Ants belong outside, not in your home.
However, sometimes it isn’t that easy to get the pesky bugs to vacate your space, especially when winter turns to spring when they really do parade through the house — marching two by two, as some say.
Since ants are one of the most common pests, we wanted to do a deep dive into how to prevent them from setting up shop in your kitchens and bedrooms. And who better to talk extermination and prevention than the Orkin man?
“Ants inside your home is a common seasonal and sometimes year-round problem,” said Glen Ramsey, senior technical manager at Orkin and board-certified entomologist. “They typically build their nests outside your home and come inside looking for a food source. Some ant species will nest inside wall voids. Once they discover food, they continue collecting food to take back to their colony.”
We asked Ramsey some of our aggravating ant questions, and he had the answers, as he has over 20 years in the entomology and pest management game. Read on for why ants love our homes and more importantly, what we can use to safely and effectively ban the bugs for good.
Why do I have ants in my home?
This is probably the first question you are asking yourself, when faced with a trail of ants in your house. The answer may seem self-explanatory, but ants are just like us — all they want is food in their bellies and a place to stay cool and comfortable.
“Ants are constantly on the hunt for food and moisture, so your kitchen and bathroom are
the most common spots to find ants,” Ramsey said.
So, how do I get rid of an ant infestation in my house?
So you left out a piece of candy and the robot vacuum didn’t get all the crumbs. Now what? Well, back up a bit so we can talk about prevention, first.
“One of the best practices is prevention,” said Ramsey. “Make sure your home is well sealed. Not only will this help with energy efficiency, but it will also help keep pests out. Regularly walk around your home looking for gaps around siding, pipes, utility lines, windows and doors that might allow ants an opportunity to gain access.”
After checking for holes and gaps in your siding, then we can go inside and address any sticky situations.
“Store sweets and other food in sealed containers and clean up any crumbs on
counters,” added Ramsey. “Before bringing potted plants and other vegetation inside, check the soil for any ant activity.”
Also, keep in mind that you may have to be on the lookout for the tiny bugs more than once, as they love to keep finding ways back inside your very welcoming home.
“Pest prevention around your home is a constant process,” said Ramsey. “Even the best sealed homes need regular inspections and maintenance. The more vigilant you are about sealing up gaps in the exterior, the more likely you are to have a pest-free interior.”
Is there a safe way to kill ants that won’t harm my children and/or pets?
Pests are bad, but your pets shouldn’t have to suffer when it’s time to spray for ants. To ensure that your kids and pets are safe, Ramsey first suggests non-chemical methods and prevention.
“Good sanitation and exclusion are the best non-chemical methods to reduce ant
pressure,” said Ramsey. “Otherwise, general household cleaners can kill individual ants or help clean up a pheromone trail. Application of the cleaner stops the pheromone trail and contacted ants but doesn’t fix the cause of the problem or affect the nest.”
What happens when you need the stronger stuff? Be sure to always read the label on ant-killing sprays and solutions for ventilation instructions as well as how long to keep out of the room. However, for the most part, many ant-killers are really only harming the bugs themselves, and should be safe for use in a home with other, human, residents.
“Pesticides for household insects are designed to be applied at low concentrations,
usually less than one percent,” Ramsey said. “These concentrations are high enough to be effective in killing small insects, but don’t pose a threat to people or pets.”
The best ant-killers, sprays and preventions you can buy online now:
1. TERRO T300B Liquid Ant Killer, $13
Let these traps do all the work. Simply snap off the end to open the trap and ants will crawl inside to get the liquid. They then bring it back to the nest and no more bugs for the season.
2. Raid Ant Baits, $7
These ant-traps by Raid do the work for you as well, plus come with a sticky backside so that you can stick them under your fridge, counters and more, keeping them out of sight and out of mind.
3. Raid Perimeter Protection Spray, $12
Protect your perimeter and the interior will follow. This Raid spray is perfect for the prevention Ramsey was discussing, creating a barrier between the outside and the inside of your home.
4. Hive Stay Away Ant and Cockroach Deterrent, $11
Plant-based ant repellent? Sounds great to us! Check out these pouches that repel both ants and cockroaches, using a plant-based mixture of smells that the pests can’t stand.
5. Aunt Fannie’s Ant Remedy Spray, $13
Kill the ants, not your pets! This natural and pet-safe spray is sold at Chewy and comes in an easy-to-use spray bottle, meant to spray directly onto ants to kill them and repel the others.
Keep the ants away with a spray! This indoor spray uses herbal pesticides like rosemary, which bugs like ants, roaches and spiders don’t take too fondly to.
Indoor and outdoor, repel bugs before they become a problem in your house plants. The insecticide can even be used on edible plants, so feel free to use on your herbs, too.
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