How do I get rid of ants in the house?

The ants you see are a small fraction of the colony, which is why spraying them changes nothing for long. Bait works because foragers carry it back and share it. It looks less satisfying — you initially see more ants, not fewer — but it addresses the actual source.

Safety

What you'll need

• Detergent or a vinegar solution
• Ant bait stations
• Sealant or filler for gaps
• Torch (optional)

Step by step

1. Find what they're feeding on and remove it.Usually something sweet or greasy — a spill behind an appliance, pet food, a bin, or crumbs in a toaster tray.
2. Follow the trail to find where they're entering.Ants follow a scent trail in a line. Following it back leads to a gap around a pipe, a door threshold or an airbrick.
3. Wipe the whole trail with detergent or a vinegar solution.This destroys the pheromone path. Without it, new foragers keep following the same route.
4. Place bait stations along the route, near the entry point.Not on food surfaces. Behind appliances and inside cupboards, out of reach of children and pets.
5. Expect more ants initially, and leave the bait alone.Increased activity means the bait is being found and carried back. Removing it now defeats the purpose.
6. Don't spray insecticide near the bait.It kills the foragers before they can carry bait to the nest, which is the one thing that actually works.
7. Seal entry gaps once activity stops.Around pipes, under thresholds, in mortar joints. This is what prevents next year's visit.
8. Keep surfaces clear and food sealed.Ants forage constantly. If there's nothing to find, the trail doesn't establish.

Tips

• Ants indoors in spring are usually foraging after winter. It often resolves as outdoor food becomes available, but sealing the entry point stops the annual repeat.
• A line of chalk, talc or a similar barrier can deter ants short-term but does nothing about the colony.
• Flying ants for a day or two in summer are a mating swarm, not an infestation. They disperse on their own.
• If ants appear from within a wall or under a floor rather than from outside, there may be a nest in the structure — worth professional advice.

Common mistakes

• Spraying the visible ants — You kill a fraction of the colony and the rest keep coming. It also prevents bait working.
• Removing bait when ants increase — More ants means the bait is working. Removing it stops the process just as it starts.
• Not wiping the trail — The pheromone path stays and new foragers follow it straight back in.
• Leaving the food source in place — Nothing else works while there's a reason for them to come.

Questions people ask