During the warm summer months ants tend to be more active as they store food in preparation for the winter (yes, the ant and the grasshopper story was pretty accurate). You may have a live and let live philosophy, which is all well and good until they move their preparations into your home. When you find hundreds of tiny ants marching across your counters or invading your pantry it is time to put your foot down. There are some things you can do to both get rid of ants and prevent them from coming into your home.

Identify the source and the target

When dealing with an ant problem you need to find out where they are coming from and where they are going. When you find both ends of the ant trail you can effectively manage the problem by treating each appropriately. When you see ants trailing, search for the source first. This will probably outside. Follow the trail as best you can, noting their point of entry (more on that in a minute) and out to the mound so you can treat it. Inside, locate what drew them to your kitchen in the first place and clean it up with lemon water or bleach.

Seal their access point

Now that you have located their access point, do what you can to seal it. If it is a door or window, put down some ant bait or repellant to block their entry. Do this before you treat inside because you want to get the indoor ant population under control first – it is easier to manage that way. If you are trying to get rid of the ants and they are still coming into your home, you are just spinning your wheels. Cinnamon is often used as a natural repellant so sprinkling the spice at the access point may keep the ants at bay.

Get rid of the ants

Getting rid of the ants already in your home can be a challenge. They are tiny and pretty hardy little insects but there are things you can do. Vacuuming them up is a good option, especially if there are a lot of them. It won’t kill them, but it will get them out of your house. Make sure that you empty your vacuum bag outside and away from your house. You can also make a mixture of water with a few drops of soap, shake well and spray directly on the ants then wipe them up.

Remove all sugary temptations

Naturally you want to keep your kitchen clean, paying attention to countertops and walls, but there are other things to consider as well. Think about the sugary items in your pantry right now. Syrup, honey, barbeque sauce, ketchup, jam (especially from a squeeze bottle) can all leave residue on the rim or top. Even with the top on, ants can get in there and feast. Clean the rims for your jars and bottles so that no residue is left. Also, take out the trash regularly and clean up any food spills immediately.

Seal your food

Keeping your food in airtight containers will also reduce your risk of ant infestations. The containers must have seals that keep them airtight because ants can get into many other types of containers – even if it seems impossible.

Don’t leave any standing water

Ants are also attracted to water, especially if it is hot and dry outside. Don’t leave any water standing in your sink or on the counter because they will come looking. The cleaner you keep your kitchen, the better off you will be. Pet water should be changed daily. Some people put a coating of petroleum jelly around the dish rim to keep insects (ants included) out. If you are doing other things to keep ant out of your home, though, it is likely that leaving your pet’s water dish on the floor isn’t going to hurt anything.

Pick up any uneaten pet food

Leaving your pet’s uneaten food out is an invitation for all sorts of unwanted pests. When you feed your pet, put down only as much as he or she will eat then pick up the remainder when they are finished. It is also a good idea to keep your pet’s food in an airtight, sealed container.

Remove their trail

When ants trail, they aren’t following each other – even though it may look that way. They are actually following a pheromone trail that leads from the nest to the food source. This is why ants will return to the same area even if you wipe them up. The pheromone trail is not easy to get rid of, many experts recommend using lemon juice or a bleach solution. While this should be a part of your eviction plan for the ants, it should not be the only thing you do. In order to effectively get rid of them you have to cover all your bases including sealing their access point, removing their target, and treating the nest.

When to call a pest control professional

Sometimes despite your best efforts the ants just keep coming. When that happens, your best bet is to call an ant control professional. They have the knowledge and products to get rid of your ants and make your home pest free.