- The best way to get rid of ants is the use of borax or boric acid baits that you bring back to the colony.
- Ants love kitchens because of food crumbs, fat and water – so it is the first step to keep things clean.
- After the use of bait, clean with vinegar and seal cracks to prevent the ants from getting back.
My kitchen often houses many wonderful things, such as on Saturday morning pancakes with my daughters, fish and chips anniversary for my wife and countless recipe creations. It is both the heart of our house and my primary work area. It is also a comfortable habitat for pests because I constantly fight small ants that crawl over my worktops.
With this very real (and disgusting) problem in my house, I wanted to identify the absolutely best way to get rid of ants from my kitchen. I turned to a handful of pest control and cleaning experts to remove these ants once and for all. As it turns out, there is a simple way to eliminate ants: Use of borax-based or boric acid baits that are available in hardware stores and even in some grocery stores.
Get rid of ants
The removal of the ants on the surface of cupboards, worktops, sinks or garbage is not enough to actually free your cuisine of the small pests. Instead, you have to address the actual colony of ants. A high -quality bait will do exactly that: ants crawl into the bait and bring him back to your colony, which effectively poisoned all ants in your house.
Look for borax-based or boric acid anisan bait, says Nicole CarpenterPresident of Black Pest Control. “Hold the bait for at least 7 days and do not kill the ants you see near the bait because you actually do you a favor by bringing your poison home.” You will find Antköderfallen in your local hardware or grocery store. Search for those with borax. You can also buy boric acid separately and make your own bait. Simply follow the instructions on the package.
Boric acid is a common insecticide used in the pest control industry, says Scot HodgesACE certified entomologist and vice president for professional development and technical services at Arrow Exterminators. “In consumption, ants are passed on, which causes the decline of numerous colonies members. The slow -looking nature takes 48 to 72 hours to eliminate ants.”
While boric acid is poisonous for beetles, it is safe for humans and pets if it is used correctly, says Hodges. “If you are concerned to use boric acid in your kitchen safely, you can call a local pest control professional. You will not only make sure that treatment is used correctly, but can also identify the type of ants, which can help you to better address the problem.”
Why ants love kitchens
Pests in the kitchen are undoubtedly attracted to food and remaining crumbs, so it is no surprise that ants also love kitchens. But it is not just the random crumbs that make the kitchens a place for an ants.
“Crumbs and spills are a large part of why ants are zero in the kitchen,” says Nikki TorgersonOwner of the preparation of the advanced bug, which specializes in extreme clean -up work and infestation (including ants). “It is not only sugar, but also every food source, even fat or pet food, can quickly draw it. They are super fragrance and as soon as an ant finds a way into it, it leaves a way so that his buddies can follow.”
Easy access to water is another important reason why Antisen love kitchens. “Ants such as simple paths and water sources as well as cutting off leaks and moisture problems can make your home much less inviting,” explains Trenton FrazerAt Aptive Pest Control. “It is also wise to keep your food in airtight containers, especially in sweets and baked goods that love ants.”
An ant leaves a pheromone path as soon as it identifies a food or beverage source like this fat spots next to your stove or these drops of water that collect behind your tap. This path will then steer other ants to the source, explained Juan C. RezkChief Marketing Officer at Certus. “Your feeling of scent is exceptionally precise,” he says. “This is the reason why it often appears as if they appear overnight.”
Keep ants away
While bait traps are considered a gold standard for many in the pest control industry, it is important to take further steps to ensure that your kitchen is less than ideal for future infestation. Carpenter recommends giving your kitchen a good cleaning to delete the pheromon paths, leave the ants behind.
Think a bit outside the plate when cleaning your kitchen. Clean yourself under the toaster, behind dockets, under your fridge and everywhere, crumbs and fat everywhere, says Carpenter.
A solution of 50/50 white vinegar and water is an effective tool when cleaning your kitchen and removing the pheromon paths of ants, says Ahmed mezilChief Executive Officer and founder of Hellamaid. “To be honest, most ant sprays bought in the store are exaggerated and not something that I would like near our areas for food preparation. This vinegar approach is safe, natural and works better in the long term because it breaks their communication.”
As soon as your kitchen is cleaned, the pheromon paths are destroyed and the ants bait have killed the colony. You want to seal obvious entry points. “Buy a high-quality boiler from the outer quality, such as silicone or latex kettle, and fill it with cracks and gaps around windows, door frames, baseboards and where pipes or cables come through the wall,” recommends Carpenter. “For gaps under doors, add Weather -Streping or a door so that ants cannot crawl underneath.”
The end result
Ants are a nuisance in the kitchen and are attracted to food and water from simple access to food. An ant bait trap that contains borax or boric acid kills the colony effectively and is safe if it is used as dependent. Make sure you give your kitchen thorough cleaning with vinegar water to disturb pheromon paths and seal the outdoor entry points with a boiler. Take these steps to get rid of ants in your kitchen once and for all.
