Ant colonies stroll or scuttle all over the floor, and sometimes, they find ways to get into the carpet. Their raid on the carpet could be due to some reasons, but in such cases, their removal can become very difficult.
Due to this difficulty, it is imperative to address this issue and find ways on “How To Get Ants Out Of Carpets?”
But before that, let’s check why and how ants enter the carpet. With this, we also have to find the impact ants may have on the carpet and over us.
Why Ants Get Into The Carpet?
Ants don’t raid the carpet for any specific reason, nor do they want to live there. However, the primary reason for their encroachment can be the food search.
Ants stroll all over the floor in search of food and moisture, and if they are getting into your carpet, then there is a chance that some food is ingrained in your carpet’s fabric.
But do we really need to remove these ants if they are only searching for food, and what harm do ants cause to our carpet or home? Let’s quickly fix all the questions that may be getting into your mind.
Why Do We Need To Get Rid Of Ants From Carpets?
Carpets under our furniture, like sofas or dining tables, are at high risk of being embedded by food or moisture, which can easily attract ants.
If you’re planning not to remove those ants, then you must first know the harm your house may suffer from because of your decision.
Harm Caused By Ants
- If the flooring underneath your carpet is made of wood, then there is a high chance that giant and black-colored carpenter ants will get into the floor and hollow it with time.
- They can also cavitate frames of doors, windows, and wood beams.
- Ant bites can be extremely painful and allergic, which may lead to anaphylactic shock.
- Ants may also be the reason for spreading bacteria like salmonella and can result in the spread of smallpox and dysentery.
How To Get Ants Out Of Carpet?
It’s a tricky question to ask because of the size and quantity of ants, and it becomes more tricky when you search for their removal options. But you will be glad to know that there are plenty of easy tricks that you can opt for favorable results.
But before that, let’s first check the reasons for the ant invasion:
- Check the presence of food or moisture on the carpet.
- If there is some food, then vacuum or sweep it.
- In case of the presence of moisture, dry the carpet under the sun.
- Check which part of the carpet ants generally get into.
- If it is underneath your dining table or sofa, then there is a high chance that this issue is raised because of untidy regular cleaning.
- Check whether there is any moisture in the wooden flooring present under the carpet.
- If so, it must be treated as soon as possible as carpenter ants will rotten the wood beneath.
Methods To Get Ants Out Of Carpet
There are various methods available that you can opt for with the help of your household ingredients. For this,
Method 1: Use A Vacuum Cleaner And Vinegar
- By vacuuming the carpet nicely, you can remove most of the ants from the region.
- Add 50% of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar in 50% water.
- Spray the solution over the carpet and rinse it with clean water.
The most significant advantage of using vinegar is that it will not leave any foul odor behind and will give a long-lasting result against ants.
Method 2: Spray Boiling Water On The Carpet
This is the easiest way to get rid of unexpected ant troop raids, as by spraying boiling water on the carpet, you can remove an entire colony of ants in one go. Also, by this, you will not harm your carpet as there is no chemical present in the method. To achieve this,
- Add 5 to 6 spoons of salt or 2 big scoops of detergent in a bucket.
- Salt addition will prohibit the ants’ encroachment for a long time.
- Add boiling water to the solution and mix well.
- Pour the mixture onto the carpet while ensuring that no portion of the carpet is left dry.
- Let the boiling water be on the carpet for a few minutes, then pour some fresh water and detergent on it.
- Clean the carpet by scrubbing it, followed by sunbaking to dry.
Method 3: Apply Ants Carpet Powder
Using an insecticide dust can ensure easy ant removal without wetting the carpet. For this,
- First, clean the carpet with a vacuum cleaner to remove the ant colony.
- Sprinkle ants carpet powder all over the carpet and nearby regions on the floor.
- Wait a few hours, then vacuum it again after assuring the ants have died.
Method 4: Use Diatomaceous Earth (Silicon Dioxide), Boric Acid Or Baking Soda
If you want to use some organic methods instead of an insecticide, then this can be your go-to idea. This is because these natural remedies can work as the best replacement for insecticide dust with similar results.
Now, a question must be in your mind: how can such remedies replace an insecticide? To answer this, let’s try to understand the result it brings to the table.
All these natural remedies components are toxic to ants and penetrate their exoskeleton while absorbing moisture and fat from their body. And this leads to the decay of the ant’s body in a few hours. Due to this reason, these components can easily replace insecticide dust from your home.
Method 5: Use Ant Baits
Ant baits contain carbohydrates, oils, proteins, or a combination of these to attract ants toward them. Once the ants are attracted and eat the bait, the active ingredients such as borax (sodium borate) attached to it start to act as slow poison and kill the ants.
There are a variety of baits present in the market, such as,
Granule Ant Bait – This ant bait is available in powdered texture and is effectively used in gardens and carpets. To apply this, you just have to sprinkle it on a carpet where ants are present. The ants will automatically die after consuming this bait over time.
Liquid Ant Bait – The liquid form of bait is available frequently in the market and is effective on sugar-feeding ants. You can squirt it on the floor or carpet where ants generally appear and leave it for a few minutes for results.
Solid Ant Bait – This ant bait comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and you have to break it to make use of it. After breaking it, spread it inside the room, as once the ants get attracted toward it, they will consume and carry the bait to their colony. By this, the ants colony will get targeted at once.
The biggest advantage of using ant bait is that you don’t have to use any other product after its application. Hence, to get better results, you simply have to sprinkle the bait inside and outside the door.
Method 6: Exterior Sprays
This method will block the region of ants encroachment, as ants generally enter from outdoors. Hence, by this, you can efficiently inhibit ants’ entrance inside your house.
With this, there are some other benefits as well, such as this method does not harm humans and leaves no lingering chemical odor behind. Due to these unique features of exterior sprays, it is better to consider them for ant elimination.
If you are considerate about its availability, then you will be glad to know that there are a variety of exterior sprays present in the market with chemicals like piperonyl butoxide, bifenthrin, etc. Add this spray with such compounds into water and spray it all around your house, doors, and windows.
Conclusion:
It is challenging to get the accurate answer to “How To Get Ants Out Of Carpets?” but not impossible, as there are few methods present around us and listed in this article. You can easily choose any of them and save your carpets from ant raids.
FAQ’S:
Can a vacuum cleaner remove whole ant colonies riding on the carpet?
Vacuum cleaners are made to dust off different corners. It can remove ants from carpets to some extent but can’t eliminate all of them. That is why you must pour hot water or vinegar for ant colony removal.
Can we kill ants only with vinegar?
Vinegar is not as poisonous as insecticides, but if you add water to it, then it can effectively kill ants and eliminate them for a long time.
What kinds of smells do ants usually hate?
Ants generally don’t like smells such as vinegar, thyme, chalk, citrus peel, Peppermint, Pennyroyal, Garlic, etc. You can easily eliminate ants by using any of these smells in the corners of your room.
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!