They fear that the chemicals used during the extermination may affect them, their children, or possibly even their pets. That's a valid concern, but you should know that these products have advanced over the years.

You can now find extermination services that utilize plant-based products to curb pest infestations. Those plant-based products are safe, and you can use them around kids and animals with no trouble.

In addition to offering an immediate solution to your pest-related problems, professional exterminators can also keep insects like ants away from your home moving forward. You can address a once persistent problem for good with the help of an exterminator.

Residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas who are pestered by ants don't need to live with their unwanted house guests any longer. If you have an ant problem, we at Romex Pest Control can help. Contact us today to find out more about our services!