How to prevent ants from affecting your business

Whether you run an office, a warehouse, a retail shop, or a restaurant, ants can be a tricky pest to keep out and, if customers notice them, can affect your reputation. Knowing how and why they show up—and what to do to stop them—can save you time, stress, and money.

Why do ants get into your business?

Ants come inside for one reason: survival. They’re looking for food, water, or shelter – and businesses often provide all three without even realizing it. Break rooms with crumbs, kitchen areas with grease or sugar spills, dripping pipes under sinks, open trash bins, and even the glue on cardboard boxes can all act as a steady food source. 

Plus, ants are resourceful. They don’t need a full meal, just a small, consistent supply. Even a minor spill behind a fridge or a bit of moisture near a mop sink can be enough to catch their attention. Once they find something useful, they lay down a chemical scent trail that tells the rest of the colony exactly where to go. That’s how you end up with a full line of ants in what seems like no time.

Landscaping outside your business can also invite ants closer to your doors. Trees, shrubs, mulch, and areas with standing water can all support outdoor colonies. From there, ants can easily sneak inside through foundation cracks, poorly sealed doors or windows, or gaps around plumbing and vents.

Even your deliveries can be a risk. Boxes and packaging stored in infested trucks, storage rooms, or warehouses may unknowingly carry ants inside. And once they’re in, they won’t leave unless they’re removed and the source of the attraction is dealt with.

Staying alert to what draws them in is the first step in keeping them out.

How long does an ant infestation last?

An ant infestation can last for a few days, a few weeks, or even months if it’s not treated the right way. Ants will keep coming back if they find a food supply, water, or a safe place to build a nest. 

Some species, like argentine or pharaoh ants, can grow their colonies quickly because they have more than one queen. That means the problem can spread to other parts of your business before you realize it. The best way to stop an ant infestation is to contact professional pest control experts who can find and treat the whole colony.

How to stop ants getting into your business

While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent ants, a few consistent steps can help reduce the risk of them infesting your business or commercial space:

• Sealing entry points - our experts can inspect your property to check for cracks in walls, gaps around windows and doors and any area where pipes of cables enter the building. It's important to caulk and seal these gaps to block common entryways. Our effective exclusion methods can help to keep these tiny pests away.
• Keep things clean, especially in shared areas like kitchens, break rooms, or stockrooms. Wipe down surfaces regularly and don’t let crumbs or spills sit. Empty garbage cans often and make sure trash bags are tied off and stored properly.
• Outside the building, trim shrubs and trees back from the walls. Ensure gutters drain well and that there are no standing puddles around your foundation. Store outdoor trash bins away from entrances and keep them tightly sealed.
• If you receive regular deliveries, inspect boxes and packages before bringing them inside. Ants can hitch a ride on packaging, especially if it’s been sitting in a warehouse or truck for a while.

But even with good cleaning and maintenance, ants can still find a way in. While ant prevention can help reduce the chances, these measures alone often aren’t enough to stop an ant infestation once it starts, especially when ants are already nearby or have begun nesting inside. 

Using store-bought sprays might kill the ants you see, but they usually don’t reach the nest. Sometimes, this can even make things worse by causing the ants to split up and form new nests. The best way to stop an infestation is to call a professional who can find and treat the whole colony.

At Presto-X, our ant control technicians know how to handle ant problems in business environments. Whether you’re dealing with an active infestation or want to stay ahead of one. 

Frequently asked questions