How to Get Rid of Ants in Kitchen Drains

Ants can be difficult to eradicate, as they slip through small cracks in your home in search of tiny spills or scraps of food. They can even live in hard-to-reach places, like kitchen drains, where they crawl through the pipes in search of food and warmth. Fortunately, ant infestations, even in drains, can be taken care of by following a few steps.

Step 1 – Using an Ant Killer

Before you begin, you will need to select an appropriate ant killer that you can use down your drain. While you might be tempted to use chemical killers as a fast fix, these chemicals can pollute water and are hard to filter out. Instead, use one of the following natural methods.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Pour baking soda down your sink drain. Then, follow it with equal parts vinegar. Because vinegar is naturally acidic, you may want to open your windows for ventilation when completing this step. This mixture will cause a bubbling reaction that should kill any ants in your drain. Afterward, flush the dead ants down the drain and clear out any leftover baking soda with hot water.

Dish Soap and Water

In a spray bottle make a mixture of equal parts dish soap and water, and spray it on the ants. This mixture should kill the ants quickly. You can keep this spray bottle in your kitchen for any errant ants you spot in the future.

Boiling Water

This ant-killing method requires nothing more than water and a tea kettle. Make a kettle of boiling water to pour down the drain to kill the pests. Be careful when working with the hot water to avoid burning yourself in the process.

Chemical Killers

Natural ant-killing methods like the ones above should work. If they do not, consult a professional pest service before using any type of chemical bug killer near your kitchen drain.

Never use any of the natural methods and a chemical method together. In addition, do not prepare any food until you have thoroughly cleaned up any chemicals in the targeted area.

Step 2 – Preventing Future Infestations

Although spraying the individual ant lines in your home will kill them, you should keep your kitchen clean and sealed to prevent them from coming back.

Removing Food Sources

Seal or move any food sources the ants could be attracted to. Pay special attention to sugary foods, like syrup or juice. In addition, clean up any spills near the drain or around the counter in your kitchen. Make sure all food containers are tightly closed. For foods like cereal, seal it in airtight containers instead of leaving it loose in the box.

Sealing Garbage

In addition to spills and food storage, you should also keep a close eye on your garbage. Keep your trash sealed with a trash-can lid, and take it out regularly. Also, don’t forget about the food waste in your garbage disposal. Run the disposal regularly to clear out any leftover food that ants could be attracted to.