Home Cleaning Tips: How to Get Rid of Ants

Insects are a big no-no when showing a house for sale. Obviously it's best to keep them from ever entering your house but sometimes they just sneak in. If you already have an insect problem, you should get rid of them before they settle in for the long run. Ants, in particular, are hard to deal with as they build a nest around their queen and then send workers out to find food and water. Once they reach a food and water source, they then leave a chemical trail behind them as they make their way back to the nest. Using this as a guide, the other ants now have a direct route to your house!

The simplest way to keep ants at bay is use some simple home cleaning techniques. Wipe down all of your kitchen surfaces with vinegar and water (equal parts). Then, mix a cup of flour with two cups of Borax in a jar and poke a few holes in the lid. Spread this powder mixture around the outside of your house. Also try planting a little garden of spearmint and/or pennyroyal as these naturally repel ants. Let spiders, dragonflies and frogs live! Having these near your home will help to reduce the number of ants venturing your way. Birds are also very helpful in this regard.

If you can track down where the ants are getting in, this will help tremendously. Squeeze some lemon juice into the opening and leave the peel nearby. Powdered charcoal is another good anti-ant solution.

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Last Updated Tuesday, July 7, 2009 - 06:29 PM EDT.