Things You'll Need:
- General household cleaner
- Bleach-based cleaner
- Paper towels
- Rags or washcloths
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Step 1
Follow the trail of ants, if possible, to see the general area where they may be coming from. Often ants will just disappear into a tiny crack, but at least you'll know the basic path they are traveling.
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Step 2
Remove dishes, food or whatever else you are keeping in the infested cupboard. Check carefully to see if ants are on any of the items you remove and kill them or brush them into the trash can before setting each item down. This will also keep you from spreading the ants to other areas of your home.
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Step 3
Clean the cupboard once all of the items have been removed. First kill any ants that are present by spraying a general household cleaner and wiping them away with a paper towel. Then clean the entire part of the cupboard where ants have been present . Extend your cleaning for an extra foot or more in every direction.
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Step 4
Add to your cleaning power by using a bleach-based cleaner next. Bleach kills the pheromones that ants use to follow each other’s. By bleaching the area, you remove the trails the ants have been relying on.
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Step 5
Allow the cupboard to air dry and then begin replacing items that belong in the cupboard. If you are replacing packaged items, wipe each one off with your general house hold cleaner first before putting it away. If you are replacing dishes, check to make sure that the dishes are properly washed and don’t contain any crumbs or caked on food.
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Step 6
Keep the cupboard and the area around it clean and free from food crumbs. Wipe cupboards down regularly to keep them clean.
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Step 7
Watch for the reappearance of ants. If needed, repeat the steps above. Sometimes a cupboard will need to be cleaned several times before the ants stop coming back. However, with persistence you can get rid of the ant problem in your cupboards.
