Ants wind up in many kitchens by coming in through windows, open doors, and even kitchen cabinets. Often attracted by food, ants can have a field day in the average kitchen, multiplying until you’ve got an infestation. The problem with tiny ants is that many people don’t know how to get rid of them.
Use our guide to learn more about how to get rid of ants in the kitchen so you’re no longer sharing your space with them. After all, it’s your kitchen, not theirs.
5 Steps Guide on How to Get Rid of Ants in the Kitchen
You are looking for easy and natural solutions that do not involve using poisonous chemicals or traps. But you don't want to spend hours trying out different methods either!
Here is a 5-steps guide to getting rid of ants in the kitchen quickly and easily so you can stop worrying about your food getting infested with these pesky bugs!
Step 1. Eliminate Ants Food Source
The first step is to eliminate their food source. Since ants eat most things, you should clean up any spills and scraps of food (including pet food!), clean the kitchen thoroughly, seal up all food, and store it in containers with tight lids or plastic bags.Here is a list of foods that ants can't resist:
- Sweet Drinks and Syrups, Beer, Soda, Champagne, Water, Tea, Coffee & Cream,
- Grains, Biscuits, Bread,
- Chocolate or anything Sweetened, Sugar, Candy,
- Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts, Corn,
- Oils, Peanut Butter,
- Pet Food, Dog/Cat Treats.
Step 2. Clean the Kitchen with Natural Cleaning Solutions
Make your natural cleaning solutions to clean up any left-over food particles or lingering smell of food around your kitchen.Here are five easy recipes you can whip up using common household ingredients:
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How to make Vinegar Solution
(works great on countertops and sealed tiles)Put some white distilled vinegar into a small spray bottle. Add some water and shake it up. Spray it onto the surfaces where you see ants or their trails and wipe it off with a damp cloth or sponge.
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How to make Lemon Juice Solution
(also works great on sealed tiles and countertops)Mix lemon juice and water into a small spray bottle in equal parts and shake well. Make sure to use 100% natural lemon juice – not concentrate – as the artificial stuff contains chemicals that will only repel leafy greens! Spray thoroughly on surfaces where you see ants or their trails and wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge. This solution is also suitable for cleaning your cutting boards!
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How to make Tea Tree Oil Solution
(great disinfectant and safe around food prep areas)Add 20 drops of tea tree oil into a small spray bottle filled with water. Shake well before use. Spray on surfaces, and wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge.
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How to make Peppermint Oil Solution
(safe around food prep areas, smells great too!)Add 10-15 drops of 100% pure peppermint oil (NOT PEPPERMINT OIL FROM THE GROCERY STORE) into each 1 cup of olive or vegetable oil in a spray bottle and shake well before use. Some people add 5-8 teaspoons of sugar to the solution for even better results! Spray lightly onto countertops where you see ants or their trails and wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge.
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How to make Baking Soda Solution
(works great on sealed tiles and countertops)Put two tablespoons of baking soda into a small bowl. Add one tablespoon of water and mix until you get a thick paste consistency (you might need to add more water). Apply the paste onto surfaces where you see ants or their trails, let it sit for 10 minutes, and wipe off with a damp cloth or sponge.
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Step 3. Use Baits to Kill the Ant Colony
The TERRO Ant Bait Stations are an excellent way to kill off an ant colony, provided you use it correctly.They will not work if you don't follow these four simple steps:
- 1. Once you open a bait station, please do not touch it with your bare hands. The bait attracts ants but won't work properly if you come in contact with it. You can wear gloves or tongues to get the bait out of the station.
- 2. Place one TERRO Ant Bait Station on each floor of your kitchen, preferably in places where it sees the most foot traffic. That includes near the dishwasher, under the sink, beside cabinets, etc. Make sure to place them away from direct sunlight or moisture!
- 3. Check the bait stations daily to see if ants have returned to return food to the nest. If so, throw out all the ants and replace them with fresh bait stations!
- 4. If no ants return after three days, try moving the stations to different locations for better results. Bait stations are great because they have no expiration date, so you can leave them in your kitchen for months without worrying about throwing them away.
Step 4. Block Entry Points
After you kill ants in your kitchen, make sure to close down the ant's entry points they use to enter your home. Make sure trash cans are sealed tightly with lids or bags.If necessary, spray around the base of the cans with an insecticide like EcoRaider to kill ants that might be foraging in them. Also, be mindful of any cracks in your foundation walls where ants may enter.
