Ants

[Philagoofy]

I need to hear some success stories, even if second hand. I'm embarrassed to admit that I have an invasion of ants in my kitchen. I will also admit that I'm not the greatest (or anywhere near) housekeeper. So far I've cleaned out several drawers and cabinets, the stove (but not the oven which I rarely use), the convection oven and scrubbed the countertops with cleanser (we have the, horror-of-horrors, laminate type ). (I watch too much House Hunters.)

I pulled out the stove and fridge & cleaned behind there (another ). Put down a lot of food grade diatomaceous earth. Then I read that ants don't like the smell of vinegar, so I wiped down my counters with that. My ants didn't get the message that they don't like vinegar, they just strolled along right after I applied it.

I went to buy some ant killer and almost all said to keep away from pets. I have two little kitties, therefore I didn't buy it. But perhaps if I just put it behind the fridge & stove, hopefully that will help. Our kitchen is one flight up from the street level. So I'm thinking there must be a nest somewhere in my house . I really don't want to get an exterminator because I'm so afraid of my kitties being hurt (and I'm cheap).

I just need to hear that this will end eventually. I've spent so much time in the kitchen this week trying to keep on top of this that when I close my eyes to go to sleep at night, I see ants, seriously.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

There are exterminators the use pet-safe methods for dealing with pests. We have 2 cats and have had no problem with what our exterminator uses in the house. We have him spray the doors jams and windows and keep them away until it dries.

I would say to spray Raid Bug Barrier around the perimeter of your home, but since you aren't in the ground floor that probably won't help. Worked great at our old house when we had ants.

At least get an exterminator to come in and identify the source. They can give you tips on getting rid of the ants and preventing more.

 

[Hannathy]

You need to get Terro liquid ant killer.

you put it where the ants are and they eat it and take it back to the nest and it kills all of them . You have to put up with the ants for a couple more days, they love it and will come to it and you have to let them eat it and go back to the nest but after about 3 days they will be gone, gone!

It is safe for pets because it is borax and there isn't enough in the bait to hurt them if they eat it.

 

[LJSquishy]

Definitely get Terro liquid!

They sell 3 different kinds...one where you drop the liquid onto cardboard (not good around animals), indoor feeding stations that are clear and have a ramp for the ants with enclosed liquid, and outdoor stations that are similar but can be staked into the ground.

They work amazingly well. You cannot kill them, though when you use the liquid bait because they take it back to the nest and feed the queen ant. It's gross and fun to watch at the same time. Lol

 

[Philagoofy]

You need to get Terro liquid ant killer.

you put it where the ants are and they eat it and take it back to the nest and it kills all of them . You have to put up with the ants for a couple more days, they love it and will come to it and you have to let them eat it and go back to the nest but after about 3 days they will be gone, gone!

It is safe for pets because it is borax and there isn't enough in the bait to hurt them if they eat it.

Thanks for the suggestions. This is one of the products I looked at but it said to keep away from children & pets. I don't want to put it on my countertops. My refrigerator is right next to my countertops, so I'm hoping they'll mosey on down there.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

Another vote for Terro here. We occasionally get sugar ants in the summer. We put some terro on a little piece of torn cardboard or paper and within a few days, they're gone. We have a dog and he doesn't bother it at all. Good luck!

 

[usnuzuloose]

I use a gel that comes in a tube. Boy it works great. I am busy right now, but I will try to get the name of it and let you know.

 

[Philagoofy]

Definitely get Terro liquid!

They sell 3 different kinds...one where you drop the liquid onto cardboard (not good around animals), indoor feeding stations that are clear and have a ramp for the ants with enclosed liquid, and outdoor stations that are similar but can be staked into the ground.

They work amazingly well. You cannot kill them, though when you use the liquid bait because they take it back to the nest and feed the queen ant. It's gross and fun to watch at the same time. Lol

I also read to put out cream of wheat or corn meal, they eat it, it expands in their little tummies & pop. With my luck, I'd put that stuff out & attract cr's. Which I hate with a passion. (not that anyone likes them)

So the one with feeding stations, they can come out & take it back to the queen also? It's not a trap type, right? If so, that's probably what I'll go with.

Thanks!

 

[Hannathy]

Thanks for the suggestions. This is one of the products I looked at but it said to keep away from children & pets. I don't want to put it on my countertops. My refrigerator is right next to my countertops, so I'm hoping they'll mosey on down there.

I put it right on the counter where they come. Its a very small square of cardboard and they are there anyways. You need to put it where they are traveling.

