bureau13

My car sits outside, under a cover. I noticed recently that I have what I think are crazy ants (very small, erratic and always running around) on the driveway, etc and I see them on the car cover. I take the cover off, I see them on the outside of the car as well, running in and out of the crevices. I mean, not a huge swarm, but at any given time I'll see several. I don't see them very often inside, but I suspect that has more to do with them blending in with the black leather and carpet vs the silver exterior paint.

I've been spraying the ground and car cover. I sprayed inside on the carpet at the door entrances, etc as well. But I don't think I want to spray on my paint. Anyone deal with this? Those barrier sprays that are commercially available are pretty much useless. "Lasts 12 months!" My a$$.

Short of repainting the car black so I don't see them, what's my best move?

Speedtoys

Bomb it.

BTDT

Mrmerlin

I would call up a pest exterminator and see if they’ll let you purchase some of their high quality ant killer,
it’s an orange paste and it seems to work really well.
They put a dab down somewhere where the ants go in the Ants will take it back into the nest,
and be gone in about a week

Darklands

https://www.chattersource.com/articl...hat%20eat%20it.

Flinstigator

I usually get sugar ants up here in Brevard heading into the boat when its on a trailer, sometimes in the house, or up my coconut palm. There are a few natural things to try I How to get rid of ants in your car One of these may do the trick. Dawn, orange oil, and essential oils may be an effective way without using a nasty smelling ant trap.

bureau13

Thanks guys. I actually do have an exterminator that comes to the house every so often (because Florida!) so maybe he can give me something professional, and in the meantime I'll check out some of these potential solutions. The thing about the bomb is I don't think that will help the outside...but who am I kidding, I'm sure they're hanging out inside and running out, I just don't see them in there.

The Forgotten On

You can also use an ozone generator to kill them. Just note that it will remove any smells as well.

30 minutes and they should all be dead if they're hiding inside of the car...

Shark2626

No idea why ants would want anything to do with a car??? Strange.

I am not an ant expert, but we certainly have a species here in Texas called Fire Ants. To get rid of them you have to kill the queen, then the colony dies. Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and see what works for your neighbors there in your area as far as poison ant bait. Or buy it as part of your exterminator service; but it’s usually something that you put on the ant mound.

For inside the home here we have Sugar Ants, same approach to getting rid of them. But our exterminator gave us tiny odorless bait traps that had a clear liquid to put in areas where we saw them, they disappeared shortly after. Those are probably available at the store as well.

Tomkat80222

The best thing for ants is Boraxo soap and sugar half and half and it's not a poison. My brother in law used this when he was stationed in South Carolina. Mix it up and pour around the vehicle in dry spots if possible. I also use sugar to kill tree stumps. Drill holes and fill with sugar. Cover and repeat till new growth stops.

David Wilson

Talk to your Exterminator about putting some ant bait stations in the car and garage. Good luck David

928 GT R

Back in the day, I would use bulk cayenne pepper around my stored vehicles to deter all sorts of evil doers. I'd just buy it in bulk and put it in a mega salt shaker I had. Spread a larger than the car patch on the ground and park the car on that area. Not sure it will work on ants but rodents were never a problem.

Florida is a whole different monster with its humidity and rain...

Good luck!

chart928s4

+1 for Boraxo and sugar. We had carpenter ants and got the exterminator out here. He used boric acid sprayed on the nest holes - instantly stopped our ant problem.

Ant traps are the same theory - sugar attracts the ants, they get boric acid on them, return to the nest, and kill all their buddies.

Snark Shark

I'd worry about pesticide fumes dissolving various glues in the interior. There's a cheap odor-free poison called "Terro" that works really well, although it may very well just be borax and sugar as others have suggested. Just put a couple drops on the ground next to the tires and they'll gobble it up and take it back to the queen.

928 GT R

While we are on the subject of killing pests, Borax shaken into the carpets of a home with fleas kills the flees. They eat the Borax and it killzzzzzzz em dead!

Dead Pests are good pests.

928 GT R

Want to get mice out of a crusty old car that you are transporting home or to a shop? Get a couple of boating safety air horns. Put on your ear protection and stick them in the car or under the hood and let em rip!

Clears the lil bastards out in a few minutes...