Things you might find around the house, like coffee grounds, white vinegar, Borax, and essential oils, may help you get rid of ants. Still, some things might not be safe for kids or pets to use.
The National Wildlife Federation says that there are over 12,000 different kinds of ants in the world. Most of these ants are not dangerous to people.
However, ants may carry bacteria, which means they could spread sickness or infection. It was shown in a small 2019 study of animals that Monomorium ants can carry germs that can make people sick.
Keep reading to learn about how to kill and repel ants safely.
Why Ants Live In Walls
Ants live inside walls and other gaps because they discover a better place for food, water, and safety inside than where they can be found outside. An important thing that encourages ant activity in walls and other spaces is the chance to get inside a house or other building through cracks, gaps, and holes that lead straight in.
Without a question, ants will have a hard time getting into a structure if they can’t get inside or can only get inside very little.
Common Ant Species That Will Live In Walls
Some of the most popular types of ants that live inside walls and voids are:
Acrobat ants live in door and window frames that have been destroyed by termites, other bugs, or water. They eat both sweets and proteins.
Argentine ants build their homes in holes in walls, bath traps, and insulation. They eat sugars, carbs, and fats.
Carpenter ants dig their nests into wood that is either sound or has been damaged by other insects or water. Could have a main nest and a backup (satellite) nest close to each other. It can be found in the beams of the attic, the spaces between bay windows and walls, hollow doors, the insulation in the attic and crawlspaces, the spaces between ceiling tiles next to skylights, homes with flat roofs, dormers, and hollow porch columns.
It can also be found in holes or cracks where utility lines enter the home. They eat sugary foods, carbs, and other bugs.
Crazy ants like to live in cracks in walls, under floors, and in potted plants. They like to eat sweets, fats, oils, and grease.
Ghost ants usually look for food in the kitchen, where they nest in potted plants, behind walls, and in spaces between cabinets. They also like to bring firewood inside to use as a nest.
Winged citronella ants come inside through cracks and holes in floors or walls, as well as from the basement and foundation. They eat the honeydew that aphids and mealybugs leave behind when they live underground.
Little black ants can make their homes inside cracks in walls or cabinets, or in brick or stone veneer.
Ants that smell bad build their nests in damp places like wall gaps near pipes, bath traps, and termite-damaged wood. They eat sugars and starches.
Pharaoh ants like to live in damp places, like bathrooms and kitchens, and they like to nest in inner wall voids, under floors, behind baseboards, or on window sills. They eat both sweets and proteins.
How Do I Know If I Have Ants?
A lot of different things can cause ants to come into your home and build nests inside the walls. Warm, damp places are more likely to have ants because they are easy for them to get to food and water. Ant communities can be built in places where walls aren’t solid, like in cracks and gaps.
One of the best and most common ways to tell if you have an ant problem in your home’s wall spaces is to listen for the sounds of moving ants inside the affected wall. People have said that this sound sounds like soft chewing or scratching as they work on the wood inside your wall.
You can tell if ants have built a nest in your wall by looking for small holes in it. These holes, which are about the size of a dime, are usually made by carpenter ants and can be found in wood. If you see holes in your walls that look like these, ants are probably living there.
Ants that have come out of your walls are the best proof that they are living there. Ant tracks can sometimes be seen both inside and outside of your home. Ants looking for food are most likely to have made these paths.
Why Do I Have Ants On My Wall?
Most people are scared to death at the thought of bugs climbing up the walls of their homes. People in many homes have to deal with this cold truth every day, even though it might seem like something out of a nightmare.
Ants are one of the most common pests that live in walls, whether you want to believe it or not. These bugs are very flexible, and they will quickly change how they act to do well in whichever setting gives them the best chance of staying alive. There are times when they do best outside in a very deep underground nest. On the other hand, there are times when nothing is better than being at home.
Ants frequently inhabit walls with a particular motive underlying their choice. These insects favor warm and moist environments, making your walls an appealing habitat. The accumulation of excess warmth from the climate-controlled interior further enhances the attractiveness of walls to ants, complicating their control.
How to Get Rid of Ants in Walls
Some natural and some chemical ways to get rid of ants inside and outside your home work best together.
1. Natural Pest Control Methods
Did you know you don’t have to use strong chemicals to get rid of ants? There are many things you can do at home that can help.
2. Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth comes from the preserved remains of diatoms, which are sea creatures. It peels off the ants’ shells and dries them out. Diatomaceous earth that is safe for food can be spread where ants are found, like near doors and tools or in cupboards.
3. Vinegar Solutions
Getting rid of ants can be easy if you mix white vinegar and water. It can be sprayed anywhere you see ant trails, like around doors and windows. It’s hard for ants to talk to each other because vinegar smells mess up their scent trails.
4. Essential Oils
Peppermint, tea tree, and lemon eucalyptus oils can help keep ants away. It’s easy to get rid of ants. Just put a few drops of any oil into a spray bottle with water.
5. Baking Soda And Sugar
Poison bait can be made at home with equal parts baking soda and sugar. Put the mix in places where ants hang out. They are drawn to the bait by the sweet sugar, and the baking soda stops their stomach, which kills them in the end.
6. Lemon
Like vinegar, lemon juice can get in the way of an ant’s smell trail. In a spray bottle, mix equal parts lemon juice and water. Then, spray the problem areas with it. Putting lemon peels near places where ants could get in can also keep them away. Their strong lemon smell naturally keeps bugs away.
7. Cornstarch
When mixed with water, cornstarch can kill a lot of ants at once. Cover the ants with flour and then cover them with water. Once the cornstarch is off of the dead ants, you can clean them up.
