How to Get Rid of Ants in Books

Ants are easily one of the top household pests and can manage to infiltrate everything and anything that leads to food. One more common problem with ants is their ability to crawl through book spines and pages, and in the process, possibly ruin a book with their squished bodies. With some willpower on your part, getting rid of ants in books and keeping them out of books is a process that can be achieved regardless if you're a novice pest eliminator or a seasoned exterminator.

Things You'll Need

  • Generic bug spray/homemade spray
  • Dish detergent
  • Clean cloth
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove all books on your shelf/desk (including the ones without ants in them) and place them on a table away from where you normally store them. Brush out all ants and ant bodies from the pages of these books as best as you can and place them aside.

    • 2

      Identify what type of spray you would like to use to deter the ants. Most homeowners opt for the more easily accessible and reliable generic store-bought ant repellent. However, with bad smell and dangerous chemicals, some homeowners choose more natural and homemade options that are less chemical-based and smell better. Some of the more prominent natural choices include lemon juice, baking soda, coffee grounds, and blends of orange peel and water. Regardless of which option you choose, use your homemade liquid/dust as you would use any generic spray.

    • 3

      Spray your generic ant spray (or homemade/natural spray) thoroughly on your desk or shelf that holds your books. The idea behind the spray is to destroy the pheromone trails that led ants to the area. Pheromone trails are laid by a scouting ants which lead the rest of the ant colony to the location. By destroying them, the rest of the ant colony is unable to re-identify where the desk is. More than just destroying the trails, the spray also helps deter further scout ants from laying more trails.

    • 4

      Wait three days for your generic ant spray to dry to make your desk/book shelf safe for you to put materials on again. Using your clean cloth, thoroughly scrub the pages and spines of your books to thoroughly destroy any remaining pheromone trails.

    • 5

      Replace your books into their normal location and consciously remember not to eat food while you are reading your books. Crumbs, juices, or any food item will get stuck in book spines and remain there for a long time until a scouting ant finds them.