Ants usually come indoors in search of food or nesting habitat. Even small amounts of food, like pet food crumbs, can attract hordes of industrious ants. Ants are one of Earth's most successful animals, and comprise more than 13,000 species.
Clean Your Bed And Look For The Ant Nests
Look for any food residues in and around the bed. Clean up the area by vacuuming and sipe the area with a vinegar solution to wipe away traces of ants' trails. Additionally, look for the nests in your room or try to locate the crevice through which they are sneaking in.
The Ants Are Looking for a Source of Water
Sometimes, ants aren't interested in the food you have in the house, but a reliable source of water, especially during the hot season, when temperatures are extreme. Ants can use a leaking pipe or a faulty faucet to drink water, so make sure your plumbing is ok.
Yes, that is right. I have had customers with ant problems in their mattress! Ants can also creep into your bed and even make a home there. Although most ant species don't bite, some mattresses can become infested with stinging ants.
Always remember that Vinegar is not a permanent solution to remove an ant infestation. It is reasonable to spread the solution thrice a week over the affected areas to remove ants slowly.
Ants hate the smell of strong citrus fruits. Save your orange, lemon and grapefruit peels and scatter them around entry points. It's a natural way to deter ants without harming them.
When you see an ant or two in your home or office, it's not usually something that raises an internal alarm. Ants are small and can make their way inside, so most people think it's not a big deal – but seeing just one ant can indicate that you are on your way to having a full-blown ant infestation.
Unfortunately, it's very unlikely that ants will go away on their own. If ants have already established themselves in your home, it's because they find certain conditions favorable. If you've tried cleaning and sealing off food and you're still not seeing an improvement, you might need professional help.
Once you have an infestation, the pests begin their work; they chew through and hollow out the wooden areas of your home, which eventually disrupt its structural integrity. "When left untreated, that damage can be severe because their colonies can grow to over 10,000 workers," Fredericks says.
It takes vigilance and a combination of treatments using both home and perimeter insect control, but an ant problem can typically be resolved within a week or two. Follow-up prevention is key to ensure that they do not return.
Mix Borax with equal parts water and sugar to make a syrup, and leave it in the corners where you've noticed ants. This method will work to kill the entire colony in roughly 24 to 48 hours, as the worker ants will bring the liquid back to the nest.
Cinnamon is a great option for killing ants. When an ant inhales cinnamon, it suffocates and dies. You can use ground cinnamon and sprinkle on the ants' path or around an anthill opening. Cinnamon essential oil also works well to repel ants.
If you know where ants are getting in, you can line these entryways with things that ants hate. Salt, baby powder, lemon juice, chalk, vinegar, bay leaves, cinnamon, or peppermint oil are a few items that you have around your home that will stop ants from coming inside.
Most species of ants, including carpenter ants, dislike the strong scent of vinegar, which is why mixing it with water is enough to repel them. It's important to note that while the vinegar messes with the scent trail and prevents them from returning, the solution isn't enough to kill them.
Try pouring a line of cream of tartar, red chili powder, paprika, or dried peppermint at the place where you think ants might be entering the house; they won't cross it.
Try combining three parts powdered sugar with one part boric acid. The sugar will lure the ants in and the boric acid will kill them, Pereira says. Liquid is better—adult ants prefer to drink their food—so water this stuff down a little. “I recommend this to a lot of people,” Pereira says.
Mix one part powdered sugar with one part baking powder, and leave the mixture in corners of your kitchen where ants are located. The ants will be drawn to the sweetness of the sugar, but it's the baking soda that will kill them when ingested.
Vicks Vapor Rub
Vick's Vapor Rub can be used for a lot of things, but did you know it can also be used as an ant repellent? If you're able to locate the point of entry, simply dab a generous amount of the Vick's Vapor Rub around the entry point or any cracks in the area.
Seeing ants also usually means they have found a food source. If you're seeing a lot of ants inside your home, this is most likely the case. While you should definitely address this food source, it is also a good idea to check for external food sources that might have brought the ants in close to your home.
Even though the colony may be indoors, most of the ants will go outdoors to feed. This also reduces the likelihood of detection. To make matters worse, the ants are more active at night than in the daytime and some colonies go dormant during the winter. (The colony is most active during the spring and summer.)