During the summer, it is common to see an influx of insects and spiders making their way into our homes and businesses. One of the most common pests we see is ants. No one wants ants scurrying around as it can be a pain to effectively eliminate them. Luckily, there are ways to help prevent ants from ever entering your home or business this summer. Follow these 6 tips to keep your property ant-free this summer.
1. Keep Your Home or Business Clean
One of the best ways to prevent an ant infestation is to keep your home or business clean. By maintaining a regular cleaning routine, you can eliminate any attractants that may tempt ants to enter your property. Make sure you routinely sweep and vacuum—This should be done daily if it is your kitchen or if you own a restaurant. You should also mop, keep counters and surfaces clean of any food or food debris, and wash any dirty dishes that may attract ants.
2. Seal All Entry Points
Ants can gain access to your home and business through several ways; most commonly, they will utilize small entry points. Check your property for any cracks, crevices, or holes that ants could use to gain access to your property. By sealing these entry points with caulk, you can effectively prevent ants from gaining access to your business or home. Keep in mind that ants can enter through the tiniest of gaps, so be sure to seal every single one you find.
3. Keep Plants Close to Your Home or Business Trimmed
Trees, bushes, and other shrubs act as a direct highway into your home or business. In other words, these plants allow ants to easily climb up into window wells to gain access to your property. You can easily prevent this by trimming and maintaining any plants close to the perimeter of your home or business.
4. Store Your Food Properly
The biggest attractant for ants is a readily available food source, which is why it’s important to make sure all food is properly sealed and stored. Airtight containers and bags are a great way to prevent ants from choosing your business or home as their new personal eatery. You can also prevent an ant infestation by making sure all food crumbs and debris are properly cleaned up, leaving nothing to attract ants into your home or business. Also, consider keeping a secure lid on your trash can or purchasing a trash can that has a lid as food inside has the potential to attract ants as well.
5. Remove Nesting Sites
If you’ve already noticed some ants in your home or business, then you’ll want to focus on removing any nesting sites. This will prevent the ants from reproducing and furthering their infestation of your property. Ants like to nest in vegetation, landscape material, yard debris, and similar areas. Check your yard for any nests or anthills and remove them as possible.
6. Keep Your Pets’ Bowls Empty between Meals
Leaving bowls of your pets’ food and water out greatly increase your chances of ants coming inside your home or business. Luckily, there’s an easy fix. Between mealtimes for your pets, keep their bowls empty and their food properly sealed to reduce the chances of attracting ants inside. If you need to leave water out throughout the day for your pet, just be sure to empty the bowl at night.
If you’ve noticed ants in your home or business, be sure to follow these helpful tips. They can help you prevent an infestation before it gets out of hand, especially in the summer. If you already have an infestation in your home and business, you can take steps to help eliminate the ants, but it’s best to let professional pest control take control of the infestation for you. At Nature’s Balance Pest Control, we can safely and effectively treat your ant infestation. Contact us today for service.