We see ants in every part of our houses. Whether it be on our walls, our food, our plants, and even our carpets – they’re everywhere. Sometimes the vacuums we need for these pesky little pests may be anteaters!
The big question then has always been how to get rid of ants in your carpet??
In this article, we will discover which options are best in getting rid of those pests and if, in the end, we have to resort to buying an anteater!
How to get rid of ants in your carpet?
First of all, you must determine if there is an ant nest thriving under your carpets. Knowing whether or not a colony exists will help in deciding what will and will not work in getting rid of those pesky ants. If there is no ant nest to be found under your carpet, we recommend using a simple ant repellent powder and cleaning your carpet with that. If, however, you find a nest under your carpet, we recommend you first acquire an ant bait to ensure that the ants will cluster in one area. Once you isolate them in a single area, you should put the aforementioned ant repellent (insecticide) powder and they will immediately be killed.
How effective are natural remedies in getting rid of the ants?
Although ant or insecticide powder is the most effective way of getting rid of these ants, we understand not everyone may have the means of getting them or going out to purchase them. So, some people look to natural remedies.
Aside from being cheap, they tend to be more accessible – since natural remedies can be found around the house.
We recommend vinegar or borax as two of the most effective home remedies. We’ve proven the use of borax as both a bait and ant killer – and found that it is one, if not the most effective home remedy.
Which methods aren’t safe for the house?
Generally, we don’t recommend insecticides or ant sprays since those are the most harmful to children and some pets. They also add more to the problem rather than serve as a solution.
Ant sprays are known to leave stains and marks on the places we spray them on. These have a negative effect, notably on carpets and the type of cloth used. More often than not, the sprays can lead to a very poorly aged or ugly-looking carpet.
What attracts ants to carpets?
Usually, it’s the food that attracts ants to our carpets. Even the smallest of crumbs can light a signal for an entire colony of ants. Regardless of being the most careful person on earth, if a small piece of your food finds the carpet, expect a swarm of ants to pass by.
No matter what type of food you eat, whether it be chips, candy, or carrots, an ant is always bound to smell that from a mile away.
What types of ants are common on carpets?
As we all know, and as previously mentioned, ants are no strangers to our homes. They even act like uninvited guests most of the time. But this begs the question of which ants are most prevalent on our carpets.
It’s a common misconception that red ants are some of the deadliest ant-types that walk among us. Black is the go-to ant species that we immediately come to notice on our carpets.
But a very specific type of ant – known as the crazy ant is commonly known to nest indoors and on our carpets. They are commonly found during autumn or sometime after rainfall due to a depletion in their sustenance.
Prevention is better than a cure
To ensure that your carpets are ant-free, make it a habit not to eat in areas where you have carpets – such as carpeted floors or perhaps your living room. We also suggest trying not to drop anything on the floor as well. Although sometimes, we understand it can’t be helped.
Other than these very general and hopefully easy-to-follow rules, we further suggest doing routine cleaning of the floors and carpets.
This routine cleaning should consist of a thorough scrubbing and vacuuming of the carpets. The carpet should also be brought outside at least once a day, especially when the sun is high.
How to get rid of ants permanently (in other parts of the house as well)?
If we go back to the natural remedies, we highly recommend using borax to lure them to a concentrated area, then wiping them up with white vinegar. This wiping method ensures that ants won’t go back to the same spot they previously were.
We also recommend creating a bait that leads them outside, something like a lure to direct them either to the outside or some other “trap” you’ve set up.
Not only are these methods good for getting them out of the carpet, but they’re good at getting them out of the house as well.
FAQ’s in getting rid of these ants from our carpets
Do ants create homes on our carpets?
The chances of ants either creating homes or starting colonies under our carpets are slim to none.
It has been proven time and again that ants do not build colonies under areas that might not have natural resources.
The main reason why they stay under our carpets is that the carpets provide food, water, and shelter. If these three things are taken away, there would be no reason for ants to stay under the carpet for long.
If the queen ant dies, will all the ants leave the carpet?
Like in almost any natural, outside world, ant colony – if the queen dies, the colony will also slowly die. It might not be a quick and tried and true method, but it does work.
We don’t recommend finding the queen since it might be impossible to find it without a microscope. Once a majority of the colony is taken care of, the rest of the ants will most likely make their way off your carpet.
The main solutions are patience, a positive demeanor, and one mean ant repellent powder.