Orkin’s Guide to Home Pest Protection

5 Tips to Keep Ants Outside Garages and Glass Doors

“The ants go marching” is more than just a nursery rhyme; it’s a real pest threat to homeowners. In fact, 54% of pest industry professionals, including Orkin, say ant complaints are on the rise, while 80% of single family homes have experienced an ant infestation.

Thankfully, you can avoid having these unwelcome house guests crash your dinner party. Follow Orkin’s five simple steps to keep ants outside your glass doors and windows:

1. Keep Sweets Sealed: We all love a second helping of dessert – ants included. Ants have an extremely perceptive sense of smell, with four to five times more odor receptors than most other insects. Make sure all your food is stored in tightly-sealed storage containers.

2. Protect Your Drawers: Food safety is key, and Orkin has a simple DIY technique to ensure your drawers are protected from predators. Place a cotton ball with two drops of clove oil inside each cabinet. This substance kills ants on contact.

3. Clean Counters: Spray counters each day with a mix of 50% water and 50% vinegar. This concoction serves as both a pest deterrent and a pest eliminator if sprayed directly on ants. A quick safety reminder from Orkin: vinegar is 4-18% acetic acid, so keep out of reach of children.

4. Check for Drips: This applies to both indoor and outdoor water sources, including sinks, shower heads and hoses. While ants typically don’t invade homes for water alone, certain species are attracted to damp wood that is often the result of a water leak.

5. Seal Points of Entry:From windows to glass doors, Orkin recommends securing all possible ant entry point. A simple sprinkle of either cinnamon or baking soda can deter ants from coming inside.

Are ants still marching into your house? For continued ant complaints, it may be time to call Orkin. After all, there are no ifs, ants or buts about it: these little pests can be a big household problem.