The most important steps for ant prevention are actually pretty easy habits to learn. Ants often find their way into a home easily, and they stay there because there’s something basic that helps them thrive. This may be food, access to water, or just shelter from a tough rainy season. Ant pest control has to begin with an inspection for how they may be entering. From there, some easy cleaning and storage habits can make them look for somewhere else to call home.

Inspect and Seal

First thing on the list is your inspection. Ants are so small they can make it through the tiniest cracks and gaps in your foundation. This may make it seem like sealing off the cracks you can see is a lost cause, but this can help reduce your chances for an ant infestation. Locate and seal any visible cracks in the foundation, gaps under doors and around windows, and small accesses where pipes and wires come into the home.

This doesn’t completely eliminate every way an ant can find into your home, but it reduces the number of routes they have to use.

Cleaning Habits

The second part of ant prevention has to do with cleaning. You don’t have to go on a giant house-clean. This is more about everyday habits. Wipe up crumbs after food preparation. Make sure any drips or splatters are cleaned up regularly. Ants love to go for sugars and proteins – like a drip of chocolate sauce or a bit of chicken skin. Make sure dishes are stored safely and contained.

Store Safely

The third part is storage. Look at your pantry and cupboards. Are foods there stored in airtight containers? Ants won’t find their way into grains and baking ingredients the way many pests will, but they will find their way into cookies, crackers, and junk food.

If you regularly see ants around a food prep or storage area, or a line of them traveling to and from a certain area, then you aren’t cleaning that area well enough.

It can be a good idea to seal trash and make sure you take it out regularly. If there’s food left in there overnight, ants may find it and begin to pick it apart.

Most ant prevention and ant pest control tips are steps that are easy to implement, but can be tough to maintain. We’re set in our habits, but changing a few of them can have a big impact on how attractive your home is to ants.

If you need help with ant pest control, contact Slug-A-Bug today.