Do ants invade your home through your hardwood floors? Here are the things you can do:
How to get rid of ants coming through hardwood floors in 2 steps.
Step 1: Use ant bait
Floorboards are the perfect spots for ants to build their nests. They are attracted to the warmth and humidity that the materials of the floorboard give, and they would easily find their way through cracks and crevices to get inside your home. Once they’re in, they’ll start to build their nests and lay eggs.
Ant bait is the most practical way to get rid of ants from hardwood floors. It is a food source that ants are attracted to that may be laced with insecticide. Once the ants have eaten the bait, they will return it to their nests and share it with the other colony members. The poison in the bait will eventually kill them.
There are two types of ant bait: granular and liquid. Granular baits are more effective against ants nesting on your floorboards. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of your room, mainly on cracks and crevices. On the other hand, if you choose to use liquid bait, put some in a dispenser that has a small hole, then place it near where you’ve seen a line of ants.
Step 2: Find and seal the source from where the ants are entering
You need to find the exact entry point from the hardwood floor, like cracks and crevices, to stop more ants from entering and eliminate the ones already inside. Once you’ve found the entry point, seal it with caulk or another sealant. Also, you can use door sweeps to close gaps under doors.
Well-known sealants and caulks include Dap Alex Fast Dry 10.1 oz. Gray Concrete Crack Sealant, Quikrete 1 Qt. Concrete Crack Sealant, GE Silicone 2+ 10.1oz Clear Kitchen and Bath Caulk and Red Devil 064425282810 Pre-Mixed Concrete Patch, 5.5 oz. All of these are available at your local hardware store.
However, in the case of carpenter ants, you will need more than just blocking the entry point. This type can damage your floors by boring holes into them. If so, you’ll need to call an exterminator to get rid of them.
What can I mop my floors with to get rid of ants?
You can mop your floors with vinegar or apple cider vinegar and water to eliminate ants – the vinegar will kill the ants, and the water will rinse their trails. The vinegar mixture will also clean surfaces in your home that ants have been crawling on, and this solution will prevent them from returning due to the smell.
To make this natural ant killer:
- Mix 1 part water and 1 part vinegar in a bowl or spray bottle.
- Mop your floors with the mixture as you would typically do.
- Focus on areas where you have seen ants or where they are likely to travel.
For extra protection, you can also add drops of essential oil. Essential oils like eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemon work well against ants. Adding these oils will also make your home smell nice!
If you use any sort of healing crystals, remove them from the floor before moping, as some of them tend to be water soluble and can get damaged easily.
Can ants break through the wood?
Yes, ants can break through the wood. They do this by chewing through the wood with their powerful mandibles. Once they’ve made a hole, they can use their long bodies to squeeze through and enter your home.
Hence, it would be best if you made sure to eliminate ants on your floorboards. Do you have any other solution for this? Let us know in the comments!
Read this article if you have issues with ants coming from the crawl space.
