Have you ever felt a biting sting from an ant while walking barefoot on your carpet? Ants are commonly found insects in the garden and inside the house foraging for food. You will almost always find rows of ants or large gatherings in one spot. By leaving the ants to their own devices, they can cause a great deal of damage to your home.
If you’ve found ants on your carpet, you should know that it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Still, the problem needs to be resolved immediately before it escalates.
To learn how to get ants out of the carpet, spend a couple of minutes reading this article. We will focus on the possible causes of infestation, the most effective methods to try, as well as how to prevent these insects from returning.
Possible Reasons for Ants Invading Your Carpet
Food Spillage
One common cause of ant infestation in carpets is leftover food. Ants are attracted to moisture and food, which makes carpets the ideal feeding and nesting ground.
So the next time you fancy munching on some chips or drinking juice while sitting on your carpet, think twice as this will attract those unwanted pests. Even if you can’t help but eat or drink on your carpet, be sure to clean up thoroughly afterward. Keep in mind that minuscule drops of food could mean a day’s meal for ants.
A bite out of a cookie is bound to leave tiny specks of crumbs on the floor. It doesn’t take much to attract those ants, no matter how much you try to keep the carpet free of crumbs.
Preventing leftover food spillage on the carpet is virtually impossible, especially if you have small children. It won’t be long before ants realize their supply of food can be found on your carpet, so if you can avoid eating and drinking near the carpet, you won’t have to worry about clearing up the mess afterward.
Dirty Carpet
Another possible reason for an ant infestation on your carpet could be due to lack of cleanliness. This means you must pay close attention to the area in and around your carpet.
Ants are known for moving from one place to another in the quickest time. By keeping your carpet clean and debris-free, you can avoid attracting these pesky insects from taking over your home and also prevents your carpets from having a stinky-feet smell.
If you don’t regularly clean the carpet and the area around it, ants will eventually find their way there. These insects tend to hide near the gaps or fibers of the carpet, which proves to be a problem as you won’t be able to see them moving about on the carpet.
Carpets that are in darker colors are especially difficult to detect ants moving about on them. This is why it is important to keep up with the maintenance and cleaning of your carpets in order to prevent ants from nesting there.
Rotten Floorboards
Rotten floorboards are the other possible reason for an ant infestation in your carpet. If your wooden floorboards are old, they may begin rotting. It is the combination of moisture and rot that attract ants to your carpet.
These insects find their way through the cracks inside the floor and gradually begin building their colonies. The little soldiers will then lurk out of the floorboards looking for food in your carpet.
How to Get Ants Out of Carpet
Method 1: Use Ant Bait
Ants forage for food around the carpet area, so by putting ant bait, they will carry it to their nest to feed the colony. Once the queen has consumed the bait, she will die. The rest of the colony can’t survive without the queen. Be sure to place the ant bait near the carpet in order to prevent ants from entering the carpet fibers.
Method 2: Boric Acid Powder
The boric acid powder is extremely effective in getting rid of ant infestation. Sprinkle the powder all over your carpet and make sure it settles well into the fibers. Leave it overnight. The next day, vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Boric acid will have killed all the ants in the carpet throughout the night. You can find this powder in most grocery stores or from online suppliers.
Method 3: High-Powered Vacuum
Sometimes the easiest method to get rid of ants on the carpet is by vacuuming them. That said, don’t wait until your carpet has been overtaken by ants before cleaning it. Regular vacuuming is one of the most effective ways to keep the carpet constantly clean.
To do a good job, though, you must buy a high-powered vacuum cleaner that’s specially made for cleaning carpets. It should have a HEPA filter to clean up all the harmful pollutants within the carpet fibers.
By using a powerful vacuum cleaner, your carpet will remain free from ants and other insects. Get into the habit of vacuuming at least three times a week for best results.
Method 4: Carpet Disinfectant
There are many disinfectants that you can use to clean your ant-infested carpet. Make sure you read the instructions on the label before applying the product to the carpet.
Some disinfectants require mixing with water. If you put water on the carpet, it must dry properly. Otherwise, an even bigger ant infestation will occur.
Method 5: If All Else Fails, Call a Pest Control Service
Any of our suggested DIY methods can help eliminate ant infestation from the carpet. However, in severe cases, it may be wise to contact a professional pest control company to handle such a situation. These experts can help identify the source of your infestation and get rid of the ants.
The inspectors will check the carpet carefully to determine the severity of the infestation. Although ants won’t set up their colony in your carpet, they can still infest it as they forage for food. They tend to hide in the fibers as they can get access to food.
The pest control expert will first clean the carpet thoroughly before spraying disinfectants on the carpet.
While this method will cost you more, it is still a great way to eliminate your ant infestation on the carpet. The biggest advantage of calling an exterminator is the problem will be resolved once and for all as long as you regularly clean your carpet.
How to Prevent Ant Infestations in Carpet
Keep Your Carpet Clean
The best prevention method for keeping ants from invading your carpet is to keep it well-maintained. Ants are attracted to food spills and dampness.
Make sure there are no cracks in the walls or foundation of your home. These are perfect spots for ant nests. Always vacuum your carpet regularly and clear up any food left over immediately.
Do Regular Checks of Your Attic and Floorboards
If your roof leaks, your attic can soon become a refuge for ant nests. These insects love setting up their home in damp places. Be sure to rectify this problem right away before it escalates into an infestation. On a similar note, rotten or moist floorboards should also be replaced immediately.
Do Ants Nest in Carpets?
It’s not common for ants to set up their colonies on the carpet. They usually make nests under the carpet, where rotten floorboards are located. A damp or decaying foundation is another attractive nesting place for ants.
Can I Spray Raid on My Carpet?
Raid can leave stains on the carpet or damage its look, and, therefore, not recommended to use it directly on the carpet. This applies to any insecticide unless the label says so.
Some liquid insecticides will leave stains or have strong odors that leave harmful effects on human health. This is why it’s better to use powder or granules instead of sprays. The powder must be vacuumed the next day after having settled into the carpet. Note: you may have to apply the powder more than once for maximum results.
Summary
If you ever find yourself stomping on ants while walking barefoot on your carpet, don’t be alarmed by the ant problem. It can easily be resolved by first inspecting the flooring underneath the carpet. In addition to flooring inspection, check all the possible gaps around the carpet, on the walls, and behind the furniture or appliances in order to see where the ants may have taken refuge.
Once you’ve detected the source of your ant infestation, try any of our mentioned methods to eliminate the problem within a couple of days. The best treatment method is to use ant bait in combination with regular vacuuming. Ant bait is the best way to kill the queen and destroy the entire colony.
But there are also other ways, like liquid insecticides, that can help you deal with this problem. If you don’t feel comfortable using such products on your carpet, contact a professional exterminator to handle the infestation. Once the problem is resolved, all you have to do is keep up with regular vacuuming of your carpets to ensure you don’t experience such a problem again.
