Ants In The Bedroom – How To Get Rid Of Them

Last Updated on July 26, 2023 By Emma W. Thomas

To get rid of ants in the bedroom, follow these steps:

• Identify entry points and seal them
• Clean up food spills and crumbs promptly
• Use ant baits or traps
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or cinnamon near ant trails
• Wipe surfaces with vinegar or lemon juice to deter ants

Steps to Getting Rid of Ants in Your Bedroom

Dealing with an ant infestation in your bedroom can be frustrating and inconvenient. However, by adhering to the following effective steps, one can successfully eliminate ants in the bedroom.

1. Identify the Type of Ants

The first step is to identify the type of ants that have infested the room. Different ants have specific behaviors and nesting habits. Thus, identifying the ants allows for a more targeted approach to eliminating them.

2. Determine Why They are in Your Bedroom

Ants are typically in search of food and water. Assess your bedroom to identify potential food sources and eliminate them. Avoid eating in the bedroom to prevent attracting ants.

3. Clear Out Old Food and Drinks

The presence of food remnants or sugary drink spills invites ants. By ensuring regular and thorough cleaning of all surfaces, one can effectively keep ants away.

Tasks	Frequency
Wiping surfaces clean	Daily
Emptying bedroom trash bin	Daily
Deep cleaning of room	Weekly

4. Seal Entry Points

Work on identifying possible entry points such as cracks, holes, or window gaps. Once identified, use a suitable sealant to block these entryways effectively.

5. Use Ant Baits and Traps

Ant baits and traps are a good way to reduce the ant population. The ants will carry the bait back to their colony, effectively poisoning and eliminating it.

6. Consider Natural Repellents

Natural repellants such as cinnamon, vinegar, and peppermint oil can deter ants. Spraying these substances around entry points can help to keep ants at bay.

7. Seek Professional Help

If ant infestation persists despite your efforts, it might be time to seek professional help. A professional exterminator can apply comprehensive methods and offer advice on preventing a reoccurrence.

By following these steps, one can successfully eliminate ants in their bedroom. But always remember that prevention is the best form of control.

What Attract Ants To Your Bedroom Despite No Food?

1. Odors and Smells
   Ants have an impeccable sense of smell, so even the smallest whiff of scent can attract them. This includes personal care products, perfumes, air fresheners, and even laundry detergents. The aroma from these products can mimic the smell of food terms for the ants and indirectly invite them.
2. Moisture and Humidity
   Ants are naturally drawn to moist areas. They require water to survive and often venture into bedrooms looking for damp spots. If your room is humid or you happen to have a leakage somewhere, you may be inviting an ant invasion.
3. Heat and Warmth
   Temperature plays a crucial role in attracting ants. As cold-blooded creatures, ants are drawn to warm places, so if your bedroom is warmer than others in the house, or if you have appliances generating heat, this may explain their attraction.
4. Entry points
   Ants may find their way into your bedroom simply because they can. Small crevices, cracks in the walls, gaps in windows, and openings around cables and pipes can act as entry points for these tiny invaders.
5. Plant Infestation
   If there are plants in your bedroom, check for insect infestations. Aphids and other plant pests produce honeydew, a substance that ants find particularly appealing. Ants also use plants as direct pathways into your home.
6. Leftover Food and Drink
   While there might not be a main course-like amount of food in your bedroom, ants can be attracted to the smallest remnants. Crumbs, spills, or residue from drinks can provide the perfect feast for an ant.
7. Bedroom’s Cleanliness
   If your room is cluttered and not regularly cleaned, it may serve as a hiding place for ants. Areas where clothes or clutter pile up can start to attract ants as these spots provide a great hideout.

Attraction Source	Prevention Tips
Odors and Smells	Limit the use of smelly product in the bedroom
Moisture and Humidity	Regularly air out your room and fix leaks
Heat and Warmth	Keep your room’s temperature moderate
Entry points	Regular inspection and sealing of potential entrances
Plant Infestation	Regularly treat your plants for pests
Leftover Food and Drink	Keep your food and drink sealed and clean up any spills quickly
Bedroom’s Cleanliness	Maintain regular cleanliness and avoid pile-up of items in your bedroom

Remember, when you spot a few ants in your bedroom, it’s important to address it quickly as it may be an early sign of an impending infestation.

