It’s almost that time of year again. You know, when we start seeing an influx of pests entering our home. We begin watching our kids more closely to ensure each and every spill is immediately cleaned up, that no breakfast cereals are left behind on the floor or skitter beneath the fridge. Yet despite our best efforts, and no matter how clean and tidy our home is, we still somehow get ants in our home. In this article, we are going to review the top 10 DIY tips to help prevent ants from entering your home.
Find And Block Entrances
The best way to get rid of ants is to prevent them from ever entering your home in the first place, by making it more difficult to find an entrance. Ants may be tiny, and able to find several entrances via your doorways, windows, and walls that you didn’t even know about. Yet despite this, it is better to make an effort to block as much as you can instead of simply leaving them open.
Caulk Is Your Best Friend
Blocking entrances is easily done with the use of caulk Start with any windows, doors, and cracks you find, that the ants crawl through. Along with blocking insects from entering your home, this will also give your home better temperature control and lower energy bills. This is additionally one of the safest methods of pest prevention if you have kids or pets.
Try some Vinegar
Having clean surfaces in your home will always be beneficial in deterring pests from your home. Try a mixture of a half-and-half solution of white distilled vinegar and water. This will help remove any scent trails that ants tend to follow and cause them to avoid the area due to their strong dislike of the vinegar fragrance. Additionally being a great mixture for use in cleaning in general. This mix can replace several detergents.
Try Lemon Juice
Much like vinegar, lemon juice also seems to destroy those pesky scent trails that ants use to follow one another. Try spraying lemon juice around those high-risk areas that you believe may be used as an ant entrance.
Try Peppermint Oil
Another easy-to-try option is peppermint oil. Simply clean your surfaces really well, and then wipe them down with a clean damp cloth that you have added a few drops of essential peppermint oil too. Ants seem to really dislike this smell as well, plus it is environmentally friendly, as well as safe for humans and children. Not to mention, your kitchen will have a minty fresh fragrance.
Try some Spices and Herbs
The final deterrent on our list today is one that will help your home smell amazing! Try grabbing some black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, cinnamon, mint, chili pepper, cloves or garlic really whichever herbs and spices you have at hand, and sprinkle them wherever you have seen ants, outside of your home and along your home’s foundation. You can also try placing bay leaves in cabinets, drawers an containers for an added effect.
Call The Professionals
If you find that these deterrents are not nearly as effective as you’d like, then be sure to give our specialists a call right here at Consolidated Pest Control. Our team has been fully trained in the areas of safety, only using as many pesticides as required to get the job done while ensuring your family remains unaffected.
