If you have ants in your kitchen, killing every insect in sight wont solve the problem.

Theres likely an ant colony nearby where ants are traveling back and forth with morsels of food.

Learn how to get rid of ants with a few simple solutions.

How to Get Rid of Ants in Your Kitchen

The Spruce / Jake Shi

What Kind of Ants Are Found in the Kitchen?

Clean Thoroughly

Ants are attracted to sugar and greasy food.

The most effective way to get rid of ants in the kitchen is by keeping your space clean.

A closeup photo of a carpenter ant.

Muhammad Owais Khan/ Getty Images

Store Food Properly

Place food in sealed containers to keep it safe from ants.

Remove Moisture Sources

Ants are also attracted to water.

Fix any leaky faucets or old plumbing fixtures to prevent ants from flocking to your water source.

Keep areas dry and clean up water spills on counters and floors as soon as possible.

Avoid any standing water, including houseplants and pet water bowls, in your kitchen.

Use Natural Repellents

Ants rely on scents to find food and follow trails created by the colony.

The only effective wayto kill antsand fix the infestation is to target the queen.

Choose solutions that ants will bring back to their colony and poison the nest.

What Attracts Ants in the Kitchen?

Ants are attracted to food and water.

Look for ants walking in a trail and follow them to see where theyre going.

If you still see ants after a couple of weeks, call a professional to look into the problem.

A Guide to House-Invading Ants and Their Control.

North Carolina State Extension.

Biology and Control of Carpenter Ants.

North Carolina State Extension.

Simothy L et al.A Study on the Potential of Ants to Act as Vectors of Foodborne Pathogens.AIMS Microbiol.

2, 2018, pp.

11, 2020, pp.

  1. doi:10.3390/insects11110758

Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

National Pesticide Information Center.

Ants in the Home.

Colorado State University Extension.