How can you not attract ants to your home?
- Throw away food wrappers
- Don’t leave any dishes in the sink
- Store dry food properly
- Seal any holes in your house
If you own a house, you’ve probably thought about different ways of how to not attract ants to your home. You buy all the insecticides and pesticides that you can think of — only to end up having to deal with another ant trail that you thought was gone forever.
In dealing with ants, you don’t even need to do too many complicated things. Preventing them from infesting your home can be as simple as throwing away food wrappers, religiously washing your dishes, or practicing proper food storage. Read on to learn more
Throw Away Food Wrappers
Bad news: ants have an exceptionally good sense of smell that’s even considered to be around 5 times better compared to other insects. The good news, however, is that you’re not powerless against this ability. Those food wrappers lying around your house? They’re the perfect breeding ground to attract ants of all kinds. But throwing them away is one of your best defenses.
As much as possible, you’ll want to make it a habit to dispose of any snack packaging or disposable food-related packaging as soon as you’re done with them. Don’t put them off or leave them lying in an open area that can be reachable by these pests.
If you can’t trust yourself with this, a good practice is to make sure that there’s a garbage bin nearby you. Although its contents will have to be taken out later on, it’s definitely better than leaving wrappers randomly around the house.
Don’t Leave Any Dishes in The Sink
Another simple tip that you can use against ants, is to make sure that you don’t leave any unwashed dishes in the sink. Sure, this may be a lot of work if you’re living with a lot of people under the same roof, but there is a way to make the job less taxing.
For example, after using any kitchen utensil, dish, cup, mug, etc., you may rinse them under running water and leave them for washing later. In this way, any residue left from your last snack or meal has already been dampened, lessening the chances of an ant colony detecting them.
However, you can only do so much by rinsing your dishes for a few seconds. The better option is still to wash them thoroughly as soon as you’re done with them. For best results, scrub each item using a dishwashing liquid in order to remove grime that can attract ants to the area.
Store Dry Food Properly
If you don’t have a pantry or dedicated shelving for any food items, then it’s common to leave them sitting on a table or on a countertop. While this may be a common practice among households, it increases the likelihood of ants that may feed on the food.
What you can do instead, is to transfer the food from their original packaging into washable and reusable containers that are also airtight, if possible. These containers offer a protective barrier against not only ants but other insects that may flock to your kitchen or dining room.
Alternatively, you could also turn to your refrigerator even in storing these items. Aside from helping the food stay fresher for a much longer time, ants are averse to the low temperatures and cold conditions. They prefer locations that are warmer and less humid in order to survive.
Seal Any Holes in Your House
Another measure that you can take against ants is to examine and assess certain parts of your home for any cracks, holes, or damages, oftentimes these can serve as a way for these insects to entire your home. They may be difficult to spot but there are some signs that you can watch out for.
For example, you can look around hotspots in your house — living room, dining room, kitchen — for any ant trails. You could also inspect window ledges, window frames, or door frames for any dead ants lying nearby. Both of these serve as good indications of ant presence in or around the area.
First, you’ll need to eliminate any ants that have already entered by spraying on pesticides or wiping them away with a damp cloth. Once this is done, you can now seal the crack or hole with a caulk that can prevent further entry in the future.
Key Takeaway
Knowing how to not attract ants to your home is the key to having one less pest to deal with. This guide has outlined a number of measures that you can take. You can do simple things like washing dishes after eating, throwing away wrappers, storing food properly, or inspecting your home for any potential sources of entry.
As always if you have an ant problem that’s just too great for you to deal with alone, you can always enlist the services of a professional pest control service. Topbest Pest Services can help keep your home safe from termites, ants, and other unwanted bugs and insects in your home. Get in touch with us here for more inquiries!