Ants in cupboard

Hoover them out then wash cupboard with washing up liquid. Seal all things sweet (jams, syrup, icing sugar etc) in poly bags tightly tied with twist ties.They won't visit again if there is there no is sweetness to get their gnashers into. They can sniff out sweetness from a distance, the buggers.

Cake tins don't work btw.

Keep your eye on things and if you see a few ants appearing again, get rid of them because they'll be scouts and if they don't go back the rest of the ants will not be able to follow

Many years ago this happened to me
I disposed of all open food and cleaned presses
An old neighbour told me to buy ddt powder and spread around
The outside of house especially at doors
She said they would not cross this threshold
She told me to do this each summer at 1st sign of warm weather
I am still in same house and have not seen ants since.......this was in 1981

If you can stand the smell, a solution of bleach to wash everything down. They are not too fond of that. Agree with all the other stuff about sweet things etc.

Yes, definitely good to do round the outside of house (where brickwork meets path) with a good ant spray at very first sign of the odd one or two.

My mum had them in her flat we used ant traps filled with ant killer apparently they take the stuff into the nest and it kills nest. Not sure about if it is child safe though. It is certainly effective.

a couple of years ago I had flying ants that had got indoors so I found where they were coming in from and found a small hole then filled the hole with filla...then I checked the same area outside and did the same...?????????????
they never got in again!

I have problems with ants in my kitchen from time to time, they live in nests under the garden path and come in the back door. The solution is to put a line of ant powder along where the wall meets the path and along the run to the nest, that gets rid of the for a few years before they come back.

Ants won't cross anything gritty, I once had them coming in where a pipe came out of the wall, and drew a circle with chalk round the pipe, that did the job. See if you can find out how they are getting in and put a barrier down - chalk, talcum powder, ashes all work as well as ant killer.

Thanks for all your ideas she as got some ant powder and is going to try that little girl is telling everyone you would think they have had an invasion ???

We had recurring ants through a hole where an old pipe came through. I made a paste of cinnamon and smothered around the hole. Apparently they hate it. They didn't come back and it was eco friendly.
Of course it might have just been my luck that they went away of their own accord. Who knows?

x

Salt!

Salt!

We have ants in the garden and sometimes they come in as it's an old house with a kitchen in what would have been an outhouse...

Diatomaceous earth is very good - we use food grade DE poked down cupboard cracks with a cocktail stick - after VERY thorough cleaning of anything potentially sticky. We put all our jars in bug-proof 'Tupperware' type containers and in plastic bags.

For two or three evenings we check out for scout ants which I wash down plug hole as by squashing them you release smells which apparently attract more.
If we can see where they are coming in we put a line along the boundary. It's not an instant killer but not toxic either - which traditional ant killers are.

Safe for people and pets alike, I'm happy to use it.

By the way - would be wary of DDT these days (actually not even sure you can get it - think it was banned in the 1970s) - it's a persistent organic pollutant and implicated in some cancers (endocrine?) whilst it might have use somewhere sometimes I think a domestic kitchen might not be the best place.
Think DDT would have been a common choice in the past though.

I had ants in my kitchen in all the cupboards and running around the hall. After trying all humane methods, i.e, putting cinammon, andn other herbs around (which didnt work) I bought Rentokil ant killer gel, you place the baits in one or two areas of a room (although not safe for pets or small children). After placing these baits, I never saw another ant.

Barrier of the liquid ant killer in red squirty bottles round foundations and window sills. Have used different makes and they all seem the same. Dries very quickly so pet and children safe. Clean cupboards and remove any inside ants remaining. I avoid any powders, especially inside. My mother once panicked and over-used some in her kitchen and had a severe reaction.

An easy way to get rid is with a Bait Station.I got one from Wilkinsons,Got rid of the little buggars in 24 hours.Only cost a few pounds for 2.

Please don't use poison a) a hazard to your own health - esp. children and esp. in food cupboards, b) ants do a very good job in the garden where their nests are likely to be, and c) because any birds that eat them could be poisoned. Clean up in the pantry then you can put talc down, which they will avoid. In the late summer I have put sugar down for them on the back step, and they didn't go any further than that. At this time of year they are feeding their young and are more interested in protein and fat, so will be feeding on invertebrates in the garden, though I have seen them carrying off tiny bits of cat food. fine by me if the cat has left it!

I like your post NemosMum

DD got rid of the ants in her house with bait stations. She put them outside near where she thought they were coming in. Hey presto ants gone. Safer for children than powder or gel. They know not to touch them. Has worked well for past few years. Obviously she replaces them each year!

As I mentioned on another thread, ants make very good pets ! Leaf cutter ants are more interesting though.