Here, we’ll be discussing ways of controlling tiny ants found on your kitchen counter.
Whenever you see ants around or congregating, it’s almost certain that a food source isn’t far away. These creatures are known to trace food sources and alert other members of their colony to tag along. Your kitchen is a prime target when it comes to ant presence in homes.
The kitchen counter is a key area for food preparation. This means a lot of crumbs are likely to be littered around.
Without being cleared or cleaned regularly, you’d be seeing a lot of ant activity which can be problematic.
What Are The Treatment Options?
When dealing with an ant problem, two treatment options are available for adoption. You get to choose the natural route or the non-natural route.
Now, the kitchen is a special section of the home dedicated to food preparation. As such, natural pest control measures will be more acceptable than any other.
Given the benefits derived from non-toxic natural ant control methods, this article will be largely focused on such. Stick with us to find out details on how best to eliminate tiny ants from your kitchen counter.
Without further ado, let’s delve into the main focus of our discussion.
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Tiny Ants On Kitchen Counter
One of the things that make natural control strategies popular for homeowners is the variety of methods to choose from. These range from the use of natural remedies like essential oils, food-grade diatomaceous earth, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, mint, lemon juice, and vinegar.
Others include sealing up cracks, salt, chalk, coffee grounds, and cleaning up. There are lots of other natural remedies for eliminating tiny ants on kitchen counters. These would be the ones we focus on.
Let’s provide you with additional details on how to use each of these methods.
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Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is one helpful natural remedy for ant issues. This is also effective in a variety of insects.
So, how does it work? When ants come in contact with this natural substance, the bodily oil protecting their exoskeleton gets absorbed. This ends up drying them out.
Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton. All you need to do is make a purchase from your local store and apply as instructed.
You only need to sprinkle lightly on your kitchen counter when it’s not in use. Do this repeatedly until there are no more ants.
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Cinnamon
Cinnamon, whether used in its grounded or powder form or using its oil will help deal with an ant problem. Ants hate the scent of cinnamon and will keep it as far away as they can.
In taking the necessary control action, sprinkle this powder along their paths.
This is best done when the kitchen counter isn’t in use. Allow sitting for as long as it isn’t used. Clean off and repeat daily until ants disappear.
When using cinnamon oil, dilute a few drops of the oil with water and apply them on the counter surface using a spray bottle.
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Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper works wonders when applied to ants.
In its ground form, this natural substance can be sprinkled on your kitchen counter when not in use. Allow sitting for a significant amount of time. This can be applied and left to sit overnight before cleaning up in the morning.
You can make a spray by mixing cayenne pepper with water. Empty into a spray bottle and apply to any ants seen around your kitchen counter. It acts as a deterrence to all ants.
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Mint
Peppermint is a great ant repellent product that can be deployed for effective control.
This can either be used in its plant or essential oil forms. A potted peppermint plant can be kept around your kitchen counter to ward off all ants within the area.
Peppermint essential oil is used in a much different way. You’ll need to get a cotton ball and add a few drops of this oil to it. Use the cotton ball to wipe down your kitchen counter.
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Lemon Juice
Whenever you find tiny ants on your kitchen counter, you should know that they’re following scent trails left behind. Lemon juice is an effective natural remedy for eliminating such trials.
Make a mixture of 3 parts water to 1 part lemon juice.
Spraying this mixture across your kitchen counter does the trick by eliminating all such trails. Ants are unable to home-in to a perceived food source.
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Vinegar
If you see ants on your kitchen counter and need to eliminate them in no time, vinegar is one product to use.
A mixture consisting of equal parts of water and vinegar should be sprayed directly on these pests. Now, use a damp paper towel and clean up the dead ants as well as your kitchen counter.
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Sealing up Cracks
All the ants to see around your kitchen including the counter come from the outdoors. Their entryways mostly consist of cracks and other tiny spaces. A lot of patience and diligence is necessary for sealing up all such cracks.
However small they are, ants can easily fit into such cracks and create problems. With such cracks properly sealed up, you should notice a marked drop in ant presence.
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Chalk
Have you ever considered the use of chalk powder for ant control?
This substance contains calcium carbonate which is known to repel ants. You can easily sprinkle the powder on your counter and leave it to sit overnight. This keeps ants at bay all through the night.
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Coffee Grounds
Whenever you brew coffee, you can put the grounds to good use if you have an ant problem.
Using index cards or other disposable items, place the coffee grounds on them, and leave them to sit for as long as necessary. Consider disposing of them when dry.
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Cleaning Up
Here, you’re looking at the cause rather than the effect. This is a much better way of handling an ant problem.
One of the primary attractants to ants is food. Never underestimate the number of crumbs scattered around your kitchen counter. Cleaning up contributes a great deal to ant control.
Now that you know the most effective ways of dealing with tiny ants on kitchen counters, you only need to put them to practice. These methods have been tested with great results.
The same can apply to your situation when done properly.