Ants
#1
House sitting in Portugal
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: Bedford UK when not in Portugal
Posts: 169
Ants
I'm on a medium term house sit here in Portugal, near Loule.
The house is in the hills overlooking Faro and very rural. It is idyllic except for the ants, large and small, that seem to be getting closer and closer to the house, but also seem very busy around the pool terrace.
I am extremely fussy about cleanliness, food scraps, waste etc but it seems as though they are determined to annoy me.
In the UK I would use something like Nippon but I'm at a loss to find similar products over here.
I know all the tricks about putting down Ajax cleaning (bleach) powder etc., but as it's not my house I don't want a white trail of stuff running around the whole place in case the owners object when they return.
Has anyone got any suggestions or tips they can share please?
A Portuguese equivalent of Nippon would be my first choice. Thanks.
The house is in the hills overlooking Faro and very rural. It is idyllic except for the ants, large and small, that seem to be getting closer and closer to the house, but also seem very busy around the pool terrace.
I am extremely fussy about cleanliness, food scraps, waste etc but it seems as though they are determined to annoy me.
In the UK I would use something like Nippon but I'm at a loss to find similar products over here.
I know all the tricks about putting down Ajax cleaning (bleach) powder etc., but as it's not my house I don't want a white trail of stuff running around the whole place in case the owners object when they return.
Has anyone got any suggestions or tips they can share please?
A Portuguese equivalent of Nippon would be my first choice. Thanks.
Last edited by s5tuart; Jun 20th 2013 at 11:44 am.
#2
Re: Ants
I'm on a medium term house sit here in Portugal, near Loule.
The house is in the hills overlooking Faro and very rural. It is idyllic except for the ants, large and small, that seem to be getting closer and closer to the house, but also seem very busy around the pool terrace.
I am extremely fussy about cleanliness, food scraps, waste etc but it seems as though they seem determined to annoy me.
In the UK I would use something like Nippon but I'm at a loss to find similar products over here.
I know all the tricks about putting down Ajax cleaning (bleach) powder etc., but as it's not my house I don't want a white trail of stuff running around the whole place in case the owners object when they return.
Has anyone got any suggestions or tips they can share please?
A Portuguese equivalent of Nippon would be my first choice. Thanks.
The house is in the hills overlooking Faro and very rural. It is idyllic except for the ants, large and small, that seem to be getting closer and closer to the house, but also seem very busy around the pool terrace.
I am extremely fussy about cleanliness, food scraps, waste etc but it seems as though they seem determined to annoy me.
In the UK I would use something like Nippon but I'm at a loss to find similar products over here.
I know all the tricks about putting down Ajax cleaning (bleach) powder etc., but as it's not my house I don't want a white trail of stuff running around the whole place in case the owners object when they return.
Has anyone got any suggestions or tips they can share please?
A Portuguese equivalent of Nippon would be my first choice. Thanks.
Sometimes, if I'm feeling mean I'll pour boiling water on their nests!
However, ants don't like the smell of vinegar and it removes the scent trails that they use to get around so you can mix up 50-50 white vinegar and water in a spray. Simply spray it around the places where you don't want the little pests. You can also spray the ants with vinegar water. The low Ph kills them without damaging most furniture/surfaces. You need to do this at least every day though.
Or... Sprinkle your used coffee grounds in the garden and around the outside of your house. Ants are repelled by the scent given off by the grounds. Trouble is on light patio areas you'll get coffee stains - not so good!
Or ..... Sprinkle salt on flat surfaces. This is a great way to keep ants off of windowsills.
Hope that helps!
Good luck.
Nettie
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 770
Re: Ants
We're particularly overrun with them this year - I keep catching them wandering over my laptop keyboard while I'm working - they seem to come from nowhere!
When it comes to them getting in the apartment, our problem seems to be that the grouting on our floor tiles as it turns into the skirting needs renewing...
When it comes to them getting in the apartment, our problem seems to be that the grouting on our floor tiles as it turns into the skirting needs renewing...
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,827
Re: Ants
I've found the Raid aerosol (the brownish one) to be very immediate and effective with ants indoors and at doors or windows as you can cover a large area in seconds. Once the continuity of the trail has been broken they seem to forget how to get in! I don't know if it's child- or planet-friendly but it's definitely not ant-friendly.
#5
Re: Ants
There are stacks of ant poisons on the shelves in the supermarkets; ants are "formigas" in Portuguese.
Yes, they come through the grouting, but they're powerful enough to eat their way through. Renewing the grouting will only block them for a while.
We have kept them out of our rural house so far; a combination of keeping things clean and lids tight in the kitchen, and aggressive poisoning when they do turn up. then we don't see them for a month or two.
I have lived with them in the kitchen in other places; then you have to be constantly on your guard because they'll be in your sugar within minutes, take over your pet's dish, invade the sink...
Yes, they come through the grouting, but they're powerful enough to eat their way through. Renewing the grouting will only block them for a while.
We have kept them out of our rural house so far; a combination of keeping things clean and lids tight in the kitchen, and aggressive poisoning when they do turn up. then we don't see them for a month or two.
I have lived with them in the kitchen in other places; then you have to be constantly on your guard because they'll be in your sugar within minutes, take over your pet's dish, invade the sink...
#6
House sitting in Portugal
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: Bedford UK when not in Portugal
Posts: 169
Re: Ants
Thanks for the relies.
I now have enough info to do something about them!
Certainly, if they do get into the kitchen it's a disaster! Thank you all. Stuart
I now have enough info to do something about them!
Certainly, if they do get into the kitchen it's a disaster! Thank you all. Stuart
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 265
Re: Ants
If you need Nippon then E**y UK 310652447501 and they post to Portugal