How to Deal With Ants in Your Apartment

An ant problem can escalate suddenly and quickly. That means you need to act just as rapidly as they move and be on top of your game. Follow the below steps to get rid of ants in your apartment.

1. Clean

Start fresh. Spend an afternoon deep cleaning your home. It may be tough, but it will be worth it in the end. Make sure all food is securely sealed and your apartment has no crumb trails for ants to follow. Sometimes, something as small as an orange juice spill stain under the your kitchen island could be the cause of the ant invasion you’re currently experiencing. A one-time cleaning is not enough though! Make sure to clean all surfaces at least once a week. This will help with future inspection and ant prevention.

2. Lemon Juice

Pick up a few extra lemons from your local grocery store and squeeze them into a spray bottle, or purchase pre-squeezed lemon juice. Check all holes around the house, as they can serve as tiny doorways for the unwanted visitors. Spray the lemon juice - the acid interferes with ant tracking system and reroutes the invaders in other directions.  

3. Essential oils

Looking for more pleasant ways to deal with this unpleasant issue? Try using essential oils, such as the cinnamon and peppermint options. Wipe the perimeter of all entry points in your home with a Q-tip that’s been dipped into some high-concentrated cinnamon oil. If the scent of cinnamon is not your thing, try peppermint instead. Mix half a cup of water with 15-20 drops of peppermint oil. Fill a spray bottle with this mixture and shake the concoction hard, to make sure that it mixes well. Spray all ant trails and all entry points. Both of these remedies need to be repeated every few days, to make sure that your efforts are successful and the ants are completely gone.

4. Chalk lines

Remember how fun drawing with chalk was as a kid? Well, you’re in luck, because now you get to do it again. And this time your mom won’t yell at you for drawing inside the house. Outline your windows and door frames with chalk, as it can get in the way of the ant scent trail and ward them off.

5. Ant traps and poisons

If none of the natural solutions work, stop by a store and pick up some ant traps or sprays. Make sure to follow the instructions on the packaging, as these remedies tend to be full of chemicals.

6. Find the nest (if all else fails)

This is probably best done by a professional, so call up your landlord for an exterminator reference. They will most likely have a company they usually work with in these situations.

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