Why Ants Love Your Kitchen—and How to Stop Them
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Ants are uninvited dinner guests—they arrive, stay too long, and won’t leave. Your kitchen is spotless, one moment, and the next, there’s a tiny army parading across your countertops. Even though ants aren’t necessarily dangerous, they can be incredibly bothering and unsanitary if they infest your food. The first step to getting them to pack up and go is understanding why they’re attracted to your kitchen in the first place.
Surprisingly, ants are resourceful creatures. As a collective, they seek food, water, and shelter. And if your kitchen does have all of those things, then you’re practically rolling out the red carpet for them. Now, let’s see why these little critters adore your kitchen so much and, most importantly, how to send them out of your house.
Food Crumbs and Spills
Ants are opportunistic eaters. The crumb you dropped while you were making a sandwich; to an ant, it’s the equivalent of hitting the jackpot. They seem to have some sort of homing device that allows them to immediately find the exact spot and lick it up.
Regular wiping down of counters and sweeping the floors will also keep ants away. It also helps to use a mixture of vinegar and water to clean ant areas, because they don’t like the smell.
Accessible Water Sources
Just as any other living creature, ants require water to live. They will be quenched by a leaky faucet, a damp sponge or a small puddle near the sink. High humidity or unchecked moisture kitchens are prime targets.
If you have leaks, fix them promptly – and keep sponges and dishcloths in a dry place. If you have high humidity, try a dehumidifier. If your kitchen isn’t also your local water cooler, ants won’t stick around as long.
Unsealed Food Containers
Ants, for instance, will dine on open cereal boxes, loosely closed snack bags, or pet food left out overnight. They’re tiny so they can easily slip into packaging you might think is sealed.
Purchase airtight containers to store food, particularly dry goods like sugar, flour, and crackers. Keep pet food in sealable bins, and don’t leave leftovers out on the counter.
Dirty Dishes in the Sink
Dirty dishes are an all you can eat buffet to ants. They like leftover sauce, left over crumbs, and left over grease. Dishes left in the sink overnight pretty much beg for them to come in for a midnight snack.
If you’re running the dishwasher later, rinse the dishes promptly after meals, otherwise wash them. This habit can drastically reduce ant activity in your kitchen.
Trash Troubles
What smells bad to you is heaven to ants. A major draw are food scraps and packaging covered in residue. Not even a closed trash can may be sufficient if it isn’t sealed tightly.
Choose a trash can with a tight fitting lid and frequently empty it. Clean the can itself periodically, so you can kill the lingering food odors that also attract ants.
Sweet Scents and Spices
Sweets and fragrant things attract ants. They can be lured in by anything from sugar to honey to spilled juice, because they have a sweet nose. There are even some ants that will go after spicy food residue.
Syrups, honey and sugar can be stored in airtight containers and any sticky residue on jars or bottles should be wiped away. During cleaning, don’t forget about the shelves in the pantry where these items are kept.
Cracks and Crevices
Ants are experts at being able to squeeze through the smallest of gaps. Walls with cracks, gaps around windows and doors that aren’t sealed are easy entry points into your home.
Close cracks and gaps with caulk and maybe add weather stripping on doors and windows. Along with keeping ants out, these steps will also make your home more insulated.
Neglected Pantry Items
The bag of chips you forgot you bought in the back of the pantry. It probably serves as a beacon for ants. Once they find a way in, they’ll keep coming back for more and they’re persistent.
Check through your pantry regularly looking for open or expired items. Wipe down your shelves and store everything in air tight containers. It doesn’t take much to keep ants at bay—a little pantry maintenance.
Pheromone Trails
If one ant finds food, it leaves a chemical scent to lead others to the food. That’s why you’ll often see ants marching in single file, they’re following a roadmap to their prize.
Clean affected areas with a solution of vinegar and water to interrupt their trail. It will also erase the scent making it difficult for other ants to find their way.
Proximity to the Outdoors
Ants will walk into your kitchen if it’s close to an outdoor patio or garden, because it’s easy. Trees and shrubs that also hang over your home can act as a bridge.
Cut back vegetation near windows and doors and ensure the screens are intact. They can be discouraged too by placing mint or lavender, ant repellent plants, near their entry points.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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