The appearance of ants in an apartment is an unpleasant and quite serious problem. Ants crawl in to look for food, and for them there is no difference between the food from your table and the garbage from the trash can. These insects can significantly undermine the cleanliness and hygiene of your home. Getting rid of ants in an apartment will not be easy, since the nest may be in a very secluded place or outside your home.
The fight against ants consists of several stages: destruction, repelling, preventing the appearance of insects in the house in the future
In this article, we have prepared for you an overview of effective and affordable means to combat ants. Modern chemistry and time-tested folk recipes will help you find and defeat a small but strong enemy.
How to get rid of ants in an apartment
Ants are not just a little nuisance. If someone thinks they are cute and safe, then it is recommended to look at the photo with an enlarged image. In addition, they pose a real danger to animals and humans. Each of them can be a carrier of diseases. And in general, the red ant crawls through nooks and crannies that are not particularly clean, and then crawls along clean surfaces in your home. For example, on the table where food is eaten.
Why can they start?
There can be many reasons why pests appear in your home. But the main one is unsanitary conditions, which will have to be dealt with first. Examine the premises, objectively assessing their level of cleanliness. Risk factors include:
- uncollected food remains;
- no lid on the trash can;
- open sugar bowls;
- freely available sweets;
- unsealed packaging of bakery products;
- always available bowl of animal food.
In a home where there are small children, people with weak immune systems, people with allergies, asthmatics, the elderly and the elderly, deteriorating sanitary conditions can become a source of increased danger.
And if uninvited guests first visit a trash can or sewer, it is likely that they will bring with them millions of dangerous bacteria, helminthic infestations and a host of other not-so-pleasant companions. Is it worth risking the well-being of your home if you can protect yourself by taking timely care to eliminate pests?
Methods for controlling insects in a residential area
The two main types of action are calling specialists or fighting insects on your own. It doesn't matter if it's a house or an apartment. It is worth noting that with a large colony it is very difficult to cope with pests yourself. To do this, it is better to find the location of the uterus, which is very difficult. But having destroyed the nest, it is easier to deal with ants crawling separately in the rooms.
Often, the essence of any control method is that individual individuals attach the product to their paws and carry it to the nest. All other individuals are poisoned there. It is also possible that some of the ants may be killed outside the nest. For example, when spraying a powerful disinfectant.
Calling specialists
Ant control should be carried out everywhere. Especially when insect repellents are used. Leaving one home, they hide in neighboring rooms. When the danger disappears, the ants return to their habitable space.
You can avoid this problem by calling specialists. Pest control companies guarantee quick and safe removal of insects. In this case, households and animals are guaranteed not to be harmed, and the ants will be destroyed.
Causes and possible consequences
Frequent causes:
- poisoning of insects by neighbors, after which they crawl into nearby apartments;
- unsanitary conditions in a residential building;
- accident, for example, when carrying purchases (usually from construction and furniture stores).
If the living space is clean, then the ants simply will have nothing to eat and will crawl into another apartment. But even external cleanliness can hide a lot of dirt and crumbs that have fallen behind the furniture. It is important to carry out general cleaning from time to time, washing all corners hidden from view. To do this, you have to move pieces of furniture.
Pest control
This method has to be resorted to when all other attempts to get rid of pests have failed. This happens when the nest is not found, and they appear again.
Professional pest control of ants
Specialists will carry out disinfestation with special chemicals that are more toxic than household chemicals, which will definitely help destroy the ants. But during disinfestation you will have to leave your apartment or house for several days.
When living in an apartment building, it is better to carry out this procedure simultaneously with your neighbors, since ants can migrate to them and return later again. In addition, the cost of calling exterminators will be cheaper.
Ways to enter the apartment
The colony functions in an organized manner. As reconnaissance, some workers first explore the territory.
Routes of entry into the premises:
- through cracks in doors and window openings;
- through ventilation;
- along the pipes;
- through the cracks between the slabs.
These red house ants look very small in size, so they can fit through the smallest house passage. Apartments located on the first floors above basements, next to socially disadvantaged families, etc. are in particular danger.
Methods of action when they appear
If you saw one or two individuals, then the colony does not necessarily have time to settle with you. There is no need to immediately be afraid of this and run for serious chemicals to remove them. It is recommended to carry out general cleaning. It will minimize the risk of relocating an entire colony. And also at the time of cleaning you need to carefully inspect all the cracks and possible passages.
If you want to purchase any products, you should understand how dangerous they can be for a person. For example, crayons that were often used in the past can be very dangerous due to their composition. Especially the Chinese variations.
If ants are found everywhere throughout an apartment building, then it is impossible to fight them and remove them from a single apartment. Neighbors have to cooperate to solve this problem.
Bottom line
So, in order to successfully get rid of ants, you need to determine the place where they come from, their type - this helps to understand where the nest may be and sometimes decide on the choice of means.
The commercially available preparations have a wide spectrum of action and will help get rid of all types of ants: small red ones, as well as large red and black ones. Each situation is individual and it is difficult to say which product will best cope with the task of protecting against ants, be it an apartment or a private house.
