Can't Get Rid Of Ants In My Kitchen!

Question

We have senior pets and need to find something not toxic to them or us to get rid of ants in our kitchen. I have researched on Hometalk and the Internet to find something. So far we have used cinnamon, Vinegar, Lavender oil, EcoSmart ant spray, and we even put out those Raid duo traps. They will not leave! I have wiped their scents down and removed the dog's food. We can not find the entry point. I am hoping someone has another idea that might help us.

Catherine Smith · Answer

We too have senior pets, and come spring the ants always show up uninvited. We use a spoonful of borax mixed with some syrup on a flat mason jar lid and slide or put them in the main ant trails. The ants take the bait back to the nest and it will kill their queen.

Debbie Anthony · Answer

We always put any kind of ant killer in light switches. Remove the light plate add small amount, replace light plate. We were told to do this by a professional exterminator. It works for us.

Melissa Gutilla · Answer

spray under the cabinets where the pipes come in the house. I had a bad problem with them a few years ago and I found it worked when nothing else did . Hope it helps,

Sharron Abrams · Answer

Try house pepper - I use it outside to - the ants hate it

360 Sod (Donna Dixson) · Answer

I use diluted dish soap sprayed directly on them, and sevin dust in my pipe entry points. The soap is a direct kill only and will not provide any residual effect, but it doesn't hurt pets or us or my eating surface.

Keller Pest Control · Answer

To really answer this properly I would need to know what type of ants you have. if they are a small black or brownish color then they are probably Odorous house ants. If that's the case then the best solution is to find the entry points. There will be trails of ants coming up the outside somewhere look in the daytime when the ants are present in the kitchen try to follow the trail back to the colony. They can winter over inside the wall itself so there may be no trails outside. If that's the case then the best results will come from using Advion ant gel bait. Use it in the areas where the ants are running. If the area is an area that you are concerned about pets instead of just using the gel bait where its exposed. you can cut up straws and inject the bait into the straws. You should be able to buy this from a Pest control supply company locally. Or on the internet. The bait is phenomenal and gives you instant results. when you apply the bait the key is to get the ants feeding on it. They usually take to it pretty readily. But if they don't gently blow on the ants to move them over to the bait. Apply it as the label calls for. If its a larger ant than it could be Argentine or Carpenter ants and there is more involved in the treatment. So Identify the type and than you can determine the proper treatment. Ants send out scouts t find food sources and when they find food they leave a scent trail back to the colony so while cleaning up may help deter them they will just find their way back. If you can find the nest outside that's where you would apply the pesticides. Termidor is the best product outside and only use it outside. If you take a picture and send it to me I can help you Id the ant or go to our website and look at the pest library under ants. WWW,kellerpest.com

Kriss Gross · Answer

Hello Lin. Take equal parts baking soda and 'powdered' sugar, mix well in shallow bowl (an old pickle jar lid works really well).and place in the area where you see the ants the most. They will gobble up the baking soda and sugar and their stomach acids will cause the baking soda to expand and the ants will basically blowup, but in the meantime, they have taken all this yummy stuff back to the nest....Pop Ants anyone!

Lin R · Answer

Thanks to all of you for your input. They are little brown ants and I have sprayed the outlets and window sills with poison. That was 3 days ago and I have not seen them anymore. I am going to keep a good lookout as our weather is down in the teens again this week. I appreciate everyone taking the time to give me advice.

Kriss Gross · Answer

@Lin R, spraying them only takes care of the ants in the immediate vicinity of the spray, the nest is what needs to be dealt with. Combat makes a gel, that you can squeeze into cracks and other small spaces. I have used this for sugar ants before I found the sugar/baking soda fix. I know the powdered sugar sounds contradictory; however, the p.sugar is the bait, otherwise the ants wouldn't take the baking soda as well If you use granulated sugar, thy will take the sugar and leave the soda behind.

Lin R · Answer

We have tried but can not find where they came from. My husband did spray the perimeter of the outside of our house too. Thank you for the info.

Maria Torres · Answer

Mix equal parts of borax and powdered sugar.  Put it on the places you see the ants, they will be gone.

Maria Torres · Answer

Mix equal parts of borax and powdered sugar.  Put it on the places you see the ants, they will be gone.

Debbie/Dragonfly Treasure · Answer

packaged cornbread mix that says it is sweetened and put it where they are coming in if you can find it, or even on your counter in a small lid. 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.

Can't Get Rid Of Ants In My Kitchen!

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Can't Get Rid Of Ants In My Kitchen!

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