Even though some of the ants are harmless, we cannot dispute the fact that they can render our foods uneatable. Imagine pouring cereals into a bowl only to find ants ant-filled cereals; there are several ways to exterminate ants and using a professional ant control service is one of the fast and effective ways to eliminate ants from your house. However, there are other tips and tricks to exterminate these annoying pests from your vicinity.
First, learn more about carpenter ant that is capable of causing structural damage. Even though they do not spread diseases or infections like some other pesky pests, they can ruin your home by making their nests in woods, once they find it conducive enough for their nests.
Carpenter ants
Exterminating carpenter ant using baits is tricky; unlike other insects, they do not take the bait back to their nests, they eat it right there. You will need to find their source and kill them for you to eliminate these ants from your home successfully. Carpenter ants usually live outdoors close to the house, and they eventually invade your home in search of food and water.
How to find their nests
They live in wood and tunnel through it; one of the clues of finding their nests is small piles of fine sawdust- the remains of the wood they have chewed. Typically, carpenter ants build their nests in moist wood in foundations, woodpiles close to the house, decks, gaps between boards, trees, and other similar places.
If you can track their entry points to your house, you can quickly locate their nest; one of the tricks is to kill all ants at sight and watch for new ants to appear. It will determine their general entry points and can show you which holes or cracks need to be sealed up, rotting foundation where they are living, windowsills, or cracks under doors they are traveling.
Natural remedy for eliminating Carpenter ants

Since Carpenter ants do not take baits to their nest, the best natural treatment for exterminating carpenter ants is food gradable Diatomaceous Earth (DE) for pest control. DE is a natural and organic lethal dust for pests, it is gotten from tiny skeletal remains of algae and has microscopic razor sharp edges capable of slicing through the body of insects, drying, and killing them. If carpenter ants or any other insects ingest this lethal dust, it slices them from the inside.
Food grade diatomaceous earth is safe to use around kids as well as pets; you can sprinkle the dust around the home and yard without causing damage to your health.
After tracing their nest, sprinkle DE directly into their nest to exterminate the carpenter ants. Also, spray into cracks or holes; DE can eliminate other insects as well- so use one solution to get rid of multiple pest problems.
Other tips for eliminating ants
Sanitation: Pests are more likely to invade home with clutters and unkempt lawn than a regular cleaned home. Practicing proper hygiene is one of the best ways to make your home less attractive to ants and other pests. Store foods, especially sweets in airtight containers, remove food crumbs from the kitchen after cooking or meals. Empty trash regularly to prevent ants and other pests like mice and roaches from invading your home.
Vinegar: The smell of vinegar is repugnant to ants; spray vinegar in cracks, countertops and near baseboards where they may be traveling.
Peppermint essential oil: this essential oil is another scent ants detest- dip cotton balls in a small quantity of peppermint essential oil and place in areas where you see ants are crawling.
Cinnamon also works, but make sure you do not sprinkle them on things that will stain.
Borax mix with sugar is quite useful in exterminating ants and other pests from your home.