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Best Way To Get Rid Of Ant Infestations In An Apartment

Updated on May 10, 2015
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If you're looking for the best way to get rid of ant infestations in an apartment, then you are not alone. Ants are one of the single most common nuisances, regardless of where you live.

For the most part, however, the biggest problems often seem to occur during the hot and rainy months. Under these tough conditions, ants like to move to cooler, drier areas like the inside of your home. Though generally not dangerous or harmful to humans, these ant infestations aren’t welcome guests in most households.

Don't be alarmed - even though they seem quite numerous, getting rid of ants is not as difficult as most people would think

Simple Ways to Get Rid of Ants

If you want to stop ants from invading your home, you need to know where they’re getting in at. Blocking them from entering in the first place is the number one way to get rid of an ant infestation in your apartment.

More often than not, the ants will probably be entering your apartment through either an improperly sealed window or door. If you can isolate the entry point, it becomes a lot easier to close it off and keep any more ants from coming in.

Regrettably though, this course of action is often only a temporary fix – ants are resilient and clever enough to keep on searching for other points of entry so that they can get back into your home.

Many people claim that the best way to get rid of ant infestation in an apartment is with pesticide "traps". These traps are generally small pieces of plastic which contain a sugary-food that the ants are drawn towards. Sadly for them, the substance contains an insecticide that is fatal to the ants, but that won’t kick in until after they have had the chance to share the poison with the other members of their colony. This is a very effective way to get rid of a large ant infestation.

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Natural Cures for Ants

Although most pest control experts will cite “ant traps” as the best way to get rid of ant infestations in an apartment without calling the professionals, many people prefer to go with a more natural organic approach. Luckily, there are some 100% all-natural pest control solutions that can work to successful get rid of ants in an apartments naturally.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring substance which can act as an effective method of pest control. It comes packaged as a white powder – a compound which is actually composed of fossilized, microscopic diatoms (a type of algae).

The structure of diatomaceous earth allows it to absorb lipids from the outer shell of the ants. This processes dehydrates the problem pests and can cut down on even the most severe of infestations in no time.

Diatomaceous earth is safe to use around children and pets, and for that reason has become a very popular natural cure for ant infestations. Simply sprinkle the diatomaceous earth around entry points such as doorways and windows and you should notice a decrease in the number of ants very quickly.

Black Pepper

Common black pepper – just like you’d find in any kitchen or fast-food take-out bag – is another natural cure for ant infestations. Unlike diatomaceous earth, black pepper is generally used to repel ants rather than to kill them. Ants are very susceptible to the chemicals that make pepper spicy and they aren’t really big fans of the sensation that it causes.

Sprinkling black pepper around the entrances to your apartment will help deter ants from coming in, but will not have much effect on the ones that have already made your apartment their home.

What's your preferred way of getting rid of any infestations in your apartment?

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