Learn how to get rid of ants around the house with our expert tips. You can put an end to most ant problems with inexpensive products from your local hardware store!
Draw a Chalk Line
Drawing a chalk line will deter ants temporarily as it disrupts their scent trail. This will buy you some time while you explore other ant extermination methods! You can use standard sidewalk chalk or buy squeeze bottles of chalk powder at your local home improvement store.
ID the Ant
This is often the first step toward understanding how to get rid of ants. Take a photo of the ant and email it to your local university extension office. Someone there will be able to tell you the type of ant you’re dealing with and where it nests. Then, it’s time to get rid of your pantry pests.
Find Ant Nests
Ants generally prefer damp areas, such as framing or flooring that’s soft and spongy from a plumbing or roof leak. Look for areas with water damage. Attics, bathrooms and exterior walls are obvious candidates.
Cut small holes in water-damaged walls to track down the ant nest. (You’re going to have to repair the walls anyway.) When you find the nest, spray it with an insecticide that contains bifenthrin, permethrin or deltamethrin. Ortho’s Home Defense Max is one top-rated brand.
If you can’t track down the nest, hire a pest control service. Professionals spend about 80% of their time hunting down nests, believe it or not.
Determine the Best Ant Bait
Pre-bait ants in areas you’ve previously seen them. Ants’ tastes change during the year. They usually prefer protein in the spring and sweets or fatty/oily foods in the summer. Look on the bait package for words like “controls both sweet and grease eating ants.” Stop ants from coming in the house by using this outdoor ant bait around your yard.
Erase Ant Trails
Where you see one ant, you’re bound to see others. That’s because ants leave a scented trail that other ants follow. Sweeping or mopping won’t eliminate the scent. Instead, mix one part vinegar with three parts water in a spray bottle, then spray wherever you’ve seen ants in the past. This will stop outdoor nesting ants that have entered the house to look for food.
Editor’s Tip: Vinegar and water won’t stop ants that are already nesting indoors. You’ll need to kill them with ant bait.