A few ants or a visible ant trail in your Richmond rental can often be handled with simple household steps. Start by removing the food or water attracting them, clean up the active trail, and check where the ants are traveling.
If they return, a household ant bait labeled for the location can help. A tiny accessible opening can also be temporarily blocked when that can be done safely without damaging the property.
If reasonable household steps do not resolve the problem, the ants return or continue, or you cannot proceed safely, submit a maintenance request through the PMI James River resident portal.
Start With Food, Water, and the Ant Trail
- Clean crumbs, grease, sugary spills, and food residue.
- Store pantry food and pet food in closed containers.
- Keep trash contained and remove food waste regularly.
- Wipe up ordinary standing water and spills.
- Wipe the visible ants and trail with soapy water.
Take a quick look at where the trail is going. Ants commonly travel along baseboards, cabinet edges, doors, windows, and plumbing penetrations.
Use Ant Bait if the Ants Return
If ants return after cleanup, use a ready-to-use ant bait station or gel that is labeled for the location where you plan to use it.
Place the bait at or near an active trail or entry area where the ants can find it and where children and pets cannot reach it. Follow the product label.
This is the ant-control video already selected for the PMI James River Resident Maintenance library. It demonstrates placing a liquid ant bait along an active ant trail. Follow the label for the household ant bait you actually use rather than treating one brand as required.
Ant bait takes time to work. UC IPM notes that it can take several days to see fewer ants. Leave the bait available according to its instructions. If ants are not taking it, reposition the bait or try another labeled bait formulation.
Do not spray insecticide around an active bait placement. Spray can interfere with ants reaching and carrying the bait. For more detail, see UC IPM's household ant guidance.
Close an Obvious Small Entry Point
If you can see ants using a tiny opening in a readily accessible area, you can temporarily block it when that can be done safely and without damaging the property.
Keep the fix simple and non-destructive. Do not remove trim, open walls, take apart cabinets, enter concealed spaces, or make a permanent building repair.
Watch for a Different Kind of Ant Problem
If you find winged insects and are not sure whether they are ants or termites, take clear photos and submit a maintenance request rather than treating them as an ordinary ant trail.
If large ants repeatedly appear around wood that is visibly damp, soft, or deteriorated, include that condition with your report. Virginia Cooperative Extension notes that carpenter ants commonly nest in water-damaged wood.
If the Ants Keep Coming Back
If reasonable cleaning, baiting, and simple exclusion do not resolve the activity, the problem returns or continues, or you cannot proceed safely, submit a maintenance request.
Tell us where you are seeing the ants, whether there is a visible trail, how often they are appearing, what bait or other household steps you tried, and include clear photos when available. If you noticed an obvious gap, leak, or unusual condition in the same area, include that too.
Submit a maintenance request through the PMI James River resident portal.
For other household pest problems, see Pest Control in Richmond Rentals. You can also return to the Resident Troubleshooting Library or the Resident Maintenance hub.
Published: September 2, 2026
