How to Prevent Ants in the Kitchen
Take note that ants adore sweet things., Do not leave bags or other containers that hold sweet things open to ants., Clear things away., Make sure to thoroughly clean out any appliances that you keep out on the counter, such as stand-up mixers...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Take note that ants adore sweet things.
For the ant, sugar is a high-energy food source and allows the ant to work less for the same amount of energy.Therefore, the ant is attracted to anything sugary.
This means that it is important to make sure that ants cannot find sugar in your kitchen.
If you spill sugar or something containing sugar, like fruit juice, wipe it up thoroughly and immediately.
For sticky messes like juice, a cleaning spray is useful to help lift the mess away and prevent any residue from sticking to kitchen surfaces.
A spray made from natural products is ideal because it is safe to use around food. -
Step 2: Do not leave bags or other containers that hold sweet things open to ants.
Put your sugar and other sweet products into containers that can be tightly sealed, such as plastic containers with airtight lids.
This will also help keep your sugar fresh and prevent it hardening! , After you finish having a meal, do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.
The food residue on such items provides an easy meal for ants and is similar to leaving bait out for them.
If you must leave dirty dishes around, rinse any leftover food off of the plates. , Any traces of food will draw ants to your kitchen. , Another thing that ants love is crumbs, because they are easy to carry around and take back to the queen.
Regularly cleaning your counter tops will remove crumbs.
Vacuuming out your pantry and cupboards from time to time will also take care of any bits of food that have escaped their containers.
A hose on your vacuum is useful for hard-to-reach places.
This step is especially important if you keep kitchen appliances under the counter, where crumbs can fall out and be easily picked up by ants on the floor. , Otherwise, they accumulate and provide a pile of food for ants. , Ants hate black pepper and will not cross lines of it,which protects your food and appliances.
You should also find any cracks in your kitchen, such as around windows, and block them off with pepper. , If you see an ant around, kill it immediately (or try to remove it without killing it, if you prefer) and wipe up the place where you found it.
Ants leave invisible trails that other ants can follow. , As a last resort, if you notice ants invading despite your efforts, you can place ant traps in your cupboards and around your counter.
Always be wary of using any kind of poisonous trap around your food, and read labels carefully. -
Step 3: Clear things away.
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Step 4: Make sure to thoroughly clean out any appliances that you keep out on the counter
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Step 5: such as stand-up mixers.
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Step 6: Remove all crumbs.
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Step 7: Dump the crumbs out of your toaster regularly.
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Step 8: Line the borders of your cupboards with ground black pepper as an extra precaution.
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Step 9: Remove the ant and its trail.
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Step 10: Use traps.
Detailed Guide
For the ant, sugar is a high-energy food source and allows the ant to work less for the same amount of energy.Therefore, the ant is attracted to anything sugary.
This means that it is important to make sure that ants cannot find sugar in your kitchen.
If you spill sugar or something containing sugar, like fruit juice, wipe it up thoroughly and immediately.
For sticky messes like juice, a cleaning spray is useful to help lift the mess away and prevent any residue from sticking to kitchen surfaces.
A spray made from natural products is ideal because it is safe to use around food.
Put your sugar and other sweet products into containers that can be tightly sealed, such as plastic containers with airtight lids.
This will also help keep your sugar fresh and prevent it hardening! , After you finish having a meal, do not leave dirty dishes in the sink.
The food residue on such items provides an easy meal for ants and is similar to leaving bait out for them.
If you must leave dirty dishes around, rinse any leftover food off of the plates. , Any traces of food will draw ants to your kitchen. , Another thing that ants love is crumbs, because they are easy to carry around and take back to the queen.
Regularly cleaning your counter tops will remove crumbs.
Vacuuming out your pantry and cupboards from time to time will also take care of any bits of food that have escaped their containers.
A hose on your vacuum is useful for hard-to-reach places.
This step is especially important if you keep kitchen appliances under the counter, where crumbs can fall out and be easily picked up by ants on the floor. , Otherwise, they accumulate and provide a pile of food for ants. , Ants hate black pepper and will not cross lines of it,which protects your food and appliances.
You should also find any cracks in your kitchen, such as around windows, and block them off with pepper. , If you see an ant around, kill it immediately (or try to remove it without killing it, if you prefer) and wipe up the place where you found it.
Ants leave invisible trails that other ants can follow. , As a last resort, if you notice ants invading despite your efforts, you can place ant traps in your cupboards and around your counter.
Always be wary of using any kind of poisonous trap around your food, and read labels carefully.
About the Author
Daniel Diaz
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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