How do I remove ants from the inside element of a coffee maker?
By chris from Pembroke Pines, FL
I had the same problem with a roach that had gotten into the inner workings of my microwave. Here's what I did.
I got a bug bomb. I took the unplugged machine and put it inside 2 large (for a coffee pot, regular size trash bags would work) trash bags. I put the bomb inside the machine (for your coffee pot, make sure the lid is propped open so the bomb stuff can get in there), turned it on and quickly closed up the bags. I let it sit like this for 24 hours so the bomb has more than enough time to work. Then I took it out of the bags and let it air out for 12 hours. Then I washed it down good inside and out with very hot soapy water, rinsed it good, and let it dry for a minimum of 12 hours. After that, in your coffee pot, fill it with water and let it go thru a cycle. Do this using fresh water each time, no less than 5 times. Be sure and run the carafe thru the dishwasher or wash with very hot soapy water before using after doing this.
I had that problem many years ago and found it was the calcium deposts in the coffee maker that the ants were after! I stared using vinegar in the coffee pot overnight every few weeks to clean the calcium deposits out and that solved the ant problem in my coffee pot. I'm still battling ants in my kitchen but per hint on this site, I will buy a box of borax today!