Google and read about it, in the tiny amount you put out it won't hurt your cats. That is more of a CYA statement than anything. Sure if they drank the entire bottle it may affect them but the 2 drops you put out won't. and with putting it on the counter it also helps keeping the cats away. Mine didn't eat it but if I put it on the floor they found it and played with it! batting it around.

I used Terro with a cat and a puppy in the house without any problems.

 

[elgerber]

Terro works like a charm. We have animals and my dh will take an empty pop can (not rinsed full sugared soda) and cut into the can and fold it down making a little ramp. The ants climb up the ramp and down inside the can where the terro is and they are gone in a day or two. They are greatly attracted to the drips of pop that may be left in the can, it looks like ant rush hour with the line of ants going in and out.

 

[dyna]

Terro is good stuff! The cream of wheat an grits is a good idea out where your pets can get to it.

Also ants will not cross a chalk line so you might be able to corral them with a chalk line use the grits or cream of wheat there too an the terro where the pets can't get.

The grains are easy to sweep up in the end an it is true the expand in the belly an kill the ants.

 

[Jaya]

I used to get "sugar ants" in my kitchen twice a year like clockwork. I had a lot of luck using ammonia on them. I'd make a half ammonia/half water solution and put it in a spray bottle. When I'd see a line of ants, I'd spray them with the ammonia solution. It would kill the ants and, best of all, disrupt their "scent track" (each ant leaves a scent behind that the other ants follow). When you disrupt this pattern, they don't know where to go and will turn around and go back.

Since I use ammonia anyway to clean countertops, stoves, etc., it's a win-win situation. Just wipe everything down and voila! no ants and a clean countertop.

 

[elaine amj]

Some great tips. Every spring I get an invasion of carpenter ants. Yuck. They're everywhere now although they certainly don't congregate around food bits. Oddly enough, they ignore food.

Regardless - I want them GONE. This year we have a dog so hubby has been reluctant to set out the poison and only put a little out. They dwindled after that but he has been refusing to put more poison out so their numbers are increasing again. I'm sending him clippings from this thread - thanks.

 

[rwdavis2]

As someone mentioned treat the outside around the house. There are crystals you can sprinkle around the foundation and spray as well. Walk around the house and you may be able to see exactly where they are coming in. Then possible trace it back to the next for some serious work. We finally got an exterminator but try it yourself first.

 

[Philagoofy]

Some great tips. Every spring I get an invasion of carpenter ants. Yuck. They're everywhere now although they certainly don't congregate around food bits. Oddly enough, they ignore food.

Regardless - I want them GONE. This year we have a dog so hubby has been reluctant to set out the poison and only put a little out. They dwindled after that but he has been refusing to put more poison out so their numbers are increasing again. I'm sending him clippings from this thread - thanks.

Good luck, hope you can get rid of them quickly.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Another vote for Terro here. We occasionally get sugar ants in the summer. We put some terro on a little piece of torn cardboard or paper and within a few days, they're gone. We have a dog and he doesn't bother it at all. Good luck!

I use Terro liquid if they get in the house.

To keep them out of the house I use Amdro. Every spring I sprinkle Amdro (a granular substance) around the outside perimeter of my house. If I do this early enough in the spring the ants never come in the house. I've used this 2 product method for the past 4 years and have not had an ant problem in 4 years.

 

[MomiTo2SwtGuys]

I agree with all the terro users. There will be a ton of ants coming and going for a few days and then they will be completely gone.

 

[jenjordan]

Cinnamon. Ants will not cross cinnamon.

Carpenter ants are looking for water and more than likely you have a satellite nest somewhere outside. Call an exterminator before they do severe damage to your house.

 

[mom2rtk]

I have had good luck with the Terro traps. But I also keep my bottle of windex handy. Any time I want to stop them in their tracks, I give them a squirt and wipe them away.

 

[tina.tina]

ITA with all the Terro users. Actually, an exterminator for the agency I worked for recommended it to me.

We had an issue before we moved in our house. Unknown to us, DS(almost 2 then) dropped a sucker in a box in a closet. The very next day, when we came back to do more painting, etc, there was a line of teeny tiny ants going up the front steps, across the entry way, up the next 2 steps and across the floor to the coat closet in the living room where the box with the sucker in it was.

We also had carpenter ants around our French doors in our dining room in the Spring after they were installed. The carpenter ants were sort of aggressive and really didn't seem interested in the Terro, though. So, I sprinkled chili powder in the floor and left it a couple of days and they haven't come back since the year before last.


Good luck! Ants are really irritating. You wouldn't believe how many ants live in my yard. We live on a hill and I keep telling my DH if we exterminate all the ants, our house may compact down to street level since it's probably just one big ant hill.