Spring has finally arrived in Toronto and I once again have an infestation of ants in my Whirlpool dishwasher. I don't understand how they survive the rinse. I figured they'd be washed down the drain, problem over.
Any idea of why they continue to flourish, an more importantly, how to rid my kitchen of this scourge?
Thanks,,
Ian
Hi, Eating ants is good for you. How about diverting them by placing a small plate with little honey on it near the washer. See what happens. I never tired but an idea. Tony Calgary
In article , snipped-for-privacy@nospam-stocknet.ca says... :) Spring has finally arrived in Toronto and I once again have an infestation :) of ants in my Whirlpool dishwasher. I don't understand how they survive the :) rinse. I figured they'd be washed down the drain, problem over. :) :) Any idea of why they continue to flourish, an more importantly, how to rid :) my kitchen of this scourge? :) :) Thanks,, :) :) Ian :) :) :) They won't be getting inside until after the washing is done. Depending on the ant species may determine what's easiest to do ranging from baits to looking outside the home for a nest against the foundation that may need addressing.
They probably have a nest UNDER the washer. Try spraying an ant killer under the machine and putting one of those ant traps at the bottom of the cover that goes along the front. Worked for me.
AMDRO
Remove "YOURPANTIES" to reply
MUADIB®
I'd say they are UNDER the D/W. Try taking the lower panel off and putting a sticky pad insect catcher under there. If they are, use AMDRO (sp). Its a type of bait they take back to the anthill thats supposed to "kill em all".
It would be a good idea to try and find where they are getting into the house from outside and doing some serious caulking/sealing too
R
Try pouring about 10 gallons of gasoline down the drain.
Next. Light it.
They'll be gone.
Thanks
For the last 2 years our house has been under assualt by small black, sugar-eating ants. I reluctantly called a pest service last year. They sent this fat guy with a big tank of bug spray on his belt. He proceeded to spray my kithcen floors and counter. Big deal. I can do that with Raid. This year my son and I launched a counterstrike. We hit them outside, setting up baits of sugar and following their trails to several colonies, most nearly the base of large trees. We put diazanon granules all over the yard and sprayed around the exterior of the house regularly. But alas they are tough. We won some battles but the ants are still winning the war. Now we notice that when we open the dishwasher there are thousands of them. Are they coming thru the dishwasher drain? Any suggestions would be appreciated. This is the
21st century and we should be able to beat these little bastards.Thanks
The dishwasher!
Dishwashers are usually sealed pretty well or you will experience water leaks. The drain sounds like a possible entrance place since it is about the only opening into a dishwasher assuming it is mostly closed though I can't figure how they would get into it. Dishwasher drains usually are a flexible tube or hose that goes to the drain for your sink above the trap. If that is your case try putting some sugar in the sink to see if they show there and check your under sink areas real good with a flashlight and remove the bottom access panel to your dishwasher to see if you can see anything under there.
You say you spray around the exterior. I don't know if you mean the foundation also. My foundation is about six inches above ground level and I spray it all around the house top to ground level and make sure that there are no plants or weeds that grow up the side of it. I suppose if you have any cracks in it they still may be able to get in underground. If you can view your foundation walls in the basement or crawl space then check that out and try to seal or spray any cracks. Be careful and read instructions and warnings for any pesticide particularly if you have children or pets that you care about.
I buy ant killer concentrate that I can put in my weed sprayer tank so that I can make a few gallons economically and have plenty to spray. It has helped control ants when we have problems but we do not have near the problem you seem to have. My wife and daughter would go absolutely nuts if they saw ants in our dishwasher! A good pest control place will usually give you a guarantee of their job for a reasonable timeframe though be careful to not sign a contract that requires regular visits for a year unless that is what you want. Good luck. --- Steve
I don't understand what the fact that the exterminator was fat has anything to do with your problem.
Maybe when he bent over a larger crack developed.
In article , snipped-for-privacy@aol.com says... :) For the last 2 years our house has been under assualt by small black, :) sugar-eating ants. I reluctantly called a pest service last year. They :) sent this fat guy with a big tank of bug spray on his belt. He :) proceeded to spray my kithcen floors and counter. Big deal. I can do :) that with Raid :) You may also try putting out protein based baits in case the ants have changed their needs from sugars along with possibly be a different type of ant than originally seeing altogether. If you go the route of a pro again, find one that will apply Termidor around the foundation...means he is up to snuff on what's what for ant control and will properly bait the interior also, though the termidor alone will probably stop them for the rest of the year.
My sugar ant horror story. I only have the problem for about 3 weeks in the spring. I set out traps and they are gone.
One morning I had pancakes with loads of my usual pancake syrup and they were great. I decide to have another stack but this time glanced at the bottle of syrup. It was full of dead ants, completely black and I just ate several teaspoons worth. I had left the pop top open and they found that tiny opening in that bottle on the top shelf in my kitchen. I didn't even see them in that cupboard.
That is good to know. I thought of a bad door seal but I thought that would probably also leak , but maybe not or he has not noticed a very small leak yet. I know those ants are very small and don't need much room. I suppose a marginal seal could also expand when the hot water hits it to seal it during most of the wash. -- Steve
I can only see three ways into a dishwasher, through the drain as mentioned below, through a bad door seal, or the door was not fully closed, or one other way since the ants may be looking for water, they may enter through the vacuum breaker on the water inlet. This is open to the air, after the electric water valves, to prevent siphoning soiled water back into the water supply. There is an inlet for air and the ants may be using it to enter.
You have a good chance of killing everything BUT the ants and changing your grand children's genetic pattern :o) Jeesh! Buzz around the house, caulk up cracks and openings and then clean the kitchen really well. Leave a little ant bait. If it is extremely wet or dry weather, they may be looking for secondary sources of food and water. I have always used a bait with sugar/boric acid which works very well until the next year. Never have had ants in the house without a very pelentiful food supply (pet food crumbs, kid spills, sticky stuff on counter, etc).If you have a sink or tub that is not used much, run some water so the traps are full. Clean the filter if there is one in the diswasher.
I don't know why everyone is talking about possible leaks and bad seals. I mean, most of the time the dishwasher door is unlatched and there is plenty of space for ants to come in, no?
It seems I get them every year for a while, particularly after a extended rainey spell or after an extended dry hot dry spell (go figure). They come in through a kitchen window seal and I've not been able to seal them out. they mostly then wander around the kitchen counters, looking for food. I put a couple of those little bait traps on the window sill and in a few days they are gone.
By the way, one time they got so bad they got in the dishwasher
log on to
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.