I discovered a great way to get rid of ants without killing them or using chemicals. It really is common sense, but it does require some effort and work. I have had good luck with this method many times when other people have tried all sorts of things to get rid of ants without any success.
What you will need:
- Putty or tape (any kind actually)
- A sponge
- kitchen cleaner or soap
- Jars or other airtight containers
- A dustbin with a sealed lid
Before you start, make sure your trash is in a sealed container. You don’t want a container without a lid, as that itself is an ant magnet. Make the investment and place your trash in a tight-fitting, tightly closed container.
Ok, now that it’s done, check to see if there’s any major food lying around (could be some spilled sugar or something that fell on the floor…anything…no matter how small) ants might be searching. Are they congregating in a certain area? Find what they are looking for and get rid of it.
Then take any food you have lying around that isn’t in a sealed container and put it in an airtight container or in the fridge. That means everything, even things like rice in a plastic bag or cereal in a box, etc. You want to have everything where the ants can’t detect it.
Now, follow the ants’ trail (if there is one), find the main opening where they enter the house, and seal it with tape or caulk. If I use very sticky tape, I use two pieces glued together so it blocks the hole, but the ants don’t stick. This will keep new ants from getting in, though somehow, miraculously, it won’t keep them from leaving. Somehow every house has a back ant door with a turnstile so ants can get out but not get back in. Oh really.
This is the time to start cleaning the kitchen (or any room the ants are in). Clean everything, and I mean clean it! Get every bit of dry food, sugar, etc. floors, countertops, cabinets, etc. Every little bit!
By the time you’re done doing this, the ant congregation will probably have dispersed. If so, you can now clean the area where the ants used to be. If the ants are still not gone, wait a couple of hours for them to go away and then clean that area. It is very important to clean the areas where the ants have left tracks, as the smell of other ants is what attracts more ants.
Okay… Voila!
By now, your home should be free of hungry little ants.
