Where do ants come from in an apartment and how to get rid of them

Unexpected guests in the apartment - ants bring nothing but trouble, cause disgust, and besides, they also bite. I’ll tell you how to fight them and prevent them from appearing and multiplying.

Why do ants appear in the apartment?

There is an opinion that ants live only in private houses or appear in apartments located on the ground floor. It is a mistake to think so. Ants can appear in any home. Their passages can be found behind the baseboards.

So, where can ants come from:

• from basements, especially old houses;
• from the street;
• from neighbors.

Pharaoh ants usually live in the house. They are small in size, do not live in gardens and forests, and are found in houses. The second type is “thieves”. They live on the street, and come running into the house for food. More often, such insects find their way into apartments on the first floors, private homes, and like to profit from dachas. You can tell that it is them by the frequency of attacks.

Why are ants dangerous?

Besides the fact that ants are disgusting, their presence can cause serious harm to humans.

Why ants need to be destroyed:

• they carry infection, germs and other nasty things from sewers and garbage dumps;
• they store crumbs and other spoils in crevices, all this rots and mold forms;
• the result of their vital activity is accumulations of their “prey” and excrement.

Reference! No one knows where insects will arrange their storage of waste. They will choose any cabinet in the kitchen, baseboard in the children's room or an old box of Christmas tree decorations. None of these places need such guests.

How to get rid of ants in the house

Options for controlling insects can be divided into two groups: traditional methods and chemistry. In the first case, the cheapness is attractive, but it is not always possible to get the effect. Some recipes are simply useless - the ants continue to attack.

Chemicals are more effective, but it is not always possible to use them, especially in homes with children and animals. They are also contraindicated for allergy sufferers, asthmatics or people with other pulmonary diseases.

Folk remedies against ants

I recommend starting with folk recipes. Perhaps they will help you and eliminate the need to buy and use unsafe chemicals. The recipes mostly use readily available ingredients that can be found at home or at your local store.

Popular methods:

1. Ammonia. You need to pour the contents of one bottle into where the ants accumulate. They will definitely leave.
2. Boric acid. Mix 1 teaspoon of powder with a glass of water, add a spoonful of sugar or honey. Lubricate baseboards, cracks, and places where insects accumulate.
3. Pressed yeast. Dilute with water to a paste, add a little granulated sugar. Lubricate the ant “paths” with the resulting paste.
4. Corn flour. Maybe we should feed the ants? Let's sprinkle cornmeal in their habitats. This product is not digested, swells, and insects die.

If a small concentration of ants is found, you can simply fill them with vegetable oil; it is better to use an unrefined (fragrant) product.

Attention! Insects are repelled by the smells of onions and fresh garlic. If the covering allows and no food is stored nearby, you can spray the areas where ants appear with bleach.

Chemical repellents for ants

If home remedies do not help, then you should buy chemicals at the store. Now there is a large selection - basically all funds can be divided according to the form of release.

What you can buy:

• dichlorvos and other similar aerosols;
• crayons, pencils;
• poisoned sprinkles;
• gels against insects.

Important! Regardless of the chosen form of the product, you need to carefully read the instructions, follow safety precautions, and protect children and animals from contact with toxic substances.

Prevention of ants

If an insect appears, then you need to immediately “start a war”, not wait for the invasion of “relatives and friends.” It is much more difficult to cope with an army; it will require a lot of time and effort. In addition, ants reproduce incredibly quickly. If they do not live in the house, but are so-called “thieves,” then very soon a route will be paved for the movement of entire armies.

To avoid encountering unexpected guests, I recommend:

• throw away garbage on time;
• Wash the floor and dishes regularly, as dirt and crumbs attract ants;
• seal cracks, especially when living in old buildings;
• Rub the baseboards around the perimeter of the house or apartment with special chalk to prevent ants.

Cleanliness is the key not only to health, but also to protection from insects, especially ants.If you clean frequently, prevent crumbs from accumulating on the floor and tables, and put food in sealed containers, then the ants will lose all interest in your home.