Natural Home Remedies For Eliminating Ants

Some natural home remedies are safe and effective in getting rid of ants. They include;

White Vinegar

Ants dislike the smell of vinegar, and you can therefore use it to eliminate the ants. To prepare the solution,  mix 50% white vinegar and 50% water and add a little essential oil to the mixture then shake well. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it daily at the entry points for the ants. 

While white vinegar may not kill ants, it will help to deter them from entering your house. Be sure to spray the solution around the doorways, on your windowsills, and in other areas where ants may enter through.

Silicon Dioxide (Diatomaceous Earth)  

Silicon dioxide (also known as diatomaceous earth) is a kind of silica that consists of fossilized remains of diatoms which are aquatic organisms. This product is not a poison, but it destroys ants and other pests by absorbing oils in their bodies hence drying them out. You should, however, avoid inhaling silicon dioxide since it is an irritant. 

Sprinkle the powder at the entry points of ants or any other place where ants are visible. Be sure to follow the instructions and directions on the package for better results. 

Ordinary Salt

Salt is also an effective home remedy that helps keep the ants away. You can spread the salt near corners and nooks where ants enter your bedroom to keep them away. Use ordinary table salt instead of the health-boosting rock salt since it is more suitable. 

You can boil some water for a better outcome and add a large amount of salt to it. Stir until all the salt dissolves, then pour the solution into a spray bottle. Apply the solution in corners, crevices, and every other place where ants may enter your home from. You can repeat this procedure each day until you are sure that the menace is over. 

Pepper

 Ants hate pepper, and you can take advantage of this hatred to get rid of them. For example, you can sprinkle cayenne or black pepper at the ants’ entry points to deter them from entering your house and also the bedroom. You may also add some pepper to the water and spray the entry points using a spray bottle. 

While pepper may also not kill the ants, spraying it at the entry points is a sure way of deterring them altogether. Be sure to clean the area that you intend to spray with pepper thoroughly for a better outcome.  

Lemons

Lemon is among the safest and most effective remedies to rid your bedroom of ants. You need to place its peels or squeeze some juice at the entry points for ants to prevent them from getting in. You may also add lemon juice to water and clean the house, including your infested bedroom.

Since ants don’t like the smell of lemon juice, they will avoid the sprayed areas. Ensure that there is no sugar or sweet substances that can attract the creatures into your bedroom or other places. 

Cinnamon And Cloves

Besides keeping your house smelling clean and fresh all the time, cloves and cinnamon can also act as a deterrent to the ants. The organisms cannot stand the strong smell of cinnamon and it, therefore, acts as a natural repellent. You may mix cinnamon with some essential oil to enhance the smell making it more effective. 

Apply in all areas where ants enter your bedroom and any other place that you see them. 

Oranges

Oranges are also as effective as lemons when it comes to eliminating ants. You can mix orange peels with warm water to make a paste and spread it on the affected areas.   

Peppermint

Since peppermint is an insect repellent, you can also use it to expel ants from your place. Ants will avoid places with a strong smell of peppermint since they cannot tolerate it. You can mix a cup of water and about ten drops of peppermint oil, place it in a spray bottle then apply it in the infested areas. For effectiveness, you can repeat the procedure twice a day, and you can also use dried peppermint leaves instead of the liquid. 

A Summary Of Natural Remedies And How They Work 

Product	How to use	How it works
White vinegar	Squeeze some lemon juice or place peels at the ants’ entry points. Then, add the lemon juice to the water and wipe your floor and surfaces with it.	Deters the ants with its strong smell
Diatomaceous earth	Sprinkle the powder in all areas where ants are seen	Kills ants by drying out oils from their skeleton
Peppermint oil	Mix with water and spray the affected areas twice a day	Repels the ants with the strong scent
Cloves and cinnamon	Mix cloves, cinnamon, and essential oils to enhance the smell. Sprinkle the affected area	It acts as a natural repellent due to its strong smell
Lemon	Sprinkle a good amount in all the affected areas. You can also dissolve a significant amount in boiling water and then spray all crevices and other entry points daily.	Repels the ants with their strong scents
Ordinary table salt	Sprinkle a good amount in all the affected areas. You can also dissolve a significant amount in boiling water then spray all crevices and other entry points daily.	It kills ants by drying them out since it is a desiccant.

