Your kitchen is one primary source for ants simply because of the food particles and water. The kitchen sink also provides somehow a favorable conditions for ants to live especially during unfavorable conditions during winter. When ants find their way into your homes, they are most visible in the kitchen area and around the sink. How do you get rid of ants around the kitchen sink?
There are several methods that are helpful to permanently get rid of ants around the kitchen sink. For instance, ant baits, insecticides dusts, sprays or repellents. A simple tip to keep ants away from your kitchen sink starts by keeping it clean, removing trash and sealing crack walls. Remember to keep the sink dry after use.
Read more to understand how to get rid of ants around the kitchen sink.
Why do ants enter the kitchen sink?
Why are there ants in your kitchen sink? First ask yourself how do ants find their way in your kitchen? Ants enter your home and kitchen through openings such as crack in floors or windows for one basic reason; in search of food and water. The moisture found in your kitchen sink or dishwasher becomes the attractive points. If your kitchen sink is made of wooden components, the ants are likely to build their nests in there.
Are ants dangerous to have around the kitchen sink?
The assumption is since ants are tiny creatures they don’t pose any significant threat. But the last thing you want to discover is a big colony around the kitchen and close to your food. Ants can be dangerous to humans as they are vectors of pathogens causing diseases.
Some ants such as the fire ants are known to bite or sting causing unbearable pain or in some case allergic reactions. Ants such as carpenter ants tend to build their nests in wooden structure. This can cause huge damage to wooden shelves and components.
What are the common types of ants found in kitchen sink?
To get rid of ants in your kitchen sink or dishwater, you must understand the type of ants first. This is helpful to decide on the ant killer to use to eliminate them.
Small Ants around Kitchen sink
An infested kitchen sink will have ants that are generally small usually around 1.5mm in length. The queen is usually 4 mm in length. They are black or dark – brown and tend to nest around woodwork. They move in your home or kitchen for moisture and food.
Black Ants in Kitchen Sink
Black garden ants are also likely to invade your kitchen for that basic reason; food and moisture. Their body length range from 3 – 5 mm. Their size tend to increase over a few generations. The ants are black in color and are more likely to build their nests around rotting wood. The ants are known for their love for sweet and often lay a scent trail from its nest to the food, where others can follow.
Flying Ants
You are also likely to encounter these types of ants in your kitchen sink or dishwasher. They are not different species of ants. They prefer rotting wood and cracks where there is moisture and reliable food sources. This is where they build their colony.
Tiny Red Ants
These little fire ants are at times referred to as electric ants. They are around 1.5 mm long and usually appear golden brown. These types of ants have a relatively painful sting. They commonly invade agricultural fields. If you notice these types of ants in your kitchen sink, take quick step to get rid of them as soon possible.
How to Get Rid Of Tiny Ants in Your Kitchen Sink
Ants inside your kitchen can be quite hard to deal with. Ants move all the time around the kitchen pipes looking for food and water. So, it is not easy for some people to completely get rid of them. While using a chemical ant killer in your kitchen sink sounds easy it is not a good idea. The chemicals can be extremely hard to filter out and may contaminate the water risking your health.
Natural methods to get rid of ants in kitchen sink is highly recommended here. But in case the methods don’t work, you can consult a professional who would pick the right type of ant killer.
Best Products for Ants in the Kitchen Sink
To get rid of ants in your kitchen sink, here are some of the best products recommended for you. Use any or both to get rid of ants in your home and kitchen sink.
Terro Prefilled Liquid Ant Killer II Baits this is one of the best and effective solution for ant problems including your kitchen sink or dishwasher. One of its ingredient is borax that act as the bait. Borax has been sweetened to attract the ants. Once they eat it, they will die from the poison.
To conveniently deal with ants that hide in cracks in your kitchen, you can use Syngenta – TRTD11568 – Optigard Ant Bait Gel Box. The product is packed in syringe making it easy to apply into the cracks
Natural Home Remedy for Ants in Kitchen Sink
Try as much as you can to keep chemicals far away from your kitchen. In short, avoid poisonous substances that could risk your health. There are several home remedies and natural methods to use to get rid of ants in your home and around the kitchen sink. Here are some of them:
1. Dish soap
To get rid of ants in your kitchen sink, mix dish soap and water in a spray bottle in a ratio of 1:3. Shake the mixture and spray it all over the kitchen sink. This method will kill most of the ants other than just cleaning the sink
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon has be proven to be one of the effective home remedy to deal with ants in your home and kitchen. The smell of cinnamon is enough to deter the ants moving in and out of the kitchen. Ants and pests in general hate the smell of cinnamon. Sprinkle it directly onto the ants and put some on the ants’ trail.
3. Chalk and Baby Powder
This natural method of chalk and baby powder is also effective in keeping ants away from your home and kitchen sink. Sprinkle some of the powder on the kitchen sink. You can as well draw a line with the chalk around the area invaded with ants.
4. Garlic Spray
If you want to deter ants from infesting your kitchen sink, then try garlic spray. The smell of garlic spray is enough to keep away and deter the ants from coming into and around your kitchen sink.
5. Lemon spray
Lemon spray is also effective in getting rid of ants in the kitchen sink and dish wash.
Tips to Prevent ants from attacking your kitchen sink
Prevention is better than cure, they say so! It is easier to prevent ants’ infestation than to get rid of it. Here are some of the tips to keep insects away from your kitchen sink.
- Learn to store your food properly – use storage boxes to keep your food.
- Remove all the food from the kitchen immediately after the meal
- Clean any crumbs and spills
- Leftovers should be taken to the trash as often as you can
- If possible, do the dishes after every meal
- Keep the sink dry as soon as you are done using it. Wipe the sink with dry towel.
Conclusion
Now that you know several methods both chemical and natural to get rid of ants in kitchen sink, pick any or both that works for you. Make it a habit including preventive measures to keep your kitchen ant –free. GOODLUCK!
