How to get rid of ants in the house
Most house-ant problems clear in 1–2 weeks with cheap liquid baits placed directly on the trail. Killing visible workers actually slows you down — the goal is to let them carry bait back to the colony.
Tools
- ✓For the vinegar wipe-down.
- ✓For sealing entry points after the colony's gone.
Materials
- +The default first move for sugar ants. Works on Argentine, odorous house, pavement ants.
- +Pro-grade. Use this if Terro doesn't work in 5–7 days.
- +For wiping pheromone trails so foragers can't re-route.
- +Seal gaps around plumbing penetrations, baseboards, window frames.
Steps
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1
Watch the trail before you do anything
Follow ants both ways — back to the food source, and back toward where they entered (usually a baseboard, plumbing penetration, or window edge).
Tip: Don't kill the workers yet. You need them alive to carry bait. -
2
Wipe the trail with vinegar
A 1:1 vinegar-water spray erases the pheromone path so new foragers don't find the same food.
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3
Place baits along the trail, not on it
Set 2–4 Terro stations within 6 inches of the trail near entry points. Workers will swarm the bait within hours.
Tip: Seeing more ants the first 24–48 hrs is normal — that's the colony getting fed. Don't kill them. -
4
Wait 5–10 days
Activity should drop dramatically by day 5 and stop by day 10. If not, switch to Advion gel — same placement strategy.
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5
Seal the entry points
Once activity stops, caulk the gaps. Pay attention to where plumbing or wiring penetrates exterior walls.