5 Reasons You Have Ants Despite Your House Being Clean

Having ants in a messy house is not a big surprise. The little creepers will be very efficient in finding food sources and exploiting them. Soon you would end up with ant paths all over the house or even a colony of them cozying up close to your home. But how is it possible that you have ants in your clean and spotless home?

Keeping food out of reach, cleaning up every day and being neat is a great way to prevent ants from invading, but it’s not always a sure way of keeping them out. Only a pest control company can do that.

Let’s see what could make ants come into your house and what to do about it.

Your Neighbors Have an Ant Invasion

Sometimes, it’s not about you, it’s about those around you. Even if you keep your house clean, if you have neighbors with an ant problem close by, they might start migrating towards you as well. If you live in an apartment building, you can talk to the building administrator about it, as they should know the situation of each household. If you live in a house, talk to your neighbor about it and check if they are dealing with the same issue.

The Ants Are Looking for a Source of Water

Sometimes, ants aren’t interested in the food you have in the house, but a reliable source of water, especially during the hot season, when temperatures are extreme. Ants can use a leaking pipe or a faulty faucet to drink water, so make sure your plumbing is ok.

Ants Need Shelter from Extreme Weather

Another reason your house may be attractive to ants is that it shelters them from extreme heat or cold. If your ant problem seemed to appear overnight, check if there is a correlation between this and recent weather events, like floods, heat waves or frost.

You Have Ants That Feed on Rotting Wood

Do you have a house with a wooden structure or some kind of wood carpentry? Most likely, yes. The vast majority of houses have some wooden structure around and inside them. Carpenter ants feed on rotten wood. This is why it’s very helpful to correctly identify the type of ants you have. If you do have carpenter ants, you should thank them, because they are a symptom of a possible decay in your home structure.

You Have Flying Ants That Just Want to Reproduce

If you suddenly see lots of flying ants around your house, you don’t necessarily need to be alarmed. They are mating ants, which come out during spring. If they do find your home to be a proper place for them, they might try to start a new colony nearby, so discourage that with natural repellents and by keeping up with cleaning.

If you want to get rid of ant efficiently, you need to identify the reason they keep coming and eliminate that source of water, food or access to shelter. Keeping ants outside can also be done in non-invasive, non-toxic ways, but a bigger ant invasion will generally require assistance from a St. Louis ant exterminator.