How to Rid Your Home of Ants

Picture this: an uninvited and unannounced visitor enters your home with you none the wiser. Before you know it, said visitor is helping itself to your food and isn’t too fussy about what it eats. Finding a bountiful supply, it beckons its friends and family to join in on the non-stop feast  Easy Tips.

And there you have the life and story of black ants, playing itself out in homes like yours throughout the summer months. And while you might appreciate how hard ants work, you’d simply rather they keep themselves busy outdoors.

To get and keep them there, follow these proven and effective steps:

• Wipe counters and sinks thoroughly after meal prep and clean up, being careful not to leave a trace of food behind.
• Keep food and beverages tightly sealed and stored away.
• Ants love damp areas, so keep your home cool with humidity levels between 30 and 50 percent.
• Spray possible entry points with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water to help disrupt their scent trail.
• Ants dislike strong odors; so, add a few drops of eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil to a clean spray bottle filled with water and spray where you see ants and along entry points.
• Sprinkle baking soda along ant trails and potential entry points to disrupt their scent trail.
• Give them something else to feast on besides your food; pour a bit of table sugar or honey on a disposable plate and place it outside your home; then move the plate farther and farther away each day.
• Mix ½ cup sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons Borax, and 1 ½ cups warm water in a clean spray bottle. Shake until dissolved and spray onto cotton balls and leave them where you see ants. The ants will feast on the solution and bring it back to their colony. You’ll notice fewer and fewer ants within a matter of days.

Of course, when all else fails, latch onto a reputable exterminator and let them do their job. On the other hand, should your plumbing fail or otherwise cause you trouble, there’s no one better to call than Norhio Plumbing. We’re always glad to hear from established and new customers alike.