Remember, when you see ants outside on your patio or in your garden, say away from their nests (especially if they're coming up when you're near them). They're not looking for food but finding a new ant nest site!Step 5. Prevent Ants From Coming Back
The best way to prevent ants from returning is by keeping your home as dry and clean as possible. Clean up all spills and crumbs, wipe dishes and surfaces after meals, and store food in tightly sealed containers.You can also sprinkle Borax or diatomaceous earth (DE) around cracks on your kitchen floors to make the area less attractive to ants; they won't be able to crawl over such a surface! Just ensure you don't leave it there for more than 48 hours as it will kill whatever is living there… including your pets, if they touch or eat it!
If you ever notice new ant trails outside of your home on concrete, sidewalks, or patios that originate from anywhere inside of your house (especially near windows and doors), keep an eye out for a new outdoor colony at those locations because they may have found a new home!- Sweep, mop, or vacuum the floor frequently (about once daily) and ensure you wash dishes immediately.
- Always store food in airtight containers and never leave them uncovered; this includes pet foods, too.
- Take out garbage regularly using durable grocery bags.
Got Ants in the Kitchen? Figure Out What Kind You Have First
If you want to know how to get rid of tiny ants in the kitchen, the first and most crucial step is figuring out what kind of ants are causing you a problem. Not all ants respond to the same removal methods, so identification is a necessary first step.
Here’s how you can identify ant species in your kitchen by color and size:
- Take note of the color of the ants in your kitchen.
Pavement ants – dark brown to black in color, are among the most common.
Pharaoh ants – light yellow in color with brown markings, are also regular kitchen invaders in some areas.
- Look at the size of the ants.
Carpenter ants, which tend to be attracted to areas with wood-like cupboards, are a little bit larger.
Common pavement ants and pharaoh ants are both relatively small in size.
The kitchen is the number one place for an infestation in the average home. Bathrooms are the second most common area where ants enter the house because of open windows and the potential for standing water in sinks, cabinets, and the shower.
Where Did the Ants Come From?
Once you’ve figured out what kind of ants are causing you a problem in your home, you then need to determine how the ants got into your kitchen in the first place. If you don’t do this now, getting rid of the ant infestation will likely be a short-term solution.
Check these areas to figure out how ants got into your home:
- Look for cracks around doors that lead into your kitchen. Old weather-stripping and seals that do not function properly may unknowingly allow a stream of ants to enter your house.
- Check inside cabinets that are positioned on an exterior wall. Damage to cabinetry or cracks can lead to ants indoors. You should also check the outside of these areas on the exterior of your home to make sure no damage could let ants pass through into the inside of your cabinetry.
- Visually inspect windows’ screens to ensure they aren’t damaged or bent at the edges. A torn screen or one with a bent corner will make it very easy for ants to get into your kitchen.
- Inspect the outside of your home for tree branches or growth that may entice ants. If this growth is very close to or touching your home, this could be a pathway for ants.
Why Are Ants So Interested in My Kitchen?
When people discover an army of ants marching across their kitchen, they wonder first of all why they have an ant infestation. While getting ants is common, some things make your kitchen look like a haven for those pesky bugs.
Reasons ants tend to like living in the kitchen include:
- Freestanding water. Ants require very little water, so something as simple as a wet paper towel or dish rag can seem like a vast supply of freshwater for them.
- Ants are attracted to food particles, particularly those with sugar. You don’t have to leave dirty dishes all over the counters to attract ants, though. Even food particles in the sink can be inviting to ants that already have access to your home.
How Do I Keep Ants Out?
Prevention is vital when learning how to keep your kitchen from most ants. After all, simply clearing an infestation that’s only going to come back again in a month isn’t very smart.
Use these tips to keep ants out of your kitchen and away from your food:
- Don’t let freestanding water remain in your kitchen when you have an ant problem. Even wet dish towels can draw ants toward your space seeking fresh water. Avoid soaking pans and dishes for more than a few hours, and keep anything with water or liquids in it covered when possible.
- Never leave uncovered food out on your counters. If you have sugar items, like cookies, put them in a sealed container with a tight-fitting top. As a general rule, if you’re not eating it, it should be put away to keep ants from entering your home.
- Check the seals around your windows and doors. From weather stripping to general silicone caulking, damaged seals are a straightforward entry point for ants that want to get inside.
- Make sure all of your screens are in good shape. Replacement screens are inexpensive, and you may be able to repair damaged ones in a matter of minutes.
Identifying where ants come into your house is the first step when you’re trying to keep ants out of your home. Once you find that area, applying basic white vinegar can deter ants from using that point of entry. Vinegar will also help deter ants while you make necessary repairs to keep them out for good.
How to Get Ants Off the Kitchen Countertop
The kitchen countertop is one of the most common places you’ll find ants once you have an infestation. When you wake up one morning to find 1,000 ants marching across your kitchen countertop or loitering on your windowsill, it can be hard to know how to tackle the issue. You probably don’t want to use ant spray that contains poisons on your kitchen countertops if you don’t have to, though.
One of the simplest methods for removing ants from kitchen countertops is to combine a capful (about one tablespoon) of dish soap with a full spray bottle of water. Spray the ants and wait five minutes before using paper towels or a rag to clear them from the area.
This method won’t solve the infestation problem, but it can get your counters clean now so you can take care of the bigger problem.
What About the Sink?
If you want to know how to get rid of ants in your house, and they aren’t on your counters, there’s a good chance they’re calling your sink home, at least for now. That doesn’t mean you have to let them stay there, though.
The dish soap method for clearing kitchen countertops can work well in the sink, but you also have other options here. If the ants are in the drain – they likely are, even if you can’t see them there – baking soda is your best option.
- Pour baking soda into the drain and wait about 10 minutes.
- Add diluted vinegar to the drain to clear any food particles that may attract ants to stay in your drain.
- Rinse the sink and drain with boiling water after the baking soda and vinegar combination to clear the area.
3 Best Products to Get Rid of Ants in the Kitchen
Spraying poisons and severe chemicals all over your kitchen isn’t a wise idea. If you need to know how to keep your kitchen from ants, though, it only makes sense that you’ll want some product to do the work for you.
While there are dozens of choices on the market, some products tend to be ideal for kitchen use:
1. Raid Max Ant Baits
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Raid Max is the perfect solution for anyone looking to eliminate ants from their kitchen. These baits are designed with a child-resistant design, so there’s no need to worry about curious kids getting into them. They also have an extended 3-month life span, so you can use Raid Max Ant Baits without worrying about re-applying them too often!
The best part? Because this bait has been specifically designed for kitchens, you don’t have to deal with messy sprays or powders anymore. This product will kill ants fast and keep your kitchen ant-free!
- Eliminates ants in your kitchen within days.
- Child-resistant design.
- Keep the ants away from your food.
- Keep your kids and pets safe.
- No need to worry about messy powders or sprays.
2. TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Stations
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TERRO Ant Bait Stations are pre-filled, ready-to-use bait stations with a patented design to prevent bait from drying out. The active ingredient is Borax 5.40%. This product is odorless. It can be used indoors, and the instructions on activating the station are included in the package. These [link_webnavoz]best ant traps[/link_webnavoz] will last an entire year if activated according to instructions, but they can be reused until they are empty.
- The snap-off tab has been improved, making the stations easier to use.
- How long it takes to get rid of ants will depend on how many there are. It might take up to 2 weeks if there are many of them.
- No more ants in your kitchen or other areas where you don’t want them!
3. EcoRaider Natural and Non-Toxic Ant Killer Spray
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This product uses tiny amounts of active ingredients to quickly paralyze and kill ants on counters and around your home.
It can be purchased at significant hardware retailers like Home Depot and online through Amazon.
Effective Methods for Killing Ants in My Kitchen
Sometimes ants can take over your kitchen, and the only answer is to remove everything from your counters and sinks and use actual pesticides to kill them. Adequate ventilation is essential when using these products, so make sure you open up your windows. Using a fan to create more airflow can be beneficial.
Products that work for killing ants in the kitchen include:
4. TERRO Liquid Ant Killer II
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This product is used by pouring a small amount of the liquid ant killer onto provided cardboard squares. These are then placed near the infestation to attract ants and kill them. Terro Liquid Ant Killer is designed for indoor use, but outdoor versions are also available.
Retailers like Home Depot and online stores, including Amazon, carry this product.
5. Combat Ant & Roach Foam Spray
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This product is applied directly to ant infestations and quickly paralyzes them.
It is available at major retailers, drug stores, and hardware stores throughout the country.
6. Advion Ant Control Bait Gel
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This product helps apply to cracks in walls and corners of cabinets.
It can be used indoors and outdoors and is available online through Amazon and some brick-and-mortar stores.
How to Remove Ants Quickly with Natural and Homemade Products
You’re not the only one who wants to learn how to stop ants in the kitchen. Ants can be a real nuisance; try as hard as you can. Sometimes they still end up inside. Getting rid of them quickly isn’t all that hard, though. Even some types of homemade ant killer can be effective.
Here are natural ways to get rid of ants in the kitchen quickly:
- Use the dish soap and water method.
This will trap the ants, making them easy to wipe off of counters. Dish soap is also easy to remove and non-toxic for humans, making it an ideal solution for homes with pets and children. - Pour boiling water into the sink.
Boiling water will quickly eradicate ants in the short-term. A long-term solution may be needed for a chronic infestation. - Combine a teaspoon of peppermint oil with warm water in a spray bottle. Spray the ants and wipe them away when they die within a few minutes. As an added benefit, peppermint oil smells much better than your average ant killer, though it isn’t as effective for large groups of ants.
- Create a trap of 75% peanut butter and 25% powdered borax.
This can work well if you have ants in one small part of the kitchen like on an island or in a single cupboard or cabinet. Mixing three parts of powdered sugar with one-part powdered borax can also be effective.
You may need to try a few different solutions when it comes to stubborn ant invasions. You’ll also need to shore up any areas around your home that are allowing insects inside in the first place.
If all of your hard work doesn’t pay off and ants are becoming regular visitors to your kitchen, it may be time to hire a professional to help you figure out the problem. Professional solutions can also take care of ants on the spot, so they’re gone in minutes.
The methods above can help eliminate tiny six-legged squatters in the kitchen quickly and easily. Use them around your home and kiss ants goodbye!
We use 10% dr. Bonners peppermint soap and water in a spray bottle. Kills ants on contact, erases trail and smells festive. Still have to keep clean house and stay up on them
Thank goodness for you and your suggestion! We had quite a mess of ants and this worked like a charm! Thank you!!!
from where do you get the soap???
Never had an ant problem now since the rain we seem to have a patch of them near the dog and cats pellets, tried vinegar, pepper nothing seem to help am thinking of purchasing ant traps as a last resort
Save your money every time I buy ant traps the ants actually walk around them, as if annoyed that they’re in their way lol
Those traps never attracted any ants.
Winded is a good temporary means. Kills them dead!
Do you mean Wndex?
do you mean Windex ?
Best ant traps I found that really worked was at lowes …the traps are flat black plastic squares with little holes aroundhe base of them and I got rid of the ants . They are about 1 -2 inches square in size and are rather flat. Worked for me !
Black pepper cinnamon old dry coffee ground that work for me in Michigan
so far the perfume is the most effective one. i tried vinegar and water; bleach, soap and water (killed them instantly but came back); salt in possible entry way. it got so frustrating until the perfume in cottonballs.
Is there a certain perfume you use ?
Just bomb with a can of hot shot. I had an ant problem for three years in a row and tried every possible resource I could find on the internet until I popped a can of Hot Shot bombs spray, I bought it at Ace Hardware there were three cans in a package for $7. Is 4 years later and I haven’t seen an ants in the house just to mention that summer not one mosquito entered our home. If you have pets do one room at a time and put a plastic bag to block the doorways so the vapor doesn’t read your animals. Again this is the only alternative any home remedy will not be effective no matter what you read on the internet.
Many home remedies will be effective. Borax, for example, is a material that is used both in home remedies and in commercial remedies. I can see why you would recommend your method, and your recommendation is compelling, but there is rarely only one alternative, and insects do respond to certain chemicals that we have in our homes.
thank you for the information I’m sure one of these will work thank you very much have a great day Danny
I have so too
Ants hate chlorine, which is in soap, but a better and stronger method than soap is to use any kitchen or bathroom spray that contains chlorine. These sprays are cheap and can be bought at Wal-mart or the Dollar store. Spray countertops, sink and floor area and wipe up excess spray. It is a germ killer and ant deterrent all in one. Safe and cheap.
Does NOT WORK ON SUGAR ANTS THE ONLY THING I HAVENT TRIED IS CINNAMMON AND THE BORAX AND SUGAR IDEA I JUST READ BUT MY TRAILOR IS LIKE OVER “” HUNDREDS OF MOUNDS”” so i thought about doing the bug bombing thing UNDER MY TRAILOR BUT JUST NOT SURE EVEN THAT WILL WORK BEEN HERE 14 YEARS AND AINT HAD A SUMMER WITHOUT THOSE AGGREVATING TINY THINGS AND FIELD MICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh i live on sand mountain its like they think I INVADED THEIR HOME OR SOMETHING!!!!!!!!! LOL
Sound like you did!
Oh no!! I am looking for a solution for my sugar ant problem too. They once invaded my car after spilling a few drops of soda and then again when my son left his sticky lollipop stick in there. Now they are in one area of my countertop and I want to get on top of this asap before it becomes a bigger problem. I’m going to get borax and go from there I guess.
lol just get a bug bomb in a can. It’ll deter those mice for a while too.
did you ever find a solutions to getting the ants and mice out and keeping them out.
did u every find a solution to kill them and keep them out. I live in a trailor as well. it is so frustrating
Use 91% rubbing alcohol that kill the ant.iwash down the whole count with that the ant lost the Trail for all the ant that work for me.
I have used Lysol (the Lemon) make sure it is just not the household cleaner, you need (cleans, disinfects and deordorizes). Do NOT dilute it.
I used to use the original scent , but I can’t find it unless its a concentrate and the smell is just to overpowering.
Soak a papertowel and wipe up the ants. Wipe the floor one more time and get the baseboards.. Do not rinse. If they come back they will be less, repeat the above step again. They should be gone. The most I have ever had to repeat is 3 times. The next time you mop your floor use the Lysol with really hot water. Dont have an aunt problem. Also if you have a crawl space under your house. The ” raid Fumigators” work for everything. At the beginning of spring is when we do ours.
thanks i will do that this year. man i really heat these ants…
i hope it will work for me like it did for u…
I’ve been in my house since 1993 and I have never had a insect problem. All of a sudden, I noticed ants in my kitchen. Could be from a cracked foundation. I’m going to try your method. I hope it works.
Try using febreze it works like a charm
How do you use it?
How would I use the febreeze?
I agree… actually, just about any spray cleaner will do the trick. Simple green works quite well. I looked outside on the patio this morning after our first rain in months, and it is literally moving. For every ant I do see, I am sure there are thousands more I don’t. No matter how we try, there is some access point in the kitchen that we have not found. We just try to keep all food sources out of reach – cat food, sugar, etc. Good luck to everyone out there!
We seen them ants snacking on are little girls good RIGHT IN THE BOWL so we sprayed gas on them ants and if they come near a fire then that is the end of them 😉 yes let me tell you.
Bengals ANY THING will kill ANYTHING and it will work for a good while
Where can I purchase Bengals?
Out of the blue I have been seeing big black ants in my kitchen crawling everywhere draws underneath the sink.. They come just like roaches……. any suggestions on how to here rid of them
Spray Pam around the window it worked for me
In my house we didn’t have any ants. Out of nowhere we started having ant problems. So we are going to take your advice to see if it work, and if it does work we are going to let you know.
Try Basil leaves
Just break them up or leave whole..put in cracks and crevices of house
Peanut Butter … For some reason chunky works faster but it really works!!!
Place a t spoon of PB in any high populated area of your kitchen (counter top, back splash, sink, etc…) and wait 7-10 hours before no more ants!!! I don’t know how it works but once my professor told us about his remedy I’ve passed it on to dozens of people. Try it please.
Ants are drawn to peanut butter you fool,
You’re going to end up with billions of ants looking for one drop of peanut butter and they’re not going to die they’re going to feast on it and then scout around your house for more you will definitely have an infestation then you’ll have to move
Peanut butter? Your professor is an idiot. And I love peanut butter and it’s not going to poison them either. If anybody is reading the advice on peanut butter don’t do it. Someone isn’t bleeding you and remember how jerks enjoy doing that on the Internet. Somebody’s going to get a cheap thrill out of leading everybody to put peanut butter around their house so we all get house infestations. Research a little further student, your professor is an idiot.
Mix borax with the peanut butter, it’s a soap powder, then the ants will bring it back to the nest and kill off the rest of the entire colony. But please don’t put the peanut butter out without the borax because ants love peanut butter, but they’re certainly not going to die with plain peanut butter. If you mix that borax soap which you can get at the supermarket with the peanut butter, u will surely have an effective weapon against ants in your kitchen.
Fire the Professor!!!
then you get mice,they love peanut butter,,
He probably owns a pest company and is trying to get himself business. Shady people, what happened to honesty?
I just gave up and put my flour, sugar and honey in the refrigerator. Now to watch and wait. 😀
I am going to try the peanut butter. I have the ant traps but i have 4 cats afraid to use them.
If you see large large ants in numbers, they might be carpenter ants. They are not as destructive as termites, but they can still do significant damage to wood. When we had our rear deck removed to build our sun room, carpenter ants had chewed pathways laterally along the old planks attached to the house and established a major nesting area. We called an exterminator.
These ants just wont go away. I caulked basically every crack and crevice under the sun and used all solutions possible. The keep reappearing.Anyone know of a great and cheap exterminator in chicago midway airport area????
I was reading that uncooked cream of wheat cereal kilks ants. The ants eat the cereal and it expands inside of them and explodes their stomachs. This process does take a couple to a few weeks. I did this on my outdoor patio. You need to kerp putting a little down every do often.
Then you have to deal with quakers. They love cream of wheat.
I sprinkle Diaznon aroung the foundation of the house and then use Raid Fumigator Hot Shot. Works great but be prepared to clean up ALOT of dead ants. Used 2 months ago and have not seen one since.
Cinnamon in front of my door baseboard countertop, actually work
Dont use Peanut butter that’s a joke. Don’t put peanut butter people unless you mix borax soap into it. Still unanswered or peanut butter and you will have millions chasing those drops of peanut butter. I have cats so I can’t use those spray Bombs or chemicals. I also mix borax with honey and when it hardens and love it but they bring the honey borax mix back to their colony to feed the Queen and then they all died. If you just want to get rid of them temporarily use Dawn dish detergent about a teaspoon in a spray bottle with water it kills them on contact but doesn’t destroy their trail. The cinnamon is a good idea but the smell will still draw him out not kill them. Still don’t use the peanut butter idea without the borax people whoever posted that is a troublemaker and wants everyone to have a house infestation. Also whoever posted cockroaches is a fool as well. I would rather have an ant infestation than a cockroach infestation. Good luck peeps
Use jelly mixed with borax, but put the mixture on painter’s tape to keep the mess off the counter tops. Kills ants for 2-6 months. equal amounts of borax to jelly. Too much borax and the ants just leave it alone.
I like to use soap mixed with kerosene or acetone. It works every time.
Mix powdered sugar and baking soda. The ants can’t separate them so eat it all. Ants can’t expel gas so literally their insides explode! Works every time! And it won’t harm pets or children!
how do i use it
I can tell you that the dawn in water does kill them on contact but that is it. I have tried putting mint on a cotton ball and leaving it out and they are still there, I can’t find big bottles of it either so I had to get the little bottles and that was expensive. One problem with the perfume that was listed it will make the things in your kitchen taste like perfume and that is not good. I am desperate for a solution. I need some much needed help. Please advise. I would NEVER, NEVER, try the peanut butter method. That is nuts.
Borax works.
Has anybody tried cucumbers? I read where you can place slices on the counter and that the ants do not like them.
I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t see it on this page.
Ants look for two different things, certain times they hunger for protein other times they hunger for sugar. I do this all the time, and it works perfectly, keeping ants away for months, literally killing the whole colony.
I mix equal parts of borax with equal parts Friskies moist cat food mash it together very well and put tiny bits of it along the ant to trial. They will carry this back to the ant nest and Feed The Colony, leaving them all dead. That’s the protein part now for sugar, mix equal parts of Honey with Borax and again mash it together very well. As with the pet food combination, the ants will bring this back to their nest Feed The Colony and you will have destroyed the entire colony. This is the answer that lasts me for months. So if you’re not sure whether they’re hunting for sugar or protein try both. Remember to mix equal parts of pet food and borax and or equal parts honey and borax. This way you covered all the bases whether they’re searching for protein or sugar you satisfy both needs. This will eliminate any need for bomb sprays and insecticides.. Warning …if you have animals, make sure the solution is out of their reach or what I do is place a plastic cup upside down on the counter top over the mixtures and cut little holes in the cup, so the ants can get through but my animals cannot. Again I implore you do not use peanut butter as someone has suggested or you will be inviting every ant in your community into your household, ants love peanut butter and can smell it from a far distance. I hope this helps someone as it has helped me and has proven to be safe and extremely effective in killing ants. Carpenter ants also have eaten these mixtures and I haven’t seen one carpenter ant in my house for over 3 years now. Good luck to everyone and have a nice summer. Gia in Oceanside New York, South Shore of Nassau County Long Island. Hurricane Survivor and ant infestation Survivor as well, LOL
I’m gonna try to get some borax today. I have ocd so these pesky ants are driving me mad. I’ll let u know how I get on.x
The website suggested sprinkling cinnamon but I found ants walk right over the cinnamon yes they stepped right across it
Hey it sounds kind of silly that ants would run from dancing to a Jungle Book song, but I’m sure it’s a great way to bring your family together and have some fun. For that reason alone I think I’ll try it with my kids. But I’m sticking to The Borax concoctions to kill off the ants. Your suggestion was quite humorous. Thank you for entertaining us here on this website 🙂
Dear all,
I tried mixing 1/2 borax and 1/2 honey and ants seem to be feasting on it without signs of getting sick. Do I need to increase borax proportion? How long does this need to work?
Thanks!
Give it time. Within a week the ant nest will have fed off of your mixture and the colony will die off. Be patient because too much borax and the ants will recognize its poison and avoid it. So keep mixing 50 50 with the borax and honey and I assure you within a week or so is time you will not see it and show up. Occasionally a cripple and will try calling out but if you watch him in minutes he’s dead. Best of luck to you and thanks for trying our suggestions and succeeding
You think you see ants eating it, but they’re truly just collecting it and bringing it back to the nest. Remember they are the worker ants, and they are gathering food to feed the ant nest and the Queen, so be patient the remedy will work.
Borax and sugar best of all ant defence tried. Start with 1/3 borax and 2/3 sugar the change to 50/5/ or more borax. Ants will be accustomed to old mixture anf take new mix to colony, it take week or so but eventually works.
By sugar, do you mean powdered sugar?
how can we get rid of ants from whole wheat (Atta) kept in a drum.
Diatomaceous earth food-grade. Research it and get it at diatomaceous earth.com. it’s for human consumption also and has thousands of health benefits not just killing bugs.
Well all i have is boric acid would that work instead borax? HELP PLEASE BEEN DEALIN WITH THESE SON OF A GUNS FOR “””14″”” YEARS NOW IM AT THE END OF MY ROPE WITH THESE AGGRIVATING , IRRITATING , BACK EEEEEEEVVVRRRRRYYYY SINGLE DAY PESTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “””I NEED TRIED AND TRUE HELP”””
Hello friend, read back a few posts. Someone named Gia exclamation thing about Borax and honey and or borax and cat food. I tried those both concoctions and although and stated they truly did take it back to the Colony and it’s been 2 months and I haven’t seen one and on my kitchen counter yet. I have cats so I couldn’t use those cans of spray to bomb the room but I’m Promise You The Borax and cat food or the borax and honey both worked effectively and quickly. I am also OCD and I could not sleep at night knowing there were ants in the kitchen afraid they would reach other rooms. Try to borax concoctions that someone named Gia posted a few posts ago. It truly truly works. God bless
I’ve been using either cucumbers or grits to get rid of the black ants. I live in a trailer near he beach & we have ants everywhere! This year, I’m thinking about buying a bunch of grits & putting the in the grass spreader to see about getting rid of the nests outside too! Maybe then, I won’t see them in the kitchen anymore! As for the cucumbers, they work, until they dry up. you need to keep replacing them. Good Luck!
Diatomaceous earth, food grade. Safe for pets and edible. Only downside is if inhaled it can be irritating. Might be annoying if you don’t want white powder in your house. Doesn’t work when wet but once it dries it’ll work again. When I put it down on the ants they leave the area alone as it’ll slice through their waxy layer and cause a slow death as they lose body moisture.
After lots of rain had the tiny black ants in my kitchen. I closed the kitchen down took everything off counters(granite) and put seven dust around edges of counters. Killed the ones I saw. Left the dust down 2 days. Didn’t see anymore so cleaned up the dust using dawn dis detergent. 2 days later back again. Think they may be coming in thru vent that was installed in my kitchen update. So I’ll go out and put dust outside and get some borax and honey/catfood inside. We have some Ferrell cats that I feed(no more mice during the winter for 2 years) so if you have a mice problem get a Ferrell cat.
have ants coming in my microwave have tried a few things. does anybody have any save suggestions to stop the pesty little creatures.
Everybody’s comments regarding ants were very helpful. Does anyone know how to get rid of or treat for Lo Moth Caterpillars (they have a painful sting).
I have been using spray that works in killing the annoying ants instantly. But they come back. Am asthmatic and the spray cause me real trouble. I wannna try the borax/peanut method as most people say its effective. The problem is i dont know where to buy borax. I live in a developing country MALAWI-AFRICA.
I have tried cornmeal outside and they seem to come out of everywhere and take back to nest and I don’t see them again but you do have to watch out for severe down pours because they reappear so do it again and you don’t need much. But today for first time I hade a few by kitchen window so wiped with vinegar and put cornmeal out so we shall see I have never had any inside but plan on putting outside on ground under window and when I feed my lawn I have not tried it but read it feeds lawn but kills ants.I am so grossed out when I saw them but thank God only a few. We had a down pour this week guessing their homes got flooded. I have a crawl space will have hubby sprinkle it down there as well.
I have read all of the comments but I honestly don’t know which one to use. My problem is there are people in the house that has asthma so I have to watch what I use. I have tried the borax, sugar and water with the cotton balls worked for about 30 minutes then the ants come back twice as bad. I need help figuring out how to get rid of the stupid pesky ants. There are the small ones. They are to the point now that they are crawling up my drain pipes in the kitchen. Please help me find a way to get rid of them for now and forever.
Try using Terra from lowes.
Works great. It’s arsenic mixed with sugar. Pour a drop in different spots and you will see hundred of ants eating it. They take it back to the nest.ants are gone for good.
Two things have worked great for me for tiny black ants in the kitchen
(works for spiders in the house too)
1.) Buy a can of LEMON Pledge furniture spray… and spray your counters, window sills, and door way entrances (the threshold where you step over)
They hate it and will disappear. (I usually only have to spray once, but I do spray in the kitchen twice during 2 days)
2. Cucumber peels… put them around underneath (if you are in a trailer this should work for you) We were traveling in an RV one time and they came inside while we were sleeping and invaded our bed. Someone told us about cucumber peels, so we put them around each wheel of our RV and they were gone quickly and never enter the RV again while we were parked in that camping ground.)
Unscented baby wipes! Removes the trail, and doesn’t kill ants immediately, but they won’t leave the wipes sitting in the trash, and slowly stop moving. (Now what are we putting on babies…)
Can I use powdered sugar instead of regular sugar?
I bought two different kinds of ant traps and we still have ants. Spraying insecticide around the outside perimeter of the house—also useless.
Someone told me about the salt treatment yesterday and so far I haven’t seen any today. If they come back I’ll try a remedy that smells good, like citrus for the kitchen. For the bathroom I like the idea of soaking cotton balls in perfume. Never heard that one before. I’ll let you know. Thanks for all the good tips!
In Florida we used grits in s restaurant I was working it worked like a charm they ate the grits swelled up and exploded
Does anybody have the VERY TINY black ants? Literally look like tiny coffee ground size – but they move – quite fast. Do you think a mixture of Borax with cornmeal would be effective (50/50 mix?)?
The ants we have are VERY TINY. Smaller than a coffee ground for sure so perhaps you could put a doz on head of a pine. They prefer sweets like cake or cookies but bread crumbs on occasion. Have seen them outside around our pool
But so small and fast! This sound like any of yours?
I used Borax and powdered sugar. Half and half plus little bit of water. Mix it all up and put it on some cardboard. It kills the ants dead in time.
I belonged to our local horticultural society years ago and they recommended a mixture of icing sugar and baking soda. When the ants eat the sugar they explode. It works everytime. Also, the vinegar and water solution seems to have results too.
The tiny ants in my kitchen avoid Terro products like the plague. Caulking around the kitchen window has helped. I have to be vigilant; ants can creep thru the tiniest spaces. I am adding a daily wipedown with vinegar to my routine, and sprinkling borax behind the sink. I’s sight one or two ants at a time until today (which got me to this site, which is indeed helpful).
Love all the suggestions – have small pockets of ants black & brown coming in to eat dogs & cats foods & treats – can’t wait to try several of your suggestions that will not harm my furbabies – we’ve had a lot of rain this year so the ants in the pet bowls have been plentiful & annoying & wasteful!! Thanks, everyone!! Someone had suggested a sponge soaked in water & vinegar – does this just repell ants or does it actually eradicate the entire colony? Just curious –
Those tiny, fast half black half yellowish ants are probably PHARAOH ants. I never had any ants in my life and I lived in many places. They are in my bathroom, kitchen cupboards, counters, wall above my sink, and even on my fridge. I am afraid if they can go into the fridge or freezer. They seem to know that I put all my food there. I do not keep anything in my cupboards and buying prepared or frozen foods. Some of my neighbours say they don’t have them but how can that be possible? Don’t ants travel in apartment buildings? I didn’t ask the neighbour below or above me.
I spent money on diam. earth, tero liquid, ant b gone liquid, raid plastic baits with holes, round metal baits with holes on the sides, and it took forever for them to go away with the tero and ant b gone only to appear at the other end of the wall or counter. I am fed up and this is ruining my life. I tried the mint essential oil and cinnamon oil smearing it on surfaces and sides of cabinets but looks like it doesn’t deter these types of ants.
I wish someone can do more research because this is insanity and now I know all about ants from reading up on people’s problems. I will have a heart attack if they appear in my living room or bedroom.
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