Ant Prevention Tips & Tricks

No homeowner wants to deal with ants at any time of the year. Unfortunately, warming temperatures in the spring bring ants out in full force! Especially after a wetter winter here in the Des Moines area, worker ants are starting to leave their nests in search of food and water. The bad news is that they can easily find these things in your home! Now is the time to ant-proof your home to avoid the onslaught of ants in the coming months. The team at Springer Professional Home Services is here with their best ant prevention tips and tricks to help you keep ants out for good. Keep reading to learn more!

Top Ant Prevention Tips

Once you have them, it can seem like a never-ending battle to keep ants out. This is why ant prevention is so important! Some of the ways you can effectively keep ants out are as follows. 

1. Inspect the foundation of your home and seal any cracks or crevices using a silicone-based caulk.
2. Keep any pet food bowls clean and always clean up after messes and spills. Pick pet bowls up off the floor after meal times.
3. Make sure downspouts and gutters are all functioning properly so that water is flowing away from the foundation.
4. Regularly check under sinks for excess moisture problems and repair leaky pipes promptly.
5. Trim trees and shrubbery in your yard to be at least 6 inches away from the home.
6. Wipe down any counter tops and sweep floors regularly to clean up spills and remove crumbs.
7. Store food (including pet food) in airtight containers and refrigerate ripe fruit.
8. Dispose of garbage on a regular basis and use trash cans with a tight-fitting lid.

Ant Control Tips to Avoid

In general, all-natural and store-bought products will only get you so far when it comes to getting rid of ants. While some may work to prevent infestations, they certainly won’t work to control a full-blown infestation. Store-bought products are often a short-term solution, which is why it’s so important to always use a professional ant exterminator. A pest control company can get to the root of your ant problem and make sure you do not have to deal with ant problems in the future.

How to Treat for Ants

If you have ants, it’s simply best to use a professional ant exterminator. At-home ant control methods are not reliable, and are rarely a long-lasting solution. At Springer, we know how frustrating ants are. We will work with you to keep ants out of your home–for good!