No one likes uninvited guests, especially those who not only overstay their welcome but are seemingly impossible to get rid of. It’s even worse when uninvited guests is when they start inviting their friends to take over your home and feast on your food.No, we’re not talking about your old college room-mate who shows up to “crash for just one night”. We’re talking about ants. And this time of year they are out in droves. So how do you kick them out and prevent others from making themselves comfortable?
Here are a few simple solutions.
Thoroughly wipe your counters and sink after meal prep and clean up, being sure to not leave behind any traces of food.
- Ants and many other insets thrive in damp areas so keep your home cool with humidity levels between 40-50%.
- Keep all food and drinks tightly sealed and put away.
- Spray areas where you see ants and possible entry points with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to help disrupt their scent trail.
- Because ants don’t like strong odors, put several drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil into clean spray bottle, fill it with water, and spray along ant trails and entry points.
- Give them something else to feast on by pouring honey or sugar on a disposable plate and placing it outside your home. Move the plate further away each day.
- Make a solution with ½ cup sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons on Borax, and 1 ½ cups of warm water. Shake until dissolved. Spray onto cotton balls or small wads of paper towel and leave them where you see ants. They will feast on the mixture and take it back to their colony. You should start to see fewer and fewer ants within a few days.
Believe it or not, Messmer Mechanical can help you with ant removal, even though we are not exterminators. We can, however, install a whole-house de-humidifier so you have full control over indoor humidity levels all cooling season long. Not only does that make things less than ideal for ants, you’ll feel a lot more comfortable with just the right amount of indoor humidity. You’ll save money on your electricity bill, too. Contact us today for more information or to schedule service.