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How to Get Rid of Ants in Drains

Alicia Bodine

In some parts of the world it is quite common to see an infestation of ants coming out of your kitchen drain. These ants are sometimes referred to as sugar ants. This is because they are looking for sugary foods to grab and take back to their nests. Nobody wants an army of ants to take over their kitchen.

Flying Ant

You must be proactive if you want to get rid of these ants and keep them from coming back.

  1. Put all of your food away as soon as you are done eating it. If you have leftovers, cover them immediately and store them in your refrigerator. It is important that the ants never know you had any food or they will keep coming back to look for it.

  2. Wipe down your counters with Clorox disinfecting wipes at least three times per day until the ants are gone. Then once per day is fine to keep them from coming back. This is necessary in addition to your usual wiping down of the counters with your soapy dish rag.

  3. Pour some bleach down your drains each night before you go to bed. This will get rid of any leftover food particles that may have gotten washed down in to the drain pipes.

  4. Clean your kitchen and dining room floor after each meal during a sugar ant infestation. Once the ants are gone you will still need to clean the floor, but only once before bed. Remember that the ants will find any crumbs or spilled juice on your flooring. This is enough for them to want to come back time and time again.

  5. Get a small pot and pour in 1 cup of hot water. Then add 2 cups of sugar and 3 tbsp. of Borax. Bring the mixture to a boil and remove it from the heat.

  6. Wait for the mixture to cool and then set it in small dishes. Place these dishes around the outside of your home. Watch as the ants quickly find it (because of the sugar) and begin to eat it up. They will take it back to their colony and share it, killing the entire colony.

  7. Tip

    Always give the counters another wipe down after you see ants on them. This is because the ants actually left a trail and can easily find their way back to it.

    Warning

    You may want to throw some baking soda in to each trash bag and take the trash out frequently. This way your ants won't have a chance to locate any foods.

The Drip Cap

  • In some parts of the world it is quite common to see an infestation of ants coming out of your kitchen drain.
  • These ants are sometimes referred to as sugar ants.
  • It is important that the ants never know you had any food or they will keep coming back to look for it.
  • Wipe down your counters with Clorox disinfecting wipes at least three times per day until the ants are gone.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil and remove it from the heat.