No one enjoys having ants crawling around on their belongings. If you have an ant infestation inside your home, you need to be aggressive in trying to make them vacate. There are a few ways to remove ants from the home, as well as a few ways to keep them from returning. Here are some ideas you can use to remove ants and keep them out of your house.

Ant Removal

To remove ants completely without hassle, a pest control service, like Chem-Wise Ecological Pest Management Services, is recommended. They would have the proper tools available to remove ants without trouble. If you decide you want to get rid of them on your own, you will need to look into one of the many ant killing sprays, traps or baits available on the market. Each works in removing ants by having them poisoned from pesticides within the product. If you have small children or pets in your home, you may want to hire help instead of risking using chemicals that may be unsafe.

Homemade Ant Killers

You can try to kill ants on your own if they are noticeable in large quantities. Place a few spoonfuls of rubbing alcohol and mild dish detergent inside a spray bottle filled with water. Mix well and use to spray directly on ants to kill them instantly. You can also try putting some talc inside the vacuum bag or storage receptacle of your vacuum cleaner. Use the hose attachment to vacuum up large amounts of ants. The talc will kill ants after a few minutes. Remove the bag or container and dispose of the dead ants.

Preventing Ants

Once you remove ants from within the home, you will want to try a few things to keep them from returning. Use a spray made from peppermint oil and water and spray it around your windows and doorways. The scent of peppermint is not liked by ants, and they will avoid contact with it. Spray it on plants and in the grass around your home, as well. You can put a layer of gravel around the perimeter of your house to keep ants from crawling on your walls. They are more likely to walk on grassy surfaces than rocks.

Take a look at your home to fill in any cracks and crevices where ants can get inside. Using caulk will seal these areas, keeping your home free from ants and other insects. Make sure to do a through cleaning inside your home. The kitchen area is usually a big attraction for ants, and if there are no food sources available they will move on to other areas. Spraying counters with a bleach cleanser will help cover any smells of food. Make sure to use containers with lids to store leftovers and keep them in your refrigerator to avoid an ant problem.