How to Get Rid of Ants in the House (and Kill the Colony)

Quick answer: The best way to get rid of ants in the house is to let them carry bait back to the colony. Place liquid ant bait stations right on the trail, don’t spray or wipe the trail while they feed, and give it 3 to 7 days; heavy problems can take up to two weeks. Then clean the trails with soapy water, seal entry points and store food tightly. Call a pro for carpenter ants.

Knowing how to get rid of ants comes down to one idea: the ants you see are only a small share of the colony. Spray them and more show up tomorrow, because the queen and the nest are untouched, often inside a wall or under a slab outside.

This guide walks you through the approach entomologists at university extension programs recommend: identify the ant, bait the colony, clean up what attracted them and seal the way in. It works for the common sugar ants most kitchens get, and it explains when you need something different.

What kind of ants do you have?

Most indoor ant problems in the US come from a handful of species. Getting a rough ID helps you choose the right bait and spot the ones that need a pro.

Ant	How to recognize it	What it eats	What to do
Odorous house ant	Small, dark brown; smells like rotten coconut when crushed	Sweets, some protein	Sweet liquid bait
Pavement ant	Small, dark; piles of sand along sidewalks and slab cracks	Almost anything, grease and protein	Liquid or granular bait; seal slab cracks
Argentine ant	Small, light brown; huge trails, many queens	Sweets	Liquid bait, patience, outdoor baits
Pharaoh ant	Tiny, yellowish; often in bathrooms and kitchens	Sweets, grease, protein	Bait only, never spray; often needs a pro
Carpenter ant	Large, black or red-black; sawdust-like frass	Sweets, insects; nests in damp wood	Find the nest and moisture; call a pro
Fire ant	Reddish, aggressive; mounds in yards	Protein, oils	Outdoor mound or broadcast bait; they sting

Why are ants in my house?

Ants come inside looking for food and water, and sometimes for shelter. A scout finds crumbs, a sticky spill, pet food or a leaky pipe, then lays a scent trail so hundreds of nestmates can follow it.

Spring is the peak season, when colonies grow and send out foragers. Heavy rain and hot, dry spells also push ants indoors. They get in through the tiniest gaps: around windows and doors, cracks in the foundation, and where pipes and wires enter.

How to get rid of ants in the house: step by step

1. Watch the trail first. Before you do anything, follow the line of ants to see where they’re coming from (a window, baseboard, outlet or crack) and what they’re eating.
2. Don’t spray. Sprays kill the foragers but leave the colony untouched, and with some species, like pharaoh ants, they can make the colony split into several new ones.
3. Place liquid bait right on the trail. Set bait stations along the trail and near the entry point. Ants should find the bait within minutes. Use more than one station for a big trail.
4. Let them feed. This is the hard part. You’ll see more ants at first, not fewer. That’s the bait working: foragers carry it back and share it with the queen and larvae.
5. Don’t clean the trail yet. Wiping it with cleaners or vinegar breaks the scent path to the bait. Remove competing food instead, like crumbs, pet food and open sugar.
6. Replace bait as needed. If a station runs dry while ants are still feeding, add a new one. Most kitchens see traffic drop sharply in 3 to 7 days; large colonies can take up to two weeks.
7. Switch bait type if ants ignore it. Some colonies want protein or grease instead of sugar, especially in late spring and summer. If ants walk past a sweet bait, try a protein or grease-based bait.
8. Clean and seal once they’re gone. Wipe the old trail with soapy water to erase the scent, then caulk cracks along baseboards, windows and where pipes enter.
9. Bait outside if they keep coming. Place outdoor bait stakes along the foundation where you see trails, to reach colonies nesting in the yard before they come inside.

TERRO liquid ant baits contain borax. Borax and boric acid are toxic if swallowed in quantity, so place bait stations where children and pets can’t reach them, never on food-prep surfaces, and follow the label. Don’t spray other insecticides near baits; ants will avoid them. If a child or pet gets into a bait, call Poison Control (1-800-222-1222) or your vet.

