Keep neat and tidy

Regular cleaning is one of the best ways to avoid pests. Sweeping and mopping your kitchen can remove any invisible food or spilled drinks. Make sure to clean up any food crumbs and seal any food that is left outside the refrigerator. Even leaving out pet food can be an open invitation for ants to invade your home so put the food up after mealtimes. Make sure dishes also don’t have any food residue on them as this can attract ants. If they find these dishes they will contaminate them with bacteria from outside.

Lawncare

Keeping your lawn mowed can deter many species of ants from creating nests. They like the cover that tall grass provides so mowing your lawn regularly can keep them at bay. Trees and shrubs should also be cut back at least 6 inches from the home. Branches that touch the house can act as bridges delivering ants directly into your home. Keeping your porch and gutters clear of leaves and other debris can also deter ants from poking around your home. Remove any leaf piles as soon as possible and don’t stack fire wood against the house.   

Keep your home repaired

Upkeeping your home can be a key way to keep ants out. Sealing cracks that they can crawl in through with calk can be a simple task. Additionally, gaps around wiring, cables, and pipes should be sealed to cut off any entry points. Leaky or drippy faucets inside and out can attract pests. Puddles of water in and around your home will attract ants whether it’s from a kitchen sink or the backyard hose.  Any tears or gaps in window screens should be repaired or replaced immediately.

Maintain your trash

Another simple tip is to just keep your trash cleaned up. Regularly take the trash out and don’t let your trashcans touch your home. You should also clean your cans to prevent any buildup or mess that could attract ants. Keeping a lid on your trash will also keep ants out of your home by making the trash harder to find. If you and your family do recycle you should rinse ideas before you dispose of them. Also whenever possible store your bins outside and away from the home, preferably with lids.

Use traps

If ants just keep seeming to pop up in your home, it may be time to look into baits and traps. Traditional pest spray can only do so much, it will usually only kill those it comes into contact with and leave the colony untouched. Bait tricks ants into taking the poison into the nest where it can eradicate the whole colony.