Think About Double Sealing These Foods To Prevent An Ant Infestation

Ant infestations are awful, so keeping bugs out of your kitchen should always be a high priority. One sneaky way to do this is to double seal your food. If you make it impossible for ants to get to the snacks they're interested in, the little ant scouts will go home empty-handed and tell their buddies you've got no food to share.

The ultimate goal is to have no open bags or boxes sitting on your shelves, even if you've clipped the opening shut or used a rubber band to secure it. The high-investment method to keep ants out of your food is to buy nice food storage containers to stash any open products. If you need a quick fix, however, you can also get the job done with zip-top bags. Just close up any open foods you have, and then double that seal by placing the product in a resealable bag and closing it up. This strategy is quick and not too bothersome to deal with when you want to grab a snack. Plus, you can reuse the bags as many times as you want.

As for the types of foods you need to seal, the main categories are sugary foods, carbohydrates, and animal products. Yes, a lot of foods fit into these categories, but is there really too high a price to pay for keeping ants out?

The first problem you need to keep an eye on is sugary foods. Ants will flock to these treats, so it's really important to discard wrappers, clean up crumbs, and double seal open bags and boxes of sweets, including chocolate, cookies, candy, dried fruit, baked goods, and honey.

Next up is carbohydrates. Ants will sniff out carbs no matter where they are in your kitchen — not even the highest shelves can keep them safe. To sabotage their food hunts, make sure to double seal bread, crackers, chips, cereal, oats, and grains. Dried pet food is another thing that ants will seek out.

Ants are also into proteins and fats, and although a lot of these products will be safely locked up in your refrigerator, some may not be. If you leave butter out of the fridge, for instance, make sure it's properly sealed. Peanut butter is another item to keep an eye on. Because it has sugar, protein, and fats, it's a favorite for ants. Make sure the jar stays clean and the lid is tightened. If you're worried, go ahead and double seal it as well.

As well as double sealing your pantry foods, cleaning up cooking messes and leftovers is essential. Greasy pans, food crumbs, oily wrappers, and general spills will all attract ants, so clean them up sooner rather than later. You can also make use of household essentials like vinegar to keep ants out of your kitchen without using harsh chemicals.