How to exterminate ants

Carpenter ant, Camponotus sp.
Image via Wikipedia

This is a guest post. Since we've had some of these come into my house already this summer, I thought it was a very timely post. 🙂

Ant Killing, Starting with the Kitchen

If you’ve got ants in your house, you need to get the problem under control quickly, before the infestation grows.

This post is dedicated to a key aspect of ant killing: checking all areas of your kitchen, including ones most people don’t think about, for ants or food particles.

If you want to know how to exterminate ants, start by understanding the places these pests tend to use as hiding spots.

There may be an area of your house you don’t realize is home to ants. Read on to make sure you’re not overlooking these vital locations.

Refrigerator

When ant killing, it’s important to look in places you wouldn’t normally consider.

Start with your refrigerator. The top of your fridge is a hotspot for ant activity. It’s warm and often dirty, so clean here often to prevent an ant infestation. If you’ve got ants here, this is a great location to put an ant trap.

Besides the top of the fridge, look under it. Thanks to spilled food and drinks, it may be the ant buffet location of your kitchen. Pop off the grate and use a flashlight to look under. If you see ants, stick a trap there. To keep ants from congregating under your fridge, keep the area clean. If you have a spill, clean it up quickly before it finds its way far under and out of your reach.

Trashcan

Your kitchen trashcan is another key spot for ant infestations. Keep the lid closed and empty it often. If food gets spilled on the inside of the trashcan, clean it out.

Cabinets

Out of sight doesn’t mean it should be out of mind. The tops of your cabinets may not get your attention often, but if you see ants in your kitchen, you should clean this area. If you see ant activity on the top of cabinets, stick some ant traps there.

Inside your cabinets is another common spot ants congregate. Check under the cabinet paper lining, which is a great place for the ants to hide. When storing food, make sure it’s in airtight containers. If there are any spills, even the smallest crumbs, clean them up.

Carefully inspect the insides of cabinets for cracks, crevices and corners that can conceal the ants.

Sink

Your sink is the perfect place for an ant infestation. They gather there to drink. If you don’t see ants on the top, check underneath your sink. If you have a leak under your sink, ants could be gathering there, using it as a waterhole. Check your pipes regularly and fix any leaks as soon as possible.

Stove

Just like the underside of your refrigerator can hide food that has spilled, so can your stove. Crumbs find refuge under the stove.

Baseboards

And when looking under your stove, take a look at your baseboards. They often have sticky food residue, which is incredibly enticing for ants.

Now that you received more information about ant killing in the kitchen, your next step should probably be learning more about how to exterminate ants in other locations of your home. Post written by guest blogger Michelle Anderson.

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Lisa Martin

In April 2006, Lisa began blogging to stay connected with distant relatives and friends. As she delved into blogging, she discovered the potential to assist others by sharing her experiences. Lisa has actively engaged in numerous exclusive media ventures. Notable among these are her participation in events such as the Sony Mommy Bloggers Event, the Pampers Mommy Bloggers Event, the Epson Event in Chicago, the Stouffers Event, a memorable yacht excursion with Lands End, collaborations with 1-800-Baskets, an exclusive tour for bloggers by Mrs. Prindable’s, partnerships with Hallmark, PopCap games, Chicago Cubs Mastercard Priceless Events, and Rug Doctor. In addition, she has collaborated with Nutrisystem on a weight loss initiative, teamed up with Buick and Chevy, and served as a brand ambassador for Sprint. Lisa's collaboration portfolio also extends to Disney, where she has participated in press trips for significant movies such as Frozen, Guardians of the Galaxy, McFarland USA, The Good Dinosaur, The BFG, and Cars 3. Notably, for projects like Frozen, The BFG, and Cars 3, she was granted the privilege of walking the red carpet and conducting interviews with celebrities. The impact of Lisa's blog has gained recognition, with The New York Times referencing her content. Moreover, she has been featured in interviews by respected publications such as the Southtown Star, The Chicago Sun Times, and inside.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. karen M

    Thanks for the tips on the places to check.. I seem to have them coming from the bathtub drain.

  2. Michelle Anderson

    Karen, Glad to help! Did you manage to get rid of them all together? And thanks to My Thoughts, Ideas, and Ramblings for posting this for me!

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