Trails of ants marching along your kitchen counter or in your cupboards can be an aggravating sign that you have an ant infestation. However, there are some steps you can take to stop or prevent the ants from marching through your space. In this article, the ant control experts at Healthy Home Termite and Pest Control offer their top tips for keeping ants out of your Atlanta kitchen. Read on to find out how to best stop or prevent the ants from taking over in your kitchen!
Eliminate Food Supplies
Ants come into your kitchen looking for food, and if they find it, they are sure to return to their colony and lead all those ants back to your home for a feast. To prevent those first scout ants from leading the rest of their colony back to feast in your kitchen, you’ll want to make sure all the food in your pantry and cabinets is well sealed. When the scouts come up empty-handed, they’ll move on and lead the trail of ants where food is more available.
Erase the Pheromone Line
When ants enter your home, they leave behind a scent or pheromone that other ants can follow. These pheromone lines can remain active for several days giving other ants plenty of time to find their way into your kitchen. To put a stop to the ant line you’ll want to use a disinfectant wipe or soapy water on any surfaces where you’ve noticed trails of ants. Some vinegar on a cotton ball is also a good option to erase the pheromone line and stop the trail of ants.
Seal Off the Entry Point
The most effective way to stop more ants from entering your kitchen is to identify their point of entry and make sure to seal it off well. You will likely need to call a professional to install an effective permanent barrier but, in the meantime, there are a few ways you can create a temporary barrier to stop the ants. Ants tend to be deterred by substances like turmeric, cinnamon, citrus oil, chalk, pepper, powdered charcoal or vinegar, and you may even have some of these already available in your home.
Clean Your Kitchen Frequently
Making sure the food stored in your kitchen is well sealed is not enough on its own to deter ants from entering your home. You’ll also want to make sure to clean your kitchen well and frequently to remove attractants like crumbs on the counter, dirty dishes in the sink, and food remnants in the trash can. Taking care of dishes immediately, wiping down the kitchen counters each time after food is prepared and taking out the trash frequently are important tips to follow to keep ants out of your Atlanta kitchen. Of course, if you do notice ants invading you will want to be sure to give your kitchen a complete deep clean as soon as possible.
Contact Us for Non-Deterrent Ant Control
If you notice an ant problem in your Atlanta kitchen or home you will want to contact Healthy Home Termite and Pest Control as soon as possible. Our experienced ant control professionals use non-deterrent insecticides that go unnoticed by ants, around the outside of your house to quickly eliminate the ants. Don’t wait! Call us at 770-505-9040 or complete our online contact form today.