5 Remedies for House Ants in the Philippines

What are some ways you can deal with ants in your house?

• Find the Source
• Check Your Food Storage
• Use Deterrents
• Seal up Gaps and Holes
• Do Some Gardening

Have you ever walked into your kitchen only to find a line of unwelcome guests heading towards your food? Or left a snack on your desk and come back to it an hour later to find it covered in pests? An ant infestation can add loads of stress to a good day because if you’ve ever had an ant problem you know exactly how difficult it can be to get rid of. This is especially true during warmer months, which is why it is such a common problem for many households in the Philippines. Here are remedies for house ants so you can begin to tackle this pesky problem.

Find the Source

Tackling the problem at its source is the best way to get rid of ants and prevent future infestations. If your food is lying around and not properly stored, ants will definitely find a way to get to it. In order to prevent this, store your food in air-tight containers or sealed in plastic bags. Keep in mind that ants will be attracted to sweet and starchy food, so pay extra attention when storing food like sugar, honey, and the like. On top of that, cleaning your containers after use is also a good practice in preventing ant infestations. Rinse out your food containers before recycling or throwing them out.

Keeping your home clean is one of the best ways to avoid ant problems. Ants will only want to move in if there’s enough food to interest them! Always clean up after eating – wipe away spills, sweep away crumbs, and wash your plates and utensils after meals. Avoid leaving food out on tables or counters (even if they’re covered!) for too long.

Seal up Gaps and Holes

Ants can only invade your home if they’re left an opening. They typically move in through small gaps and holes in your walls, cabinets, floors, roofs, and even near pipes. No matter how small, if you want to prevent them from coming in you should seal them up. Use caulk or sealant to cover up any spots where ants can enter your home, and make sure to inspect your home frequently for any new ones that might appear.

Use Deterrents

You could also try to discourage ants from trying to enter your home by trying both chemical and natural deterrents. Most types of ants dislike certain scents that come from plant oils, such as peppermint, tea tree, and eucalyptus. Ants also dislike the scent of bay leaves, pepper, and coffee grounds. Sprinkling these things around or on doorways and windowsills can help in driving ants away. You can also try spraying a mixture of vinegar and water around these areas.

If you’re worried about how these deterrents might smell, you can also try using chalk to draw lines on the same areas. Ants typically will avoid crossing chalk lines, as they contain calcium carbonate which they hate. You can even try using other materials to create lines, such as powder, salt, and flour.

Do Some Gardening

If the previous steps fail, you might want to look at the state of your home gardens. One of the ways that ants can reach your home is through the plants and trees in your yards. Check your plants for ants, and keep them neatly trimmed to prevent them from using branches or vines to enter your home. You can also make sure your plants are ant-free by putting lemon or orange rinds in their plant beds.

If all else fails, you might have to attack it directly at the source, which will most likely be in your garden. The easiest way of getting rid of them is to pour boiling water on their nest, which can remove most of the colony and prevent them from rebuilding their nest.

Key Takeaway

Insect problems are unfortunately common in the Philippines. Remedies for ants in your house are something that many families end up searching for at least once in their lives. Luckily, there are many ways to solve this problem, and with these remedies, you now know how to get rid of that infestation and control future ones. Don’t forget to continue treating problem areas that you find in your house even after all the ants seem to be gone! They can easily re-invade your home if you’re not careful.