To get rid of ants in your house, trace where they are coming in, remove food and water they can reach, wipe away their scent trail with soapy water, and seal accessible gaps. Then place a slow-acting ant bait near an active trail or entry point, following the product label. Bait can reach ants in the nest; killing the workers you see usually cannot.
Find the route before treating
Watch where ants travel and follow the trail as far as you can, checking along walls, around windows and sinks, near pipes, and at likely connections to the outdoors. Look for the point where they enter rather than assuming the busiest spot is the nest. Ant species differ in where they nest and what bait they prefer, so identification can help guide treatment. The University of Minnesota Extension offers guidance on common household ants.
Ants may be visible even when most of the colony is hidden. UC IPM notes that as few as 1% of a colony’s foraging worker ants may provide enough food to support queens and larvae in the nest. That is why removing a handful of foragers does not necessarily solve the infestation.
Remove what is attracting them
- Wipe up food spills, crumbs, and sticky residue.
- Store human and pet food that attracts ants in insect-proof containers.
- Rinse recyclables and keep garbage managed; clean bins if food residue is present.
- Look for accessible water sources and address spills or leaks where practical.
Sanitation reduces the food competing with bait and makes the route less attractive to returning ants.
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- ATTRACTS & KILLS: Liquid ant bait stations provide comprehensive ant control, targeting common household ants including acrobat, crazy, ghost, little black, odorous house, and pavement ants throughout your home with effective ant traps indoor
- KILLS THE QUEEN & THE ENTIRE COLONY: TERRO liquid ant bait contains borax-based formula that attracts worker ants to consume and carry back to the colony, effectively eliminating both visible ants and hidden nest populations for complete indoor ant killer control
- EFFECTIVE ELIMINATION: Fast-acting ant killer bait reduces ant activity within days as worker ants transport the liquid ant bait back to their colony, providing widespread elimination of entire ant populations with these sugar ant traps indoor
- EASY TO USE: Ready-to-use ant bait stations require no setup and can be placed along baseboards, corners, countertops, and other high-traffic areas where ants commonly travel for optimal ant trap indoor pest control results
- LONG-LASTING: Once placed, the bait continues to work for weeks, as long as ants continue to visit the stations. Complete control may take up to 2-4 weeks, depending on the infestation size
Clean the trail and close the entry point
Wipe ants and their trail with soapy water. This removes the visible ants and disrupts the scent trail they follow, but it is not evidence that the colony is gone. UMN Extension also describes vinegar and water as a temporary way to disrupt trails; neither method treats a nest.
Caulk accessible cracks and openings ants are using. Check the route again afterward: if activity stops at one spot but appears elsewhere, the ants may be using another gap.
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- KILLS THE ANTS YOU DON'T SEE: Terro ant bait is designed to share with the entire colony, eliminating both visible ants and those hidden, using liquid ant baits
- FAST-ACTING: Noticeable ant activity reduction within days as worker ants carry Terro liquid ant baits back to the colony for widespread indoor ant killer effects
- READY TO USE: Simply place ant baits indoors with no setup required. Observe as Terro ant baits attract and eradicate ants conveniently at home
- VERSATILE HOME PLACEMENT: Ideal for use as terro ant traps along baseboards, in corners, and on counters, targeting indoor ant baits hotspots throughout your home
Use bait to target the colony
Choose an ant bait labeled for the intended location and use, and place it near an active trail or entry point as the label allows. Slow-acting bait gives worker ants time to carry it back and share it with other colony members. UC IPM sums up the approach: “Using bait is the best way to treat an indoor nest.”
Make sure ants will feed on it
Bait is not one-size-fits-all: species and available alternative foods affect what ants will take. UC IPM notes that odorous house ants prefer sweet baits, but other ants may respond differently. If ants are not feeding, reposition the bait near active traffic or try another suitable formulation. Keep bait accessible to ants but protected from children and pets. Check it as directed, and replace or reposition it if it is empty, dried out, ignored, or inaccessible.
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- Raid Max Liquid Ant Bait kills listed ants where they breed (excluding fire ants, carpenter ants, harvest ants and pharaoh ants)
- Pre-filled liquid ant killer that is both convenient and ready-to-use
- After ants consume the liquid from the ant bait , they return to the colony and transfer the bait to the queen, other worker ants and larvae, killing the colony
- For indoor and outdoor use
- Ant bait station that controls listed ants around your home: Foraging Ants, Sweet-feeding Ants, Pavement Ants, Moisture Ants, Little Black Ants, Argentine Ants, Crazy Ants, Acrobat Ants, Bigheaded Ants, Cornfield Ants, Ghost Ants, Odorous House Ants
Do not spray insecticide around bait or on the trails leading to it; spray can interfere with ants retrieving the bait. Follow the label on the exact product, including approved locations and precautions. Pesticide labels and registrations vary by product and jurisdiction. UC IPM cautions that indoor sprays may be unsafe and can provide only temporary control when the nest remains.
Allow time, then check whether activity is declining
Do not expect an overnight result. UC IPM says some baiting situations may show fewer ants after 5 to 10 days, while full colony control can take several weeks or longer. These are guidance estimates, not guarantees. Continue checking the bait and the trail so you can tell whether ants are feeding and whether activity is changing.
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- Kills ants where they hide for up to 3 months
- After ants feed on the bait, they return to the colony and transfer the bait to the queen and the others, thereby killing the entire colony
- Use indoors in corners, along walls and near entry points
- Child-resistant
When to call a pest-management professional
Ask for professional assessment if ants persist despite correct bait use and exclusion, appear to be nesting inside walls or other inaccessible spaces, or may be carpenter ants. Carpenter ant nest control can be complex; see UMN Extension’s carpenter ant guidance.
When comparing providers, ask whether they use integrated pest management (IPM), investigate entry points or possible nests, and use baits or targeted spot treatments when appropriate. UC IPM advises asking about baits and spot treatments rather than routine perimeter treatments or monthly sprays. Local ant species and pesticide rules can differ; the guidance here draws primarily on University of Minnesota Extension and UC IPM.
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- KILL ANTS AND THE QUEEN: Ortho Orthene Ant Killer Ant Bait solves ant problems by killing the queen and the colony; not labeled for use against fire, carpenter, and harvester ants
- PLACE ANT BAIT WHERE ANTS LIKE TO EAT: Set ant baits indoors in places such as along baseboards, in corners of rooms and cabinets, around pipes, in the pantry, on window sills, around doorways, and near garbage cans
- ATTACK ANTS AT THE SOURCE: These indoor ant bait stations are a sneak attack ants won't see coming - foraging worker ants find the bait then share it with the whole colony, and you see fewer ants in 3-7 days
- EASY SETUP, TOUGH ON ANTS: Just break ant bait stations apart and place stations label side down in places where you've seen indoor ants
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: This package of Ortho Orthene Ant Killer Ant Bait comes with 12 ant bait stations
For additional steps, see UC IPM’s ant-management guidance, its ants-in-the-home instructions, and its odorous house ant baiting advice.
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