What about home remedies?

Vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon and peppermint oil can disrupt a scent trail for a while, but they don’t kill the colony, so ants usually return by a new route. They’re fine for cleaning up after the bait has done its work.

DIY borax baits made with sugar water can work, but getting the strength right is tricky: too strong and ants die before sharing it, too weak and nothing happens. Commercial baits are measured for you and come in closed stations, which is safer around kids and pets. Diatomaceous earth only works on ants that walk through it, and only while it’s dry.

The equipment that helps

For most kitchen ant problems, liquid bait stations are all you need. Outdoor stakes help when colonies nest in the yard.

How to keep ants from coming back

• Clean up crumbs and spills daily. Wipe counters after cooking and don’t leave dirty dishes overnight.
• Store food in sealed containers. Sugar, honey, cereal and pet food are top targets.
• Manage pet bowls. Pick up food after meals or set bowls in a shallow dish of water.
• Fix leaks. Ants need water too. Repair dripping faucets and look for damp spots under sinks. Damp spots also draw silverfish; see how to get rid of silverfish.
• Seal entry points. Caulk cracks along baseboards, windows and doors; seal where utility lines enter.
• Keep moisture down. Carpenter ants and many other pests favor damp wood; our guide on how to reduce humidity in your house helps.
• Trim plants away from the house. Branches touching the house give ants a bridge inside, and mulch against the foundation gives them a place to nest.
• Bait early in spring. Setting a few outdoor stakes along the foundation when ants first appear stops many problems before they start.

For yard pests beyond ants, our guide on how to get rid of pests in the yard covers the bigger picture. And since the same baiting approach works for roaches, see how to get rid of cockroaches if you’re seeing both.

When to call a professional

Call a licensed pest control pro if you see large black ants and sawdust-like frass, which suggests carpenter ants nesting in damp or damaged wood; if you have tiny yellowish ants that keep spreading (possibly pharaoh ants); if baiting hasn’t worked after two to three weeks; or if ants are nesting inside walls or under the slab. Fire ant mounds where kids play, or anyone in the home with a sting allergy, are also reasons to call a pro.

Frequently asked questions

What is the fastest way to get rid of ants?

The fastest way to get rid of ants for good is liquid bait placed directly on the trail. You’ll see a surge of ants at first, then a sharp drop within 3 to 7 days as the bait reaches the queen. Sprays kill the ants you see instantly but leave the colony intact, so they come back.

Why am I seeing more ants after putting out bait?

That’s a good sign. Bait attracts foragers, and they recruit more ants from the colony to carry it back. Leave the bait alone, don’t spray or wipe the trail, and replace stations that run dry. Traffic typically drops within a few days to a week.

Does vinegar get rid of ants?

Vinegar erases the scent trail ants follow, so it can stop a line of ants for a while. But it doesn’t kill the colony, and ants usually find a new route. Use vinegar or soapy water to clean up after baiting has done its job, not instead of it.

Are ant baits safe around pets and kids?

Enclosed bait stations are designed to limit access, but most contain borax or other active ingredients that can be harmful if eaten. Place them where kids and pets can’t reach, such as behind appliances or inside cabinets, and follow the label. If a pet chews one, call your vet.

How do I find the ant nest?

Follow the trail back from the food source. It often leads to a crack in a baseboard, a window frame, an outlet or a gap under the door. Many nests are outdoors under slabs, mulch or stones. You don’t need to find it: bait carried by the ants will reach the nest for you.

How do I know if I have carpenter ants?

Carpenter ants are large, usually black or red and black, and often appear at night. Look for small piles of sawdust-like frass near baseboards, windows or damp wood. They nest in wet or damaged wood, so their presence can point to a leak or high humidity. Call a professional to find and treat the nest.

Next, keep your kitchen pest-free with our guide on how to get rid of fruit flies, another common warm-weather invader. For rodent signs, see how to get rid of mice.