How to keep ants at bay!
No matter how many times you sanitize the counter tops and get pest spray done the black and red ants just keep coming back especially during summers. “I am a home baker and one day while I was making chocolates for an order I saw some moving ants on the raw chocolate bars, this was the worst nightmare of my life and after that I decided to be extra cautious and take all steps to keep them at bay”, reminisces Nikita Shah, a home baker.
We all have had our worst ant moments but with few easy ways we can keep those ants out of our house.
Keep the kitchen clean: The first and foremost thing to keep ants away from kitchen is to keep it clean. Every day, wipe down the countertops with a simple solution of warm water and dish washing liquid detergent. It can also be used on cabinets and inside the refrigerator. Keep the floors clean by sweeping and mopping with a sanitizing solution. You can even wipe down all of your cupboard, bench top, and counter surfaces with vinegar as it not only not only cleans and disinfects but also acts as an ants deterrent.Remove all sources of garbage and keep the kitchen bin shut tightly.
Use airtight containers: Always use air tight containers to store dry stuff like spices, flour etc. . Also try this home remedy — place a bay leaf inside the container (bypass a bay leaf flavor in your spices by taping it to the top of the inside of the lid). Bay leaves can also be used in cabinets to keep ants out.
Clean dirty dishes: Try to clean the dirty utensil immediately after using them. Wash all dishes as they’re used or place them into the dishwasher and shut the door tight.
Rinse residue off containers: Check jam/jelly jars, sauce bottles, pickle bottles, cordial bottles and honey and syrup containers properly and make sure no residue is left on them as it will attract ants to them .
Lemon juice: Just like vinegar, lemon juice also destroy those scent trails that ants follow. Try spraying lemon juice around the places you think ants are using for entryways.
Natural ant repellent: Try drawing a line of chalk or sprinkle baby powder across the spot where the ants are entering your home. It works because talcum powder, an ingredient in both chalk and baby powder, is a natural ant repellent.
