Nashville, Murfreesboro, Knoxville and Chattanooga TN
Spring is around the corner for us here in Middle Tennessee, which usually means that ants become more active. And sometimes, ants find their way indoors and into your kitchen. Ants can be more than just a nuisance for some homeowners as they can infiltrate your cabinets, food, and trash and quickly recruit their fellow colony members, which may result in an infestation. Some homeowners report an ant infestation seemingly appearing out of nowhere and a common question our pest techs get asked a lot is how to get rid of ants quickly. Today on our newest blog, we have three quick ways to do just that!
First, what attracts ants inside homes?
Ants, like all living creatures, have a natural instinct to search for food, water, and shelter. As far as their food choice, ants aren’t picky, although anything that contains sugar, even chips and crackers, attract them to kitchens. Moisture can be found near water sources like sinks or in cabinets that have plumbing, especially if the pipes are leaking. While ants do like some amount of moisture, too much water like a heavy rain will send them seeking shelter indoors. They also seek shelter during the winter and hibernate until the weather warms. If you experience ants inside your home, keep reading to explore the three quick ways to deal with ants.
Start on the inside
Maintaining a clean home can help decrease the occurrence of ants, as well as other pests.
- Keep your home clean by taking out the trash daily, store food in sealed containers, and clean up crumbs and food spills immediately.
- Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink and address any leaks in your plumbing.
- If you have pets, only put out enough food that your pet can eat in one sitting instead of leaving a bowl of food out all the time.
- Inspect the outside of your home for any cracks or holes that may be entry points for ants or other pests. Be sure to also inspect the seals on your doors and windows, which commonly tear or become worn, allowing pests to slip through the crack.
Clean up your yard
Many homeowners may not realize that the condition of their yard and flower beds have as much to do with pest control as how well they clean the inside of their homes.
Ensure that the outside of your home is well maintained by doing the following:
- Trim bushes, hedges, and trees so that they do not touch the sides or roof of your home.
- Avoid mulching against your home’s foundation as this creates a breading ground for pests and provides quick and easy access to your home.
- Remove decaying leaves and tree limbs and branches that fall into your yard.
Get professional pest control
Hire a professional pest control company to apply quarterly pest treatments to the inside and outside of your home. While DIY solutions and products claim to get rid of ants, we find that they are usually only spot treatments and kill some of the ants and not the entire colony. Instead, professional pest control creates a barrier around entry points to your home, as well as along baseboards, the garage, and in some cases the crawlspace, so that pests die shortly after coming in contact with that barrier. Our expert pest control techs recommend the above maintenance items as well as pest control treatments for the most effective solution against ants.
Pest Control Services in Hermitage, Murfreesboro, and Nashville, TN
If you’re tired of dealing with ants in your kitchen or are interested in learning more about professional pest control treatments, contact Ameri Care Services by calling (615) 893-7111.