Smell repellent
To ensure the safety of people living in the premises (house or apartment type), you can repel ants with odors. This is ensured by sprinkling lemon juice, laying out the following herbs: wormwood, parsley, lavender, mint. It is better to use herbs fresh, because this way they emit as much unpleasant aromas as possible and evaporate odorous essential oils. The presence of odors is ensured in places where probable paths for movement are located. You can even specifically grow some types of plants in pots. It is also suggested to buy ready-made essential oils for processing.
Proven Methods
There are various ways to eliminate ants.
How to deal with red ants in an apartment:
- use folk remedies;
- purchased household chemicals that you can use yourself;
- professional means.
You can buy simple chemically synthesized products in many household stores. Finding them in a regular grocery store is difficult. The prices for such products are relatively inexpensive (especially when compared with prices for professional products).
Folk remedies
When using folk remedies, safety, accessibility, ease of use, and absence of unpleasant odors are guaranteed. The effectiveness of these products depends on the degree of ant occupation. And also on how correctly they are used by a person. Let's figure out how to poison red ants in an apartment.
Soda
This product is quite good at killing ants. Or it can be purchased at any grocery store. Killing is achieved due to the fact that there is a lot of acid in the body of the ants. When the insect reacts with alkali (in the form of soda), the insect dies. The orange ant will not eat soda. You need to mix it, for example, with sugar to attract insects.
Ammonia
Another popular method is treatment with ammonia. It works against them as a repeller. You need to dilute ammonia with water. Proportions: 100 ml of alcohol per 1000 ml of water. All possible places where insects can travel have to be treated. Just wipe with a cloth. Or spray if places are not available. It should be taken into account that ammonia will be felt by the person himself. It will completely disappear in at least a few days. Alternatively, you can use ammonia.
Salt
In the absence of soda, ordinary salt can also help get rid of ants. Although it is less effective. This is where the solution is made. Salt and water are taken in equal proportions. How salt works: it dries out the ant’s body and it dies from dehydration. The greatest effectiveness can be achieved by mixing salt with hot pepper.
Soap
You can use soap to make a soap solution, use it as a bar, or rub it into shavings. The solution can be sprayed onto the desired areas from a sprayer. Alternatively, use dishwashing liquid. Soap will help wash away traces of ant pheromones and clean surfaces from nutrient stains. How soap works: the components contained in soap destroy the waxy layer on the insect's shell. This leads to dehydration and death.
Boric acid
How to get rid of orange ants in an apartment using borax. Recipes:
- Mix well 4th table. spoons of honey/sweet syrup, 1 table. spoon of yeast, 1 portion of boric acid. These ingredients are mixed in one bowl. All problem areas are coated with the finished mixture.
- Mix 1 table. a spoonful of water and 2 teaspoons. spoons of glycerin, add 1 table. a spoonful of honey and 1.5 sugar. We also put 1/3 teaspoon here. spoons of boron powder. The components are mixed, the mixture is rolled into small balls. They are laid out in the path of insect movement.
- Mix a small amount of water and 5 grams of boric acid, as well as 1 table. a spoonful of jam or sugar. Pour the resulting solution into containers with a sprayer and apply to areas of accumulation.
Boric acid is sold in pharmacies in powder form or in solution. The main principle of application is mixing acid with food. This could be bread, sweets, potatoes, etc. That is, you need to prepare poisoned bait.
Important! Gloves should be worn when mixing. Working with an unprotected hand is dangerous for the skin.
Borax
Perhaps the best remedy for red ants in an apartment. Almost every review about this product is positive. Somewhat similar to boric acid. The essence of use is the same as in the previous case - to make a poisonous bait mixed with something edible, which the ants will take to their lair and be poisoned. Remember that the bait should be small. Borax is sodium tetraborate, which can also be purchased at any pharmacy chain.
Hot peppers
Another home remedy. A small portion of pepper only repels ants, but a large concentration can kill. But to do this, you need to force the insects to eat the product, which is almost impossible to achieve. It is necessary to scare away insects. To do this, you can sprinkle ground pepper along the trails. Hot pepper pods are also used.
Eggshell
This is an effective way to kill various insects. Eggshells should not be washed under running water after breaking an egg. Nutrient protein should remain on the inner surface. This is the only way the insect will agree to eat the shell. The shells need to be crushed. For example, in a coffee grinder to small pieces. This ground product, entering the esophagus, causes the death of the insect. It is not poison. The functioning of life support systems is simply suspended. The ant's body is unable to process the shell. Often this method is used by the owners of a summer house with a garden, a vegetable garden, a greenhouse, or even just a lawn to exterminate various insects.
Yeast
Yeast acts naturally in the body of insects. They die from chemical reactions and excessive gas formation. Yeast is edible on its own, but tasteless. Therefore, to attract them they are mixed with food. It is most convenient to take sugar, honey, jam, etc. Ants love these foods.
Millet
The effect of millet is still unknown, but its effectiveness is confirmed. One version says that cereals swell in the stomachs of ants, which is why they die. Therefore, the main condition is to ensure the dryness of the grains. If they are cooked or already swollen, then the method will not work.
