If you read anything about little black ants, you’ll usually come across the phrase that they are “just a nuisance” because they can’t damage the structure of your house like a carpenter ant can. But if you’ve walked into your kitchen and seen a line of little black ants marching across your countertop, it probably didn’t feel like “just a nuisance.”

 

Nope, ants in the kitchen are a big problem when it’s your kitchen. You want them out of there as soon as possible, and you don’t want to have anything to do with any food the ants have touched.

 

If you think ants are more active in the summer, you’re right. Ants are busy eating food and storing up fat. They enter your kitchen in search of food or water, and often they are richly rewarded for their efforts.

 

Keep Ants Out

Like any homeowner, you want to keep ants out of your kitchen, so what should you do?

 

One of the most effective things you can do inside your house is to be sure any source of food or water is unavailable to ants that do get in. This includes:

• Keeping food stored in glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids.

• Keeping countertops, floors, and sinks clean of crumbs, dropped food, and spills.

• Keeping faucets valves sealed and free of drips.

 

Before ants get in your house, they are attracted to your property by something in your yard, so you want to make your property as inhospitable to ants as possible. To keep ants away:

• Keep your trash in sealed containers.

• Remove any sources of food from your yard. (For example, take up the dog’s bowl after your pet has finished eating.)

• Fix leaking spigots and any place that rain can puddle to eliminate water sources.

• Seal up cracks and gaps where ants could enter through the foundation or exterior walls.

• Make sure doors and windows are tight by repairing or replacing screens, door sweeps, and weather stripping.

 

While these steps will help, the best way to prevent ants from being a nuisance or worse is to partner with Russell’s Pest Control.  Our professional technicians can treat the perimeter of your property, creating a barrier to keep ants from entering.

Call us today to learn about our menu of pest control services and to set up an appointment. Don’t wait for ants to enter your kitchen, let Russell’s Pest Control keep them out.