need a pet-safe ant murder spray

[Rat Diva]

Every summer I get sugar/grease ants all over the damn place Can someone kindly recommend some kind of bug murder that won't harm cats and peoples? Because the dumbass mighty hunters try to eat the ants, and after Stanley's trip to the kitty ER on Saturday (he's perfectly fine now ) I'm looking to avoid a repeat visit.

Preferably one that doesn't leave oily residue all over the place? I tried Zevo last year but it left so much gunk behind that it was actually worse than the ants, since it didn't kill the little bastiges.

I'm already doing the should do's - sweeping up crumbs, not leaving food out, and squooshing the little varmints on sight.

[Solfy]

I've had good results with the Terro ant bait stations. The cats have never tried to get into them and the bait stays inside where it belongs (except when carried out in tiny amounts by ants). The dog, on the other hand. . .
Pro - no mess, easy to keep pets away from bait; borax is a safer insecticide to use around pets compared to other chemicals
Con - not the fastest solution; can be frustrating in the rare occasion the ants don't take the bait

[Zeener Diode]

I've had intermittent success using essential oils like lavender. You can mix it with water in a spray bottle or dab a few drops on a rag/paper towel and wipe areas you where see ants.

[SmartAleq]

I use Terro liquid--it's cheaper than the bait stations and I can use it in more and tighter spaces. I double or triple up a bit of foil, fold all the sides so it stays rigid and put a pool of Terro in it and pop it down where the little fuckers are sure to find it. It's very satisfying, the first day they mob the puddle then they disappear for a few days as death sweeps through the nest then they start to come back, which is when I put a new puddle on the foil. Once the issue is resolved I just have a bit of foil to throw out and the damned ants die elsewhere, which is as it should be. Dogs and cats both avoid the stuff but even if they got into it I doubt it would do much apart from making them barf or get the shits. A bottle of Terro costs me about three fiddy and lasts the whole summer.

[stormie]

Originally Posted by Rat Diva

Every summer I get sugar/grease ants all over the damn place Can someone kindly recommend some kind of bug murder that won't harm cats and peoples? Because the dumbass mighty hunters try to eat the ants, and after Stanley's trip to the kitty ER on Saturday (he's perfectly fine now ) I'm looking to avoid a repeat visit.

Preferably one that doesn't leave oily residue all over the place? I tried Zevo last year but it left so much gunk behind that it was actually worse than the ants, since it didn't kill the little bastiges.

I'm already doing the should do's - sweeping up crumbs, not leaving food out, and squooshing the little varmints on sight.

Ants and any insect with a hard shell will die from food grade diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle it on their ant trails, their ant houses, places they may be getting in, and places they like to go. As you and your buds do not have chitinous or any other sort of exoskeleton, you'll be fine.

It only works when it is dry.

Residue? umm, white powder and ant bodies. A stlye choice? Can be vacuumed up.

People eat it on purpose, sans ants. Huh.

[Wolf Larsen]

Windex kills ants on contact. It also makes cleanup easy.

[Detroit Hoser]

Yeah, just make sure you buy it with ammonia. Windex was always my go-to for ants until this year, when I learned my wife has decided to make our home ammonia-free when it comes to cleaning products. I sprayed those suckers two days ago, ready to see them curl up and meet their maker...but all they did was swim right through, leaving a tiny streak of sparkling floorboard. That's fine, she hates the smell of ammonia, but we have gone back to weapon-of-ant-destruction Windex now, thank you very much.

I've got several dots of Terro set up under heavy glass bowls right now. It's been about 36 hours and now only a stray ant or two are still wandering around. DIE! DIE! DIE!

[Solfy]

Diatomaceous earth was my first thought for pet-safe insect control, and it should help, but for ants it won't kill the whole colony so it might not be as effective. Terro in liquid or bait stations gets taken back and shared with all the ants back at the ranch. If your colony is outside it might be enough to Windex or DE the ones that come inside.

I had to get more serious chemicals for the carpenter ants in MD's room. Used it on the ones in the porch post and basement door trims, also. I'm not generally a fan of broad application of insecticide, but for carpenter ants I'm getting pushed toward making an exception.

[Rat Diva]

I hate carpenter ants even more than I hate the little red ants.

Yesterday I got a bunch of Terro ant traps and deployed them strategically (translation: all over the damn kitchen, laundry room, and pantry) and only spilled the contents of two This morning there were ants poking around the openings and hopefully calling for their ant buddies to come sample the free chow.

I also cleaned the countertops and backsplash really really really well with good ol' ammonia formula Windex. I wanted to use cleaner with bleach but the damn cats wouldn't get out of the way.