What Can You Use Instead Of Natural Remedies For Eliminating Ants?

Sometimes, natural home remedies may not work as effectively as you like since most of them do not kill but keep ants at bay. In this case, you go for the techniques that help to eliminate them. The following methods will help;

Keep Your House Very Clean.

Like with all other pests, sanitation is vital in the prevention and control of ants. Ants will enter your bedroom looking for food, water, and shelter. If they lack anything to munch on or water to keep them alive, these creatures will tend to avoid your house. Ensure that your floor and other surfaces are always clean, as doing this will deter the ants. 

Use Of Ant Baits

Since you may not see all the ants moving around in your bedroom, you can apply baits along the trails. When some eat and step on this bait, they will carry it back to their nest. Baits such as boric acid are usually toxic to ants but non-toxic to humans and pets. But, make sure that you place the baits out of reach of your kids and pets. 

Ensure that your surfaces are clean for the bait to be the only sweet thing attracting the ants. Since there may be several ants in their colony, it may take longer to get rid of them. You may need to replace the bait once exhausted to eliminate all of them.

Spraying With Pesticides

Sometimes you may notice the ant’s trail that leads to a nest outside. When this is the case, you can try using a good dose of liquid pesticide. Make sure that you drench the nest to reach the queen in the colony.  Read the label carefully for instructions and follow them for an effective outcome. Ensure also that the colony you are dealing with is the one causing the indoor infestation issue since some ants are helpful in your garden. 

Why Do You Find Ants In Your Bedroom?

You may find ants in your bedroom for various reasons, which include;

Search For A Hiding Place

Ants will move into your bedroom in search of a suitable hiding place. When you see ants in your bedroom, it could indicate a bigger problem than you think. Ants like invading the kitchen, bathrooms, and pantries, and they may move to your bathroom in search of a more conducive environment. 

Ants will also enter your bedroom to shield themselves from bad weather, as well as hide from their natural enemies. So if your bedroom has the right conditions, these creatures will make it their home. 

Search For Food

Ants may also move to your bedroom to look for what to eat. If there are crumbs or food particles in your bedroom, be sure to have these unwelcome guests. It is necessary to ensure that these organisms will not get anything to eat on your bedroom floor, your closets, and even drawers.

How To Prevent Ants From Getting Into Your Bedroom

While there are various methods that you can use to get rid of ants in your bedroom, it may not be very easy to wipe them out completely. For this reason, it is easier to prevent an infestation than to get rid of it. Here are some of the techniques to prevent ants from invading your bedroom

Sealing All Cracks And Openings

Since ants are tiny, they can get into your home through tiny crevices and cracks. Therefore, it is essential to seal any cracks and holes in your windows and doors, walls, pipes, cables, and other entry points. 

Keeping Your Place Clean

Ants come into the house searching for food and shelter, and any crumbs or food particles on the floor will attract them. Clearing your floors and surfaces of crumbs and keeping food in airtight containers will deny these creatures a reason to hang around your place. 

Place Baits In Active Areas

Placing ant baits in areas where ants are common is also an excellent way to keep them at bay. As the scouting ants eat the bait, they will carry it back to their colony and eventually help to wipe the creatures out. 

Conclusion

Ants get into the bedroom in search of food and a hiding place from uncomfortable conditions. There are several ways of removing them, but prevention is the best.

References:

https://todayshomeowner.com/pest-control/guides/how-to-get-rid-of-ants-in-bedroom/
https://www.pesticon.com/ants/how-to-get-rid-of-ants-in-the-bedroom/