How to Eliminate Ants from Your Kitchen

You open your pantry to grab some pasta or beans, and suddenly, you spot them—ants marching across your shelves or climbing the pantry wall. Oh no!

You try to deal with the ones you see, but the thought of more hidden ones makes it feel like a losing battle. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to stop the ants in their tracks, and many don't require a professional. Keep reading to learn how to banish kitchen ants for good and prevent their return.

How to Stop Ants from Invading Your Kitchen

1. Proper food storage is key

Your pantry is an ideal spot for ants to thrive. That's why the most effective way to deal with them is to prevent them from appearing in the first place.

"Prevent infestations by storing food in airtight, reusable containers in your pantry to block access to the source," says Kari Warberg Block, pest control expert and CEO of EarthKind.

Remember, ants aren't just attracted to human food—they also love pet food.

"Move your pet food into an airtight container," Warberg Block advises. Also, clean up around your pet's feeding area. This will not only stop ants but also help keep rodents and cockroaches out of your kitchen.

To avoid attracting ants, store ripe fruits in the refrigerator instead of leaving them on the counter.

2. Watch out for moisture

Ants enter your home in search of shelter, food, and water, believing they've found a treasure trove.

"Ants don't require much water to survive. Even a damp dish towel or mat in your kitchen is enough to sustain them," says Warberg Block.

If you use a fan in your kitchen, place your dish towel and mat nearby to help them dry faster, or toss them in the dryer for a few minutes, Warberg Block suggests.

Make sure to fix any leaky pipes, as they may be attracting ants. For added protection, cover your kitchen sink drain with a cup to prevent ants from coming up or lingering in the area.

"Eliminate any standing water, particularly around your houseplants," advises Warberg Block.

If you're a plant lover, be sure to inspect your houseplants regularly for pests.

"Aphids, another common pest, can be just as fond of your houseplants as you are," says Warberg Block. These pests leave a residue that attracts ants. "To prevent this, mix dish soap with water in a spray bottle and wipe down the leaves. This will clear the residue and keep ants from taking over your beloved plants," she adds.

3. Keep your kitchen clean

Your kitchen is like an endless buffet for ants. The first step in eliminating them is to remove their food source.

"It's important to sanitize your kitchen thoroughly and stay on top of it, even after you've dealt with the ants," says Ed Spicer, CEO of Pest Strategies.

4. Use natural scents to repel ants

Ants, like many insects, rely heavily on their sense of smell to locate food. Rather than using harsh chemicals, try using natural scents to repel them—they work just as effectively.

"This method works by interfering with their scent receptors, using a smell that's incredibly repellent to them," says Warberg Block.

Peppermint oil, lemon, and cinnamon are natural scents that ants find repulsive. Try spraying diluted oils around your kitchen, or sprinkle cinnamon where you've spotted ants.

"Cinnamon acts as a skin irritant, which will discourage ants from coming back," adds Warberg Block. Coffee grounds and cayenne pepper also work well as deterrents.

Alternatively, place a Stay Away Ants & Cockroaches pouch on your kitchen counters. "These plant-based pouches use a mix of essential oils like peppermint, lemongrass, and thyme to keep ants and cockroaches away from treated areas, all without causing harm to them," says Warberg Block.

5. Make minor repairs around your home

Sealing small cracks with caulk, replacing damaged window and door screens, and fixing any rotting wood around entry points are excellent preventative measures to keep ants and other pests out of your kitchen.

6. Use lemon and orange to your advantage

It might sound surprising, but lemon and orange are powerful solutions to your ant problems.

"Simply squeeze a few drops of lemon or orange juice at the spots where ants typically enter your kitchen," advises Chris Spencer, CEO of Picked for Home, a home maintenance service.

You can also leave the peels of these fruits along the ants' path or add lemon or orange juice to a mop and clean your kitchen floor with it. This will create a citrusy scent and a bitter taste that ants dislike.

7. Sprinkle pepper around

Most of us have black pepper in our kitchens, and it turns out, it's not just great for seasoning—it's also an effective pest repellent.

A simple way to combat kitchen ants is by sprinkling pepper in areas where you've seen them. Ants dislike the strong smell of pepper, making it a safe and pet-friendly option to use generously.

8. Try using borax

For a more powerful solution, mix up a borax solution that can wipe out the entire ant colony, ensuring they don't return.

"Killing ants on the surface doesn't solve the problem, because you're not targeting the colony. As long as the colony remains intact, they can produce more ants to replace the ones you've eliminated," says Joshua Blackburn, home expert and founder of Evolving Home.

The borax solution doesn't kill the ants right away. Instead, they carry it back to their colony, where they share it with others.

"The poison takes effect within 24 to 48 hours. This method kills the entire colony, as all the ants, including those in their egg stage, consume the borax solution," Blackburn explains.

To prepare the borax mixture:

1. Mix 1 part sugar, 1 part borax, and 2 parts water.
2. Soak cotton balls in the sugar-borax solution to retain moisture and prevent evaporation.
3. Place the cotton balls along the ant trail and wait for the poison to work.

9. Avoid using spray repellents or poisons

Avoid spraying ants with insect repellent.

"When the queen's workers feel threatened, she'll scatter her colony," says Spicer. This can actually worsen your ant problem. It's crucial to find the source of the infestation. Only resort to drenching the ant nest if absolutely necessary.

"If you need fast results, drench the ant nest with an insecticide spray," Spicer advises.