Ant Prevention

Daily Prevention Tasks

Ant-proofing techniques can range in difficulty, and the strategies are much the same as the ones homeowners can use to prevent many other kinds of pests. Homeowners should consider implementing these tips from the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to keep ants at bay:

• Seal cracks and crevices around the home: Ants can use some of the tiniest cracks and holes in walls as entry points, so use a silicone-based caulk to seal any significant gaps and crevices in the exterior walls of your home to prevent ants from moving in.
• Maintain the foundations and seals of your home: Prevent ants from coming indoors by monitoring and replacing weather-stripping. Repair any loose mortar around basement foundations and windows. Keep an eye on baseboards to ensure that ants don’t try to crawl out from behind them.
• Ensure the proper flow of water away from your home: Maintain the functionality of downspouts and gutters so that water flows away from the home’s foundation. Ants love finding water sources and can also crawl through pipes to get inside.
• Keep trees and shrubbery trimmed away from the home: Many plants that touch your home’s walls or roof can be like bridges for ants and other pests to enter your home. Also, keep firewood and mulch away from the walls of your home, as some ants like to build nests in or under dead wood, and that can easily lead them indoors.
• Keep the interior of the house clean: Wipe down countertops, sweep floors, and dust surfaces to remove crumbs and residue from spills. Not only will this clean off leftover granules of food, but it will also clean up the pheromones and scents left by any recent ant trails.
• Store food properly: Place leftovers in sealed, airtight containers, keep opened containers of food shut, and keep ripe fruit in the refrigerator. Store sweet foods properly and keep the outsides of their containers free of sticky residue. This way, ants won’t be tempted to use your pantry as a food source.
• Prevent and fix moisture problems indoors: Routinely check under sinks for areas of moisture, repair any leaky pipes, and clean up standing water puddles.
• Properly dispose of garbage and recycling: Keep garbage in sealed trash cans and regularly remove it from the home. Rinse out recyclable containers before setting them aside for disposal.
• Clean up after pets: Ants like pet food, so keep pet bowls clean and wipe up any spilled food or water around them promptly. Store dry pet food in a sealed plastic container rather than the paper or plastic bags they often come in. Also, make sure that your pets don’t track in messes from outside that could bring in ants or attract them.