Ants in the kitchen: 3 ways to keep them away from your home
Noticing ants wandering around the kitchen is something that can happen to anyone, and is quite common. If it's only a few, and only sporadically, then there's nothing to worry about. But when there are a lot, this can be a problem. Before things get worse, you should take preventative measures.
In fact, there are a series of precautions can help to avoid an ant invasion and methods for getting rid of them when they are already present in the home.
Why do we find ants at home? There can be many reasons, and it also depends on the type of ants and the season. Usually, however, an invasion is caused by easy access to food.
In fact, most ants will be found in and around the pantry and areas where food is prepared. The same type of thing happens at picnics when we take the picnic food out.
So, when an ant invasion happens, we need to find out where they come from. To do this:
- Observe the ants and focus on the ones carrying food;
- Follow them, and find out where they got the food from, and then observe where they take it: in this way you will discover the access point they used. This access point must be shut down;
- Continue your observations until you find out where their nest is, which is often outside the home (but not always).
It might be sufficient to block the access points and eliminate the ants which are now cut off; but you might have to get rid of a nest. In this case, it is best to consult experts.
Natural remedies against ants
There are many insecticides available to kill ants: they are toxic, so, if there are children or pets in the house, try not to use these. As an alternative, you can use:
- Vinegar: the strong smell of vinegar is unpleasant for ants and other insects. And it also erases the pheromone trail that helps ants find their way to food and to their nest. Mix equal parts water and vinegar in a spray bottle and spray all along the ants' path, especially on either side of the access points.
- Pepper: pepper also has a strong smell that acts as a deterrent. Sprinkle it around the access points, around food supplies and anywhere you see ants present.
- Food-grade diatomaceous earth: this powder is made from fossilized algae and contains 80%-90% of silica. Diatomaceous earth is thought to kill insects by dehydrating them or drying them out and attacks their exoskeleton. Use it in areas where ants travel and where children or animals cannot easily reach it.
In general, then, keeping food in suitable containers in the pantry, sweeping up crumbs and avoiding leaving food out are the best preventive measures to avoid ant invasions!
