Ants are nuisance pests that many people do not enjoy having within the walls of their home. If you have noticed several ants inside your home, you may have a larger problem than you think. They often hole themselves in between walls or in woodwork in large quantities. There are worker ants that go out foraging for food to bring back to the rest inside the lair. To remove ants, you will need to be diligent in deterring them from wanting to be inside your home in the first place. Here are some ideas you can use to remove ants and keep them from wanting to return.

Killing Ants

To kill ants, you will need heavy-duty ant killing pesticides. These can be found in any home goods store and can be used in a home that does not have pets or children. If you have kids or pets, you will either want to enlist the help of a professional pest control service, or you can try a few home remedies to try to remove the pesky ants.

One way to remove ants is to use a mixture of rubbing alcohol, dish soap and water and place it inside a spray bottle. You can spray this directly on any ants you see, using it in the same manner as you would a commercial ant killer. 

Deterring Ants

To keep ants from wanting to stay in your home, you will need to make sure there are no food sources readily available. Make sure to clean your home thoroughly, particularly the kitchen area. Keep any leftover food in sealed containers so that ants can not get inside.

Pay special attention to your kitchen counters, making sure no crumbs are left behind after food preparation. Use a bleach cleanser to clean your counter tops, covering the smell of any food that may have been placed on them. This also erases the scent of any ant trails left by ants so others can find food.

Make sure to take up any pet dishes after your pet has eaten their meal. If you have a pet that eats outdoors, do this there as well. Keep firewood piles far from your home so ants will not be nearby.

Place some gravel around the perimeter of your home to keep ants from crawling up and down the sides of your house, as they would if there was grass up against the walls of your home. If you see any cracks around windows or in walls of the exterior of your home, fill them in with caulk to keep ants from entering.

For more information, or if these methods don't work, contact a local pest control company like Xtermco Inc.