What To Do About Ants In The House

Ants in the house can be a real nuisance, but they can be tackled more easily than you may think in just a few steps

Finding the Source

Follow the ant trail

Instead of killing every ant you see, take time to sit back and watch where the ants are coming and going from
Ants tend to follow ‘scent trails’ between the nest and their food sources
Check for food & water sources
- In the kitchen
  - Grease
  - Sugar
  - Crumbs
- In the bathroom
  - Moisture
- In a specific room
  - Spilt drinks
  - Pet food
  - Forgotten snacks
  - Crumbs

Check common entry points

Windows and doors (gaps in seals or under doorframes)
Cracks in walls & floors (look near skirting boards and in gaps between tiles)
Pipes & vents (plumbed in appliances, kitchen and bathroom pipes

Look for the nest

Once you have found the trail, follow it outside or back to the nest if possible

Common places to find ant nests are:

In soil
Under paving stones or driveways
Inside wall cavities or attics
In damp areas (i.e. under sinks)
Near rotting wood or tree stumps

Eliminating the Source

Seal the entry points

Once you have done sufficient observation, you should know where the ants are getting in.

For cracks & gaps in walls or floors: use caulk or silicone sealant

For gaps around doors and windows: use weather stripping or door sweeps

For openings near pipes: use expanding foam or steel wool to block access

For vents: install fine mesh screens

For a secure invisible protection barrier, spray Dethlac around and on the entry point surfaces

Remove the scent trails

Ants leave behind scent trails in order to guide the rest of their colony to food and water sources. Even if you remove the visible ants, unless you remove this invisible trail, ants will always be back.

Easy ways to erase the trails at home:

Vinegar solution: equal parts vinegar to water – wipe down surfaces where ants were seen
Lemon juice: a natural deterrent which confuses their navigation
Soapy water: breaks down the chemicals in the trail

Natural deterrents for ants include:

Ground Cinnamon
Coffee Grounds
Chalk
Black Pepper/Cayenne Pepper
White Vinegar
Citrus

Destroy the nest (if possible)

If you can locate the nest outside:

Pour boiling water directly into the nest or ant hill
Use borax mixed with honey or sugar bait (1:3 ratio) and pour it into and around the nest
Spray a mix of soap and water around the nest

Killing just the visible ants won’t solve your problem – you need to find the root cause (the colony and nest) and destroy that first

Remember, think of the visible ants as your helpers to find the nest, not as the big issue at hand!

Remove attractions