How do I get rid of ants in my Dubai kitchen permanently?

Tiny black ants in Dubai kitchens are almost always ghost ants or little black ants — both extremely common in the UAE and notoriously difficult to eliminate with sprays because sprays only kill the ants you can see, not the colony. What actually works: Gel bait is the most effective solution. The worker ants carry the bait back to the colony and feed it to the queen, killing the entire colony from within. Brands like Terro and Combat ant gel are available in UAE supermarkets and hardware stores. Place bait near ant trails and resist the urge to spray — spraying repels ants away from the bait. Seal entry points — ants in a Dubai high-rise apartment almost always enter through gaps around pipework penