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Finding ants in kitchen sinks can be a real pain in the thorax for homeowners. When they find their way into your kitchen and discover a source of sugar, such as a piece of fruit or a hidden packet of honey, they can become quite persistent in their attempts to continue feeding from that source.
Ants have an extraordinarily strong collective instinct, which means that if one ant discovers a potential food source it won’t be long before many more follow. They’ll establish a direct pathway back to the same spot once they’ve found what they’re looking for, which is why if you see just one or two ants in your kitchen at any given time the problem is likely not going to get much worse unless you take action. If you discover an ant in your sink (or anywhere else in your home) there are some simple steps you can take to prevent them from becoming a widespread problem.
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Install a Sink Strainer
Sink strainers are very simple devices that can make a big difference to the cleanliness of your kitchen sink, as well as to keeping ants out. They go in your drain and catch food and other debris that might otherwise go down your pipes and cause plumbing issues. They can also act as a barrier to prevent ants from getting into your sink. If you notice ants in your sink, the first thing to do is check the strainer (if you have one) and clean it out.
If you don’t have a strainer, now’s the time to get one. Note that in some areas, local building codes may require you to use a certain type of strainer. For example, the International Code Council’s Minimum Standard for Plumbing requires all kitchen sinks to be fitted with a “food-grade” strainer. This type of strainer has a fine mesh that can let water and food through but keeps things like large food particles or (most) insects from ending up in your pipes.
Clean Up Any Food That’s Left Out
Ants are extremely tenacious and persistent, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them have a free meal. If you leave food out at any time, even for a short period, it’s likely that ants will discover it and start bringing others in to finish it off. Don’t leave food out while you’re cooking, and don’t leave crumbs or pieces of bread on your counter. Wipe off your table and counters after each meal, and make sure to do any dishes right away. While you’re at it, be sure to check the bottoms of your cupboards and drawers for any lingering crumbs or scraps of food.
Use a Borax-Based Ant Powder
A lot of people like to use borax (commonly used in laundry products and to kill ants) as an ant-repelling powder to sprinkle on their countertops. Borax is a naturally occurring substance, and it’s been shown to be safe for humans and pets provided it’s used in the right amounts. Borax is particularly effective at keeping ants away from your kitchen because it dries out their exoskeletons and causes them to die.
There are a few different brands of borax ant powder on the market, but the application method is the same for all of them: Just sprinkle some of the powder on your counters where you’ve seen ants most frequently, and they’ll hopefully stop coming back.
Note that you should avoid using too much of this powder, as it could be harmful if ingested by children or pets. Borax is a (mostly) safe, natural substance that’s often used around babies and young children, but don’t go overboard if you have pets or kids.
Try an Ant-Repellent Spray
Another option you could try if you see ants in your kitchen is an ant-repellent spray. There are a lot of different brands on the market and they vary quite a bit in price and quality, so it might be worth testing a few of them to see what works best for you. You can also try a solution of water and peppermint oil, as ants don’t like the smell of peppermint.
Set up a Vinegar Trap
If you have a persistent problem with ants in your kitchen, you may want to try setting up a vinegar trap. This works by putting vinegar in a shallow bowl with a drop of dish soap, which ants will find attractive because they like sweet things. As ants go to lick up the vinegar, they get trapped under the soap, which causes them to swell up and die.
Vinegar is toxic to ants but harmless to humans, so you can freely leave the trap set up on your kitchen counter. While some people recommend using hot water instead of vinegar, others say that ants can actually detect the smell of hot water and avoid it.
Install Ant Traps
If you’re dealing with a particularly persistent ant infestation, you may want to take things a step further and set up ant traps. A standard mousetrap (with a piece of cheese on a spring) isn’t likely to work against ants, but there are ant traps specifically designed to catch ants and can be very effective in certain situations. You can set up an ant trap almost anywhere (although it’s best not to put it where a human foot could accidentally come into contact with it), and they’re relatively cheap and easy to set up.
Conclusion – Fighting Back Against Ants in Kitchen Sinks
Ants can be persistent pests, and they’re usually not going to go away on their own. If you discover ants in your kitchen, there are a few steps you can take to get rid of them: Install a sink strainer, clean up any food that’s left out, use a borax-based ant powder, try an ant-repellent spray, set up a vinegar trap, install mousetraps and/or ant traps. Ants can come into your kitchen for a variety of reasons, but you don’t have to let them stay. With a little bit of effort, you can keep ants out of your kitchen and out of your home altogether.
