At some point or another, it seems like everyone has dealt with obnoxious ants in their home. Even more annoying than when they seem to take over a particular food-related area in your home is when they invade your pet’s food bowl.
Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to store dog food and keep it free of ants over the long haul; the issue lies in the immediate ant problem. There are quick and simple ways to prevent ants from getting into your dog’s food without using potentially harmful pesticides. Learn how to keep ants out of dog food by reading this article.
Keep Your Dog Or Cat’s Dish Clean At All Times
Keeping your dog’s or cat’s area spotless is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent an influx of ants around their food.
Make sure their bowl is spotless, and clean the area by sweeping or vacuuming it to stop any crumbs from luring the little rascals. Your pet’s bowls should be thoroughly cleaned with dish soap and water, then dried before being refilled with food and water.
It’s always simpler to stop them before they start than it is to get rid of them after they invade successfully.
Store Your Pet’s Food In Plastic Containers
The next time you’re at the dollar store, pick up some plastic containers to store the food for your cat and dog so you won’t have to keep a sizable bag of food in your pantry.
Even larger containers designed specifically to hold pet food are available online, making it simpler to fill their bowls without spilling a lot of food.
Create A Barrier With Water
Since ants cannot swim, you can keep them away from your pet’s food by constructing a moat around the bowl. Your cat or dog’s bowl should be placed in the center of a large disposable aluminum pan.
Add a couple of inches of water to it. Your pet’s food won’t be accessed by the ants.
Mark Your Pet’s Territory
Chalk
Some people have found success by tracing a chalk line around the bowl that belongs to their pet. Because the ants won’t cross the line, your pet’s food will remain unharmed.
A few people discovered that this initially worked but lost its effectiveness. If this occurs to you, try it again with a fresh chalked outline.
Sticky Tape
There are several different kinds of tape you can use, but as long as you apply it so that it is sticky on top, it will work to keep the ants away from your cat or dog’s food bowl.
Even though the double-sided tape is simple to apply, duct tape is a reliable option. To keep the ants away, simply place strips of tape all around the bowl and even on it.
Baking Soda
Without having to worry about your pets becoming drawn to it, baking soda is a simple non-toxic way to fend off ants. To get rid of ants, combine baking soda and confectioner’s sugar, and sprinkle the mixture around your kitchen and any nearby areas.
Although they are drawn to sugar, baking soda is what will ultimately kill them.
Diatomaceous Earth
If you haven’t heard of this product, it sounds more complex than it actually is, but it’s also very powerful. Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring product that is available in both edible and inedible forms and is not meant for human consumption.
The food-grade pesticide can safely get rid of bedbugs, fleas, ants, and other pesky pests from your home while being non-toxic to people and pets. All you need to do to kill the ants is toss the powder around your house and into your pet’s food bowls. Just take care not to inhale it if it rises into the air.
Cinnamon
Due to the fact that it confuses ants and causes them to become disoriented, cinnamon has appeared in numerous listings as a product to use to get rid of ants. Vaseline is a convenient vehicle in which to use this spice.
Vaseline will smell like cinnamon when you apply it, making it easy for you to locate the exact spot.
Borax
If you are unfamiliar with this product, it is typically used as an additive to laundry detergent. Most grocery stores carry it under the brand name 20 Mule Team Borax, and you can find it there.
Making a solution out of 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp of borax and 1 1/2 cups of warm water are the most efficient way to use borax to successfully get rid of ants in your home without harming them. Place some cotton bowls that have been dipped in this mixture in locations where ants are a problem.
While the cotton balls are out, keep your pets out of the area. Because of the sugar, ants will be drawn to the mixture, but the borax is what will get rid of them. Pets and young children should not be present because it is unsafe.
Once the ants have examined the sugar, they will return to their nests with the borax and distribute it to other ants there. You can make the area safe for your kids and pets to be in again after a short while by simply removing the cotton balls and wiping down the affected area.
Petroleum Jelly
Ants tend to stay away from petroleum jelly because it is difficult for them to cross it without getting stuck and unable to move. Applying petroleum jelly to the top and bottom rims of your dog’s food bowl will create a barrier that the ants can’t pass because it is safe for our dogs. The top layer will prevent them from touching your dog’s food while the base layer will help prevent them from reaching the top of the bowl.
Pepper
Pepper is a different substance that ants cannot withstand or pass through. If you sprinkle some cayenne or regular black pepper near your pet’s bowls, ants will be deterred.
Orange Peels
Orange skin contains natural oils that keep many animals away. One orange peel and one cup of water should be added to a blender. When you’re ready to apply it to any anthills you come across, pulverize it until the mixture is one you feel confident applying.
For ease of use, you can also turn it into a spray. Utilizing orange peels has the benefit of imparting a clean, fresh citrus scent to everything.
Keep Dog Food In Sealed Containers
The best solution is a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid if ants are contaminating your dry dog food packet. Dry dog food can be kept in the original packaging, but it’s more difficult to seal and keep ants out. Transferring it into a clean, plastic bucket or other containers with a tight-fitting lid that ants cannot smuggle into is advised.
Anti-ant Bowl
Great bowls that are designed specifically to keep out ants are available on the market. Some bowls come with a tiny internal moat that you can fill with water, but these can be messy. We love the “floating” stainless-steel anti-ant bowls that create a gap between your dog’s bowl and the floor, making it impossible for ants to climb up and inside.
Make And Use A Natural Spray
Boiling Water And Dish Soap
Just dispense some dish soap into a spray bottle that has boiling water in it. As and when necessary, spray.
Peppermint Oil
An excellent method for ant control and ant eradication is peppermint oil. Not only does it smell wonderful to us, but it also drives the ants away. Your dog’s food bowl or any other area close to it can be rubbed with cotton balls dipped in peppermint oil to deter ants. However, our dogs may not like the smell very much, so don’t use it too much!
Tea Tree Oil
Another natural ant repellent you can make at home is by adding 5 to 10 drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle of water. If you want the fragrance to be more aromatic, you can add a drop or two of peppermint oil.
Ant Repellent Spray
Combine the following ingredients in a spray bottle:
- 2 ounces of water
- 2 teaspoons of vodka
- 15 drops of lemon oil
- 15 drops of orange oil
- 15 drops of clove oil
When sprayed directly on ants, all three of these essential oils will kill them.
