Hiring7 Things to Check Before Hiring a Pest-Control Company
A quick, practical checklist so you know what you're paying for — and what to ask about kids and pets.
The DuckTheBugs Team8 min read
Usually DIY-friendlyNuisance (mostly)
Ants marching through your kitchen?
Most kitchen ant problems are a food-and-moisture problem. The ants you see are scouts following a trail to something — crumbs, spills, sticky jars, pet food. Break the trail, remove the food, and seal the entry points, and a lot of ant issues resolve without a treatment plan at all.
Step one
How to identify the problem
- You see steady lines of ants following a consistent path to a food source.
- Activity concentrates around the kitchen, pantry, sink, or pet bowls.
- Trails appear along baseboards, counters, or window edges.
- It gets worse in warm or dry stretches when they come inside for food and water.
The why
Common causes
Accessible food
Crumbs, spills, sticky containers, and open pet food are the usual draw.
Moisture
Leaky pipes, damp cabinets under the sink, and standing water attract several ant types.
Easy entry points
Gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and foundation cracks are the highways in.
Roll up your sleeves
Things you can do yourself
01
Cut off the food
Wipe up crumbs and spills, store food in sealed containers, and don't leave pet food out overnight.
02
Break the scent trail
Wipe down the trails you see with soapy water to disrupt the chemical path scouts leave behind.
03
Seal the entry points
Caulk gaps around windows, doors, and where pipes enter — this keeps the next wave out.
04
Fix the moisture
Repair drips under the sink and dry out damp cabinet areas.
05
Use baits thoughtfully
Baits let workers carry the product back to the colony. If you use them, follow the label and place them out of reach of kids and pets.
If you want tools
Products & tools that may help
A note on recommendations. DuckTheBugs may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Recommendations are based on usefulness and relevance, not commission size.
DuckTheBugs Pick$
Ant Bait Stations
What we like
- Workers carry the product back to the colony — more effective than surface spray
- Discreet and easy to place along trails
What to know
- Follow the label for placement and quantity
- Give it time — colony control isn't instant
Kids & pets: Place out of reach of children and pets per the label.
Best prevention$
Screens & barriersCaulk & Gap Sealant
What we like
- Closes the entry points ants and other insects use
- Cheap, and it fixes the underlying issue
What to know
- Find the actual entry points first for best results
Kids & pets: Purely structural — no exposure.
When to call a professional
- The ants are carpenter ants damaging wood, not just foraging for food.
- You have large, repeated indoor trails you can't trace to a source.
- Baiting and sanitation haven't worked after a genuine effort.
- You suspect a structural nest inside walls or the foundation.
Know before you hire
What professional treatment usually involves
- 01Identifying the ant species, since strategy differs (especially for carpenter ants).
- 02Locating the nest and entry points rather than only treating visible trails.
- 03A targeted treatment plan matched to the species and situation.
- 04Guidance on sanitation and exclusion so it doesn't come back.
Trust theme
Kids & Pets
Baits and any indoor products should be placed where children and pets can't reach them — follow the label placement guidance. Much of the ant playbook (sanitation, sealing gaps, fixing leaks) involves no chemicals at all, which makes it a great DIY-first pest for households with kids and pets.
Frequently asked questions
Related reading
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