How to Stop Ants From Coming Into Your Home
Seal off all entrance areas., Seal cracks with caulk., Line suspected entryways with anti-ant substances., Make a tape barrier., Try making a barrier from talcum powder., Try using nontoxic ant deterrents.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Seal off all entrance areas.
Since ants are tiny, they can find thousands of tiny doorways into your residence.
Some of them of are easy to identify; others will only be discovered when there's a parade of ants marching through them.
First, figure out where the ants are entering the house: follow the trail of ants to see where they're entering and leaving your home.
Seal all the entrance holes that you can find using silicone caulk, putty, glue or plaster.
Temporary methods might include petroleum jelly or poster tack.
If you use a temporary sealant, like poster tack, only do so until you can fill the space with a more permanent solution.
A weaker material will deteriorate over time, and the gap will open up again. -
Step 2: Seal cracks with caulk.
Close the gaps around windows, doors, and walls.
Block off any space that might permit passage to an ant army.
Your sealing efforts will be most effective if you're thorough.
An additional benefit of sealing off your home: more effective temperature control, and thus lower energy bills.
Plus, this is one of the least risky methods where kids or pets are concerned. , This is a somewhat more aggressive tactic than simply caulking up the cracks.
You can create barriers of chemicals and powders that repel—even kill—unwitting ants.
Consider diatomaceous earth, salt, and even commercial ant poisons.
This might function as a form of baiting.
Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that kills ants by pulling all the moisture from their bodies.
It works by absorbing moisture from the ant itself, but it's best used in dry environments.
You also don't want anyone in the house (especially pets and children) sniffing it up.
Try using salt.
It has a similar drying-out effect on ants, especially if they carry it back to their nests.
You can spread it under doors, near windows, and along the edges of your walls., Line your kitchen with adhesive tape, sticky-side up.
No poison or messy powders necessary.
When ants try to climb over the tape, they may stick to the adhesive – effectively stopping them in their tracks.
Make sure that the ants can't crawl under the tape; try using double-sided tape, or taping the back of the tape to your floors, walls, and counters so that there is no room for ants underneath., Talc in various forms is thought to deter ants, although the mechanism is poorly understood.
Tailor's chalk and baby powder usually contain talc, so you can use them to create a barrier for ants.
Regardless of which form of talc you use: keep in mind that talc has been called out as a potential carcinogen.
Many sources recommend using normal chalk; however, this is made of gypsum, not talc.
This misconception could be the result of confusion with "ant chalk"
which is an insecticide that looks just like normal chalk.
It was outlawed in the US in the 1990s, but you may still be able to find it in certain underground markets.
Some baby powder brands are made of corn starch, so they will not work effectively against ants.
Check the ingredients before you build your barrier. , You can also defend your home with scents and substances that ants don't like.
Consider some combination of vinegar, peppermint oil, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, whole cloves, and bay leaves.Be careful where you place your deterrents: keep peppers and spicy things away from curious pets and children. -
Step 3: Line suspected entryways with anti-ant substances.
-
Step 4: Make a tape barrier.
-
Step 5: Try making a barrier from talcum powder.
-
Step 6: Try using nontoxic ant deterrents.
Detailed Guide
Since ants are tiny, they can find thousands of tiny doorways into your residence.
Some of them of are easy to identify; others will only be discovered when there's a parade of ants marching through them.
First, figure out where the ants are entering the house: follow the trail of ants to see where they're entering and leaving your home.
Seal all the entrance holes that you can find using silicone caulk, putty, glue or plaster.
Temporary methods might include petroleum jelly or poster tack.
If you use a temporary sealant, like poster tack, only do so until you can fill the space with a more permanent solution.
A weaker material will deteriorate over time, and the gap will open up again.
Close the gaps around windows, doors, and walls.
Block off any space that might permit passage to an ant army.
Your sealing efforts will be most effective if you're thorough.
An additional benefit of sealing off your home: more effective temperature control, and thus lower energy bills.
Plus, this is one of the least risky methods where kids or pets are concerned. , This is a somewhat more aggressive tactic than simply caulking up the cracks.
You can create barriers of chemicals and powders that repel—even kill—unwitting ants.
Consider diatomaceous earth, salt, and even commercial ant poisons.
This might function as a form of baiting.
Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that kills ants by pulling all the moisture from their bodies.
It works by absorbing moisture from the ant itself, but it's best used in dry environments.
You also don't want anyone in the house (especially pets and children) sniffing it up.
Try using salt.
It has a similar drying-out effect on ants, especially if they carry it back to their nests.
You can spread it under doors, near windows, and along the edges of your walls., Line your kitchen with adhesive tape, sticky-side up.
No poison or messy powders necessary.
When ants try to climb over the tape, they may stick to the adhesive – effectively stopping them in their tracks.
Make sure that the ants can't crawl under the tape; try using double-sided tape, or taping the back of the tape to your floors, walls, and counters so that there is no room for ants underneath., Talc in various forms is thought to deter ants, although the mechanism is poorly understood.
Tailor's chalk and baby powder usually contain talc, so you can use them to create a barrier for ants.
Regardless of which form of talc you use: keep in mind that talc has been called out as a potential carcinogen.
Many sources recommend using normal chalk; however, this is made of gypsum, not talc.
This misconception could be the result of confusion with "ant chalk"
which is an insecticide that looks just like normal chalk.
It was outlawed in the US in the 1990s, but you may still be able to find it in certain underground markets.
Some baby powder brands are made of corn starch, so they will not work effectively against ants.
Check the ingredients before you build your barrier. , You can also defend your home with scents and substances that ants don't like.
Consider some combination of vinegar, peppermint oil, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, whole cloves, and bay leaves.Be careful where you place your deterrents: keep peppers and spicy things away from curious pets and children.
About the Author
Kayla Cooper
Kayla Cooper specializes in lifestyle and practical guides and has been creating helpful content for over 3 years. Kayla is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: