I am having a horrible problem with the little brown ants. Help!

Maj17897513
by Maj17897513
These ants are all over my kitchen counter. I can't see where they are coming from. I have tried ant traps and even Terro. I keep wiping the counter and sink with vinegar and water. Nothing seems to help. Any suggestions?

  12 answers
  • Ken Ken on May 13, 2018

    The most recommended ant solution is a dry borax and sugar mix.

  • Spray the perimeter of your house with an outdoor ant killer.

  • Sharon Sharon on May 13, 2018

    Then inside use a non-toxic insecticide like Victors, EcoSmart or EcoLogic ant spray. It kills on contact, and wiping around the doors and on counters with it will repel them. I would also get the Command ant traps that kills the colony, put them in there path. Ants follow a chemical trail that the little advance ants lay after they have found food and water.

  • Rebecca Walton Curran Rebecca Walton Curran on May 14, 2018

    try placing bay leaves on the counters where u see them. they are an irritant to insects

  • Nancy Nancy on May 14, 2018

    I put down a line of QUICK GRITS. YUP... they have a feeding frenzy. When they get moist inside the ants it puffs up and kills them. Borax and sugar work also but a sticky mess is the side effect in the area. Works every time.

  • Kca Kca on May 14, 2018

    Add several drops of peppermint oil to water in a spray bottle and spray around possible points of entry. Works like a charm!

  • Cynthia T Fenimore Cynthia T Fenimore on May 14, 2018

    Vinegar, Vinegar, Vinegar! Mix 1/2 water, 1/2 white vinegar, couple drops of dish soap in a spray bottle. Use it every time you wipe down countertops, kitchen window sills, floor, table, etc. When the ants are plentiful I spray behind the faucet and window sill over the sink and leave it to evaporate. Dry animal food is on a tray that I spray, took some time for the cats to get used to the smell. But no ants in their food. Ants are an issue all the time in FL and this has worked beautifully for us.

  • Angela Tomas Angela Tomas on May 15, 2018

    Which suggestions worked for you?


  • Harleyron74 Harleyron74 on May 16, 2018

    Small brown ants are sweet eating ants. Terro usually kills them fast but you must keep at it for several day's to make sure the colony is completely exterminated.

    Try this formula: 32 oz of warm water, 1/8 cup of borax, 1/4 cup of sugar. Mix everything in A bowl and then drop cotton ball's into the mixture. When saturated place cotton ball's near the ant trails. The ants will gorge themselves in the solution and take it back to the colony. They will feed the queen and the other colony member's and in A few day's they will die.

  • Rinam Rinam on May 17, 2018

    I used Queengel you can get in Ace orr Home Depot. Was very useful. Just a few drops in the corners ans they were gone..

  • Maj17897513 Maj17897513 on May 17, 2018

    Thanks I will try this!

  • I use packaged cornbread mix that says it is sweetened and put it where they are. They will take it to the mound, everyone will eat it and die, they can't digest the cornmeal, but will take it because it is sweetened. Little goes a long way.


    I read this from : Itsmemic

    Medicated powder from the Dollar Tree. It has eucalyptus in it...menthol...I puff it around my homes foundation..and inside under my birdcages in the cracks under moldings. Work immediately and they never come back. I do this at the first sign of ants..in one day..GONE. The powder is in a very large container and lasts quite awhile too !! And smells great !

    Not toxic to my birds OR dog


    What if you make a barrier around the house.

    I did some research, since we know what works for one person doesn't always work for another. I found this site and it's pretty informative. I know some tips you may not be able to use but there are some good ones also that will hopefully help.

    https://www.familyhandyman.com/pest-control/how-to-get-rid-of-ants/view-all/


    Ants are so weird. One time I found them inside the freezer in the garage!! What would possess them to go inside a freezer only to die? They must have sent signals back or something ~ there were no ant trails only a freezer full of dead ants. Hasn't happened since.


    Ant Spray - https://www.hometalk.com/diy/outdoor/pest-repeller/cheap-easy-homemade-ant-spray-31195184?