How to Keep Ants Out of Water Bowls

Ants explore homes looking for sources of food and water. One ready, constantly available source of water -- if you happen to be a pet owner -- is your pet's water bowl. You can prevent the ants from reaching the water so your pet will have clean water to drink at all times. This helps keep your pet from becoming dehydrated, which could happen if your dog or cat does not want to drink from a bowl containing dead insects.

Things You'll Need

  • 1 teaspoon dish soap
  • Large bowl
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Instructions

    • 1

      Pick up your pet's bowl and clean it in the sink with hot, soapy water to remove any evidence of ants and ant trails. Wash the floor where the bowl was located to clear the ant tracks so other ants cannot follow them.

    • 2

      Find a larger bowl into which you can fit your pet's water bowl. It should prove large enough to hold both the water bowl and some water surrounding it.

    • 3

      Put from 0.5 inches to 1 inch of water in the larger bowl and add 1 tsp. dish soap. The soap prevents the ants from moving through the water.

    • 4

      Place your pet's water bowl inside the bowl of soapy water and place both on the floor. The ants cannot reach your pet's bowl through the soapy water and are likely to die trying. Your pet will ignore the soapy water and drink the clean water.