How to Get Rid of Ants Coming Through Your Floor

It can be annoying and upsetting to find ants crawling through your floor. If you find ants under your floorboards or carpets, you have a serious problem that needs to be fixed right away. There are, thankfully, a number of safe and effective ways to get rid of ants that are coming up through your floor.

Identify the Ant Species

The first step is to identify the type of ants invading your home Different ant species have different behaviors and nesting habits. Common house-infesting ants include

• Carpenter ants – These large, black ants excavate wood to build nests. Look for neat, round holes in wood structures.

• If you crush an odorous house ant, it will smell like rotten coconut. They don’t damage buildings, but they can make food unsafe to eat.

• Little black ants – Tiny dark ants that form colonies in wall voids. They forage for sweets and proteins.

If you correctly identify them, you can find their nests and see how they leave trails, which lets you take more effective control measures.

Find the Entry Points

Next, inspect along baseboards, walls, and floor edges to find where the ants are getting in. Look for cracks, holes, and other potential access points, especially near plumbing, wiring, and ductwork.

Pay attention to ant trails. See where the ants come from and where they go. This will lead you back to the nest location. Mark trails with chalk to monitor activity.

Seal up Cracks and Crevices

Once entry points are located, seal them up. This is crucial to stop ants from coming back in. Putty, caulk, wood putty, or cement can be used to fill in holes and cracks in the foundation, walls, floors, and ceilings.

Silicon-based caulk works well for most indoor cracks. Make sure to allow it to fully cure before ants try to chew through again.

Remove the Nest

Getting rid of the nest is key to destroying the entire colony. For carpenter ants, look for rotting or water-damaged wood containing nesting holes. It’s often found in roof eaves, porches, decks, or other wood structures. Remove and replace severely damaged sections.

For other ants, nests may be found under flooring, in wall voids, insulation, or crawl spaces. Carefully vacuum and clean out the entire nest and ants. This removes the pheromone trails so ants abandon the area.

Apply Ant Baits

Use ant baits containing borax or another insecticidal bait formula. The workers take the bait back to feed the rest of the colony, eventually killing the queens. Place them along trails and nest access points.

Replenish baits until ant activity ceases. This is often the most effective way to eliminate ants inside your home.

Use Natural Repellents

There are several natural options to repel ants and deter them from returning:

• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around nest entrances and entry points. The sharp dust dehydrates ants.

• Spray vinegar, peppermint oil, or cinnamon oil around baseboards and other surfaces.

• Place lemon peels, cinnamon sticks, coffee grounds, or cloves where ants are seen.

The strong scents of these natural products mask ant trails and repel them. Reapply after cleaning or if ants return.

Prevent Ants from Coming Back

To stop future ant invasions, make your home less hospitable to them:

• Clean up food spills and residues right away so ants aren’t attracted inside.

• Store food, including pet food, in sealed containers.

• Fix plumbing and roof leaks to eliminate moisture sources.

• Trim back vegetation and mulch against the exterior foundation walls.

• Apply ant barrier home perimeter treatments in the spring and fall.

With diligence and patience, you can get rid of ants from floorboards and prevent them from coming back using these effective do-it-yourself methods. But if the infestation persists despite your efforts, contact a pest control professional for chemical treatments and nest extraction services.