How to get rid of ants

How can you get rid of ants? Like many pests, ants swarm indoors once they find a good food source. They usually move inside looking for better conditions, moisture, food, shelter, favorable temperatures and shelter. Word spreads quickly around the ant colony, and soon you could have a tiny army following the scent trail into your home.

However, because the kitchen is a food-preparation area, you’re likely to be reluctant to use pesticides or sprays to get rid of ants, for fear of contaminating your food. By taking practical steps to eliminate the ants and then ensuring you prevent a re-infestation, you can soon take control of the problem.

If trying to get rid of ants on your own does not seem like a solution to you, one of the best things you can do is call in the professionals. Contact your local Western Exterminator office today to discuss ant removal and prevention solutions.

Treatment options to get rid of ants

When it comes to getting rid of ants, there are two basic options: get rid of them yourself or hire a professional. It may seem that an ant infestation is not a big issue and can be easily handled on your own. However, the most effective way to get rid of ants is to bring in the professionals. Our ant control experts can pin-point the root of the ant problem to eliminate it for good. 

The DIY option requires the purchase and correct use of DIY ant control products in addition to some potential home improvement actions to remedy existing issues. 

The professional option requires you to find your local, expert pest experts as soon as you first spot a potential ant infestation. This will offer the best chance at getting rid of the problem early, before it becomes much worse.

DIY ant treatment (not recommended)

If you decide to attempt to control your ant problem on your own, there are a few basic options available such as sprays or ant traps.

There are also some minor home improvements that you can make to prevent access to ants and remove potential nesting sites. The smallest of gaps can allow ants access to your home.

• Seal all gaps and cracks under doors, around windows, and in siding.
• Ensure liquid or food spills are cleaned up as quickly as possible. These are major attractants for ants.

Although a DIY solution may seem cheaper and easier than professional treatment, it comes with some risks.

• DIY solutions cannot guarantee complete removal of an ant infestation.
• It is imperative that DIY ant solution instructions are followed precisely to have any effect.
• DIY solutions may take longer to take effect. If the nest is hidden away in an inaccessible area, it is easy to miss it with treatment. If any ants are left behind, they'll just move the colony and begin reproducing once more.

Professional ant treatment

Whether you are dealing with an ant problem in your home or your business, it is reassuring to know that you have professionals on your side. Maintain peace of mind knowing that the professional products we use are not only safe for both your children and your pets but are as effective as possible.

For businesses, ants can propose various levels of risk depending on the type of industry in which they operate. Ants can affect brand reputation, customer reviews, employee morale, operational efficiency and ultimately the bottom line.

When it comes to eliminating an ant infestation, wasting time experimenting with DIY ant control can be costly. Instead, take comfort in the professional services of a reputable pest control company like Western Exterminator. Protect your home or business long-term against future pest problems with a partner in pest control that you can trust.

Watch the ants inside your home

First, make sure you know the ant species you’re dealing with. Most likely, they’ll be pavement ants, but carefully observe them and note their characteristics. A quick online search should help you to correctly identify them.

Ants don’t emerge out of thin air. They must be getting in somewhere. So your next step is to find their entry point. By simply observing their movements, you’ll be able to identify where they’re entering the house. They might be coming in through an open door, a window or even small cracks and holes in the building structure. The ants are likely located somewhere such as inner house walls, window frames, or other such hidden places. Once you find the entry point, take action to clean and seal the openings.

In addition to  finding the entry point, you should try to find the source. Where’s the ant nest? Again, following their movements should lead you to the colony. The ants leave a scent trail from the nest to the food source, so they’ll follow the same trail back and forth from the colony to your kitchen.

Once you’ve found the source, you can take steps to effectively eliminate the problem.

How to get rid of ants in your home

Many homeowners opt to try do it yourself ant control remedies at the first sign of ants. Unfortunately, the results are often less than satisfactory. If the ant problem isn't completely eliminated, a small problem can quickly become a large one. This is when many people reach out to the professionals for help.

Once one of our ant control specialists has identified the type of ant causing your problem, such as carpenter ants or fire ants, they can determine the best course of action to deal with them efficiently. Treatments are targeted to your specific ant species in order to solve the problem quickly and safely. Once the ants have been eliminated, you can take precautions to prevent them from coming back.

Call Western Exterminator at 800-937-8398 to talk to one of our experts about getting rid of ants.

Natural ant killers

Though we wouldn't recommend them as the most effective course of action, there are many natural remedies for getting rid of ants.

1. Ants leave scent trails when they find food. You need to erase these trails using cloths soaked in disinfectant or bleach. (Water alone will not remove the trail.) A simple mixture of water and vinegar can also effectively erase the trail. Your aim here is to destroy the trail; you aren’t actually killing any ants.
2. You can also use some home solutions to repel ants. For example, ants don’t like citrus smells. You can create a repellent by blending lemon juice, orange peels or cucumber rinds with warm water. Then dip a cloth into the solution and use it to wipe down your surfaces. You can use a similar solution to mop the floor.
3. Spices and herbs are also known to repel ants. Effective options include garlic, mint, basil, cayenne or chili pepper, cloves or black pepper.
4. Diatomaceous earth is another effective preventative measure. You can use it to seal up cracks and small holes, or apply it to edges where there has been ant activity. You can also spray wet diatomaceous earth on walls.

Of course, Western Exterminator cannot guarantee any of the above methods will work 100% of the time. Often these methods require repeated applications and may miss a few of the insects, causing a return infestation. This is why calling in the professionals at Western Exterminator is the best bet to ensure the entire ant colony is taken care of and removed. Plus, Western Exterminator professionals offer solutions to keep ants away for good.

How to get rid of ants in your business

Ants are more than just an inconvenience in the commercial environment. Ant infestations can have significant costs -- not just financial, but reputational too. This is especially true in establishments that handle food, including food processing plants, restaurants, and food retail. It is imperative that businesses such as these have the highest standards of hygiene, and a hygienic organization certainly does not have ants.

A lack of adequate ant control could have negative implications for your business:

• Waste - Any contaminated products, especially food, must be thrown away.

• Fear - Ants can spread pathogens, which is especially alarming to those that inhabit establishments such as hospitals and senior facilities.

• Reputation - Once word gets out that your business has an ant infestation, your reputation, and consequently your profits, will suffer.

Contact Western Exterminator for ant control

If you have found an ant infestation in your house, you should contact your local Western Exterminator office to schedule an appointment with a pest control expert as soon as possible to avoid a larger infestation. Pest control experts will be able to provide you with further advice on how to prevent and get rid of ants quickly and effectively.

Give us a call and we’ll set the following plan in motion:

• We will arrange a convenient time with you for a free inspection inside and outside your property.
• Your dedicated pest specialist will recommend a treatment plan based on your infestation (and in commercial settings your particular business industry) and give you a quote for services.
• Once you’ve approved the plan, the pest specialist will carry out the service. On the first visit, the pest specialist will run through the treatment process before the work begins. In some instances, follow up visits will be required to get rid of the ants.
• We can also set up regular ant control inspections for you so the problem doesn’t come back.

If you are seeing pests such as carpenter ants or fire ants, call us today at 800-937-8398 or contact us online to learn how our services can help you get rid of ants.