8. Ground Coffee
Ants can also be kept away with old coffee grounds. Place the grounds on surfaces that are meant to be thrown away, like index cards, or anywhere that ants like to gather.
9. Spices
Ants will stay away from strong spices like mint, cinnamon, black or red pepper, and pepper that we all have in our kitchens. The spices will keep the ants out if you put them around the walls and windows of your house.
10. Boiling Water
If you pour hot water over anthills outside, many of the ants inside the nest will die. It might not get rid of the whole group, but it can cut down on their size and keep them from making more trouble.
Chemical Pest Control Methods
There are natural ways to get rid of ants, but there are also chemical items that work well. Some of these are:
1. Boric Acid
Boric acid hurts the ants’ stomach like a slow poison. Ants that eat the boric acid bring it back to their group to share. The whole group dies because of this. To make bait that will catch ants, you can mix it with crunchy or tasty food.
2. Sodium Tetraborate (Borax)
Ants are killed by borax, which works like boric acid. Borax and sugar mixed together in equal parts can be used to make an ant bait that can be put in places where ants like to hang out to kill them.
3. Commercial Ant Baits And Traps
Insecticide-filled ant baits and traps can be bought at shops to get rid of ant groups. Ants are drawn to these traps, and they bring the poisonous bait back to their group, where it is destroyed.
Let’s take a glance at how to handle ants ” both naturally and chemically.
Preventative Measures And Tips
To avoid problems in the future, you need to do regular maintenance and take some preventative steps, such as:
1. Keeping Your Indoor Environment Clean
Keeping your home clean is the first thing that will keep ants out. Check for crumbs and clean your floors, cabinets, pantries, and tables often. Keep the kitchen clean and put food in containers that close tightly.
2. Cutting Off Food Sources
Clean up messes, put food in boxes or containers, and throw away food crumbs to keep ants from getting food.
3. Sealing Garbage Bins
Make sure trash cans are covered and look for food scraps that could attract ants.
4. Kitchen Cleanliness
Ants won’t be able to find food if your kitchen is clean. Clean the counters, floors, and machines, and put food away in boxes that can’t be opened.
5. Eliminating Damp Spots And Rotted Wood In Homes
Ants like it when it’s wet, like in showers, windows, and damp spots in basements. To lower the humidity in your home, fix any leaks, repair any damaged materials, and make sure there is good air flow.
6. Regular Maintenance Of Pipes
Make sure there are no leaks or signs of water damage in your pipes. Fix problems as they come up to keep your home dry and less appealing to ants.
7. Ventilating Areas With High Humidity
To stop dampness, let air flow through damp places like bathrooms and basements. This makes ants less likely to build their nests here.
8. Sealing Ant Entrances
Fill in cracks, holes, and small gaps in the structure of your home. This means using caulk to fill in gaps around windows and doors and fixing any holes or cracks in the walls and supports.
9. Caulking Windows And Doors
To keep ants out of your home, fix the cracks and holes around your windows and doors.
10. Closing Gaps And Cracks
Ants can’t get in if you fill in any holes or cracks you find in walls, foundations, or near power lines.
11. Ensuring Outdoor Cleanliness
If you take care of your yard and garden, ant colonies will be less likely to form near your home.
12. Regular Lawn Maintenance
To keep ants away, cut and edge your yard often, get rid of trash and standing water, and fix any landscaping materials that aren’t holding together.
13. Removing Potential Ant Nesting Sites
Remove things that ants might use to build their nests, like wood piles, leaves, and trash. Clear up the area outside by cutting back plants and bushes that have grown too big.
When To Call A Professional Exterminator
Sometimes, you may need to call a professional exterminator to get rid of ants that won’t go away. A skilled exterminator can help you with the following:
1. Dealing With Persistent Infestations
By finding the source of the problem, an exterminator can handle big or ongoing problems in a smart and effective way. Then they decide what the best way is to treat the person.
2. Identifying And Treating Specific Ant Species
A professional pest control service can help you figure out what kind of ant it is. Also, they can make treatments that work better and are better suited to the type of ants that are bothering you.
3. Choosing The Right Exterminator
When hiring an exterminator, look for one who has a history of getting rid of ant problems. It would be great if they had treatment options that were safe for pets and the environment. They should also give you a thorough plan of what they will do to get rid of the ants.
Conclusion
It can be hard to deal with ants, but if you know what to do, you can get rid of them effectively. You can get rid of ants effectively by using both natural and chemical methods and keeping the area clean. This guide has methods and tips that can help you deal with and get rid of ant problems, making your home safe and healthy.
But sometimes, you may need to hire a professional exterminator to get rid of all the bugs.
FAQs
Q1. What Keeps Ants Away?
Answer. Cedar, vinegar, and peppermint all have strong smells that keep ants away. The best way to clean your home is to mix scented oils with water and spray it all over.
Q2. How To Get Rid Of Ants In The Kitchen?
Answer. Either dish soap and water or vinegar and water mixed in equal parts can be used to clean your kitchen counter. It can also be sprayed into closets and other places where ants might be hiding.
Q3. What Attracts Ants In The House?
Answer. Ants will come to your home if it has strong, sweet smells and food crumbs on the floors.
Q4. How Do I Find Out Where Ants Are Coming From?
Answer. Because ants live in groups, the colony sends out scout ants to find food. When they do, the scout ants come back and bring more ants with them. You’ll be able to see the path that the ants take from the ant hill to where they find food. You’ll be able to find the entrance and lock it.
Q5. How Do You Kill An Ant Colony?
Answer. Use a stick to slowly poke a few holes in an ant nest. This is the best way to kill them. After that, pour very hot water into the holes. The ants will die right away.