Insecticides
Each drug from this group is different from all of the above, but is suitable for home use even without the presence of specialists. Such household chemicals are produced in various forms: powders, sprays, pressed chalk, gels, etc.
Important! You should use chemicals carefully, read the warnings about their possible dangers and follow the instructions.
Gels
Treatment with gel is an effective method, since it remains on the ant’s body in a large volume. He transfers the gel on his legs and body to the nest, after which all its inhabitants begin to die. The gel does not generate dust like powder and does not spread upward through the air, as when sprayed. You just need to squeeze the gel out of the tube in dotted lines along the ant paths or at the suspected location of the nest.
Sprays (aerosols)
Spraying agents are also very effective and permanently get rid of ants, but they must be used extremely carefully. The sprayer must be directed precisely to problem areas. There is no need to direct it into the space of the room, or spray it at a great distance (since the particles will also fly to the sides). After treatment, it is recommended to leave the house for 1.5-2 hours. At least ensure that animals and children are away from the treated areas for some time. It is recommended to protect the mucous membranes during spraying.
Calling an exterminator
Professional services can be ordered regardless of the number of crawling insects. They guarantee to get rid of ants. For this, the customer spends personal funds. The ineffectiveness of previous control methods is a significant reason to call specialists. The growth of a colony also threatens insects crawling to neighbors, after which complaints may come from them. To carry out professional processing, you need to prepare the room. Clean up, remove unnecessary things, move furniture, remove animals from the room, and protect flowers. At the end of the work, you need to ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning.
Prevention of ants
Basic rules of prevention:
- monitor the cleanliness of the premises (especially in the kitchen and eating areas, as well as in places where pipes are located);
- Throw out garbage and wash dishes in a timely manner, without leaving leftover food unattended for long.
Keeping your space clean does not guarantee the absence of ants. They also appear from neighbors. But in a clean house they have nothing to eat.
Modern chemistry
Today on store shelves there is a wide range of special preparations for ants. The price range is very wide, and everyone can choose a product that suits their budget.
Modern chemistry is quite effective, but it also has side effects: before carrying out disinfestation, it is better to vacate the premises and remove children and pets. Many pesticides can only be used outdoors. Before starting treatment, be sure to carefully read the instructions, follow the dosage and do not forget about personal protective equipment (respirator and rubber gloves).
Modern chemistry against ants is quite effective. But don’t forget about personal protective equipment (respirator and rubber gloves)
Experienced experts advise using different versions of pesticides from different manufacturers, since ants quickly adapt to one type of poison.
To get rid of ants in an apartment, it is best to practice an integrated approach. Aerosols help control worker ants and destroy some nests. Powders and traps with granules can destroy ant nests and the queen. Pencils, gels and crayons serve as excellent prevention and repel new insects.
Remember: family members and pets should not be in the house during aerosol treatment. All food, linen and personal items must be securely hidden.
Let's look at the list of the most popular and effective chemical agents for ants today:
- insecticidal aerosols - “Raptor”, “Get” and “Raid”;
- gels and pencils - “Pinetrum”, “Mashenka”, “Global”, “Fas”, “Storm” and “Raptor”;
- granules and microcapsules - “Xulat”, “Thunder”, “Delicia”, “Spider” and “Kombat Super Atak”;
- powders – “Delicia”, “Bros”, “Chlorophos”, “Aspid”.
In addition to chemical agents, ultrasonic repellers are widely available on sale. However, in practice such devices do not work. Those electromagnetic waves and ultrasound, which are not audible to us, also do not affect ants. You can scare off insects with more powerful waves, but they are also harmful to humans.
When choosing aerosols against ants, pay attention to the presence of substances such as cypermethrin, tetramethrin. They are the ones who ensure the high effectiveness of the drugs.
If you have the opportunity to leave your home for 2-3 days, you can invite specialists and carry out professional pest control
Reviews
Marina, 34 years old, Krasnodar: It didn’t take me long to poison the ants. Boric acid really helped. And I found her near the house. I used a recipe similar to the ones listed.
Lidiya Vladimirovna, 62 years old, Severodvinsk: We poisoned a lot of animals at the dacha in the house. And they laid out poison for mice and insects. Including ants. There were no children at that time, so they fought in different ways. The millet cannot be decomposed, because... You can attract rodents. In general there was chemistry and herbs.
Traps
Traps are either sticky or poisonous. This is an effective remedy if chosen correctly.
Sticky tape will help eliminate ants from your home, but the process can take many months. These devices resemble a trap: the insect dies, but the queen remains unharmed and continues to lay eggs.
An ant trap with poison smells pleasant, attracting a lone victim. The individual tramples on the poison and infects all the inhabitants of the anthill, including its queen.
Combat SuperAttack trap against ants. Branded insecticide causes epidemic in insect colonies
The success is due not so much to the device itself as to its location. The place must be passable. Successful options:
- space near the baseboard;
- near the trash can;
- behind the kitchen set;
- in ventilation;
- in the pantry;
- near the garbage chute.
Of course, an ant trail is also suitable. Insects move in a line; you can stop the procession with a trap.
