As been discussing lately, spring and summer bring many pests. One pest in particular that affects everyone, regardless of region, is ants. There are so many different varieties of ants. Argentine ants are mainly found in southern states across the US, fire ants are notorious in the south and carpenter ants don’t discriminate by living in both the south and the north. Ants are one of the few living organisms that live in all ecosystems.
Ants are often found in the kitchen looking for food sources. Although ants are typically harmless…it is not sanitary to have them around your food. To prevent ants coming into your kitchen follow the tips below:
- Keep your sink clean. Wash and dry any residue that may be left from cleaning dishes.
- Check for holes or cracks that ants are using as entryways into your home and seal them off.
- Pour vinegar down the drain to remove the smell of food (this can also be helpful if you have fruit flies).
- Wipe the counters down regularly. Remove any food or spills that may attract ants.
- Sweep and mop your floors often.
- Take the trash out regularly.
- Keep food in containers instead of out in the open.
- Keep trash cans rinsed and cleaned. You can also deodorize the cans with baking soda.
- Pour chili powder on hives and nests outside you home to prevent ants from entering.
- Spray peppermint oil in the corners of each room. Don’t forget the kitchen and the kitchen cabinets.
- Use products with Borax, a mineral that is refined and dissolved and used in many ant baits. Borax is non toxic to humans but poisonous to ants. Ants take borax back to their colony and dispense it to the other ants.
- Use white vinegar or bleach. Both are known to get rid of ants.
- Ants do not like the taste of cucumbers. Cut up a small amount of cucumber and place in infected areas.
- Place mint leaves or mint tea bags in infected areas.
- Add salt to boiling water and spray in the corners of the house.
If the above suggestions do not work…call the experts at Northwest Exterminating