If you’ve ever had an army of ants invade your kitchen sink area, you know it can be a nuisance to get rid of them. Just when you think you got them all, another one crawls across the countertop, revealing the ant population has not been fully eliminated. But what if a simple kitchen sink rule could actually keep the insects out of your home? According to the rule, you should both clean out and fully dry your kitchen sink area every night to prevent the moisture from attracting ants. To find out whether the rule is actually worth implementing or just another social media trend, we asked an expert to weigh in.

According to Brandon Runyon, a board-certified entomologist with 18 years of experience in the pest control industry, ants need food and water just like we do—and the kitchen sink happens to be a great source of both. “Bit of water in a pan? Condensation on your pipes? Faucet dripping? All of those and more can be sources of moisture for ants,” Runyon explains. To learn more about what attracts ants indoors and why the kitchen sink rule is worth incorporating into your nightly routine, keep reading.

Brandon Runyon is a board-certified entomologist with 18 years of experience in the pest control industry.

Does Moisture in the Kitchen Sink Attract Ants?

Because ants require water and food for survival, moisture and food residue in the kitchen sink can lure them in. A couple of drops of water here and there may not seem like a big deal, but Runyon says that what appears like a little bit to us can go a long way for ants. “As the scouting ant goes out in search of food and water, they will leave a pheromone trail; the rest of the ants can follow this, and now you have a bigger problem,” the entomologist explains.