Help! Ants Are Taking Over My Marietta Home!

Six Simple Ways To Deter Ants On Your Own

The methods that work to keep ants out of your home will also help you deal with the ants you're already seeing. As we share these simple-to-understand methods, we'll also share why they help with ant infestations.

1. Keep Things Clean

Whether inside your home or around your exterior, sanitation can impact ant behavior. Why? It is because ants can smell decaying food from a distance and are okay with eating food well past its due date. Try these chores:

• Sanitize trash receptacles.
• Make sure all trash bags are put directly into containers.
• Use scented trash bags.
• Wash counters and keep floors and rugs clean.

2. Protect Food

A food source can lure ants to your property and increase your chance of an infestation inside your home, and an indoor food source can invite ants to enter your home in large numbers. Therefore, along with sanitation, it is critical to protect the food:

• Rake nuts up and store them away from your exterior.
• Pick up fruit that falls to the ground.
• Move bird feeders away from your exterior walls.
• Address aphid problems to prevent honeydew.
• Address weed problems to reduce nectar.
• Store pantry foods in sealed containers to keep ants out and smells in.
• Always keep food covered when left out on your counters.
• Put pet food down for short periods.

3. Address Moisture Problems

We're sure you know that water is a building block of life. All creatures need it. But you might not know that ants can pick up liquid droplets and bring them back to their nest. What this means is that a water source can inspire an ant problem as easily as a food source. Prevent water problems by performing the following tasks:

• Clear out your gutters.
• Patch gutter breaks.
• Repair spigots.
• Repair leaking faucets or showerheads.

4. Control Insect Populations

Ants eat insects, both alive and dead. The more insects you have, the more interesting your yard will be to ants. The same is true on the inside of your home. If you have indoor pests, you can attract an indoor ant problem. Take these steps:

• Keep lights off at night.
• Remove leaf litter as it accumulates.
• Move woodpiles and debris away from your exterior.
• Remove spider webs.
• Repair damaged screens to keep insects out of your home.

5. Patch Gaps

All ants enter your home through tiny openings. If you want to reduce your chances of indoor infestation, you'll want to get your caulking gun out and do the following home repairs:

• Fill in wood cavities.
• Fill in plumbing gaps.
• Fill in voids behind joists.
• Seal around windows, doors, and other framing.
• Replace weatherstripping and sweeps on exterior doors or windows.
• Use a foundation repair kit to seal cracks.

These tips take a bit of effort but address pests at the source, unlike over-the-counter pest control products that only deal with the symptom. You can eliminate pests all day long and still have pest problems. That is no way to deal with ants.