Ants can be a real pest when it comes to your eating area. They ruin your food and seem to be everywhere once the first few make their way into your kitchen. Even if you wash away ants that have taken over your counters they keep coming back!
But there are some things you can do to keep that ant colony outside your home where it belongs. Let’s discuss some things you can do to deter ants from trickling in.
Ant control is just a way of life for many of us in California. But professional pest prevention is one way you can fight back with those tiny, mighty, ants. If you have an infestation in progress, contact our team at Dustin Pest Control immediately. We’ll inspect and assess the situation and do what needs to be done for complete eradication.
Ants Are Always Hungry
Most people know that ants are attracted to food, but sometimes it’s easy to forget to keep your kitchen totally free of loose food items. Make sure there is no food exposed anywhere in your kitchen. Not on the counters, not on the floor, not in the cabinets. Food that is unwrapped is a definite no-no.
Ants aren’t picky when it comes to dinnertime. But some species are especially fond of proteins and high-sugar foods. It doesn’t matter what food group we’re talking about. Put your food back in the fridge, even if it’s just for a moment.
Keep Your Floors Clean
It’s important to clean up any crumbs or spills on the floor right away to make sure ants don’t get a sniff of your scraps. Sweep and mop regularly to keep your kitchen clean and free of ants. Especially after cooking.
Depending on how bad your ant situation is, develop a clean routine to give the floor a sweep once or twice a day. Ants often find their way into your home through cracks or holes where wires and piping enter. So the floor is always a high-traffic ant avenue!
Clean Your Counters & Polish Your Pots
One of the best ways to keep ants out of your kitchen is to make sure that all of your counters are clean, including inside the cabinets where you store dishes and pots and pans. Wipe down your counters every day, and make sure to clean in between the seams of your countertops and cabinets.
You can also put a little bit of vinegar or lemon juice on a cloth and wipe down your counters to deter ants. If you’re being fanatical about cleaning the kitchen and still see little lines of ants every day, it’s definitely time for professional help.
Store Food in Airtight Containers
One of the best ways to keep ants out of your kitchen is to store your food in airtight containers with tight-fitting lids. This will prevent them from being able to get inside to steal your food! Be thorough in the way you store dried goods. Use zip-lock bags and jars or plastic containers that can be closed tight.
Empty the Garbage Frequently
Getting rid of garbage and recycling from your kitchen is another way to deter ant activity. Empty beer and pop bottles contain high amounts of sugar which attract invasive ants. You know how a garbage bag might have a hole poked in it or rip from a sharp item? Ants will find a way to that opening to feast on your delicious garbage.
So make garbage, compost, and recycling disposal an everyday routine.
Get Rid of Pest Magnets
Items like old piles of newspapers (if you’re old school), dirty cooking mitts, empty bottles you’re saving to take to the depot will attract ants. Get rid of them!
If your home is susceptible to ant invasions, you’ve got to keep your kitchen on high alert. These types of items are all potential havens for ants, but also for spiders, and rodents. Make sure to get rid of them regularly to help keep your kitchen pest-free.
Pest Control Plan
If you’re looking for a pest protection plan that will keep ants away, the Our pest control experts will come to your home and inspect your property to determine the best way to get rid of ants and keep them from coming back. We offer regular pest control services that will keep your kitchen ant-free all year long.
Shield Your Kitchen from Ants
There are a few things you can do to keep ants from taking over your kitchen, and most of them involve being hyper-clean and tidy. Combining tidy habits with the Dustin Pest Control Pest Shield Membership is the best way to keep your home an anti-ant abode.
We’ll build a custom-made game plan so that our expert exterminators can kill ants before they get inside. So clean up any crumbs on the floor, make sure there’s no food lying out in your kitchen, and store your food in airtight containers. And if ants are still swarming your kitchen, book a 5-star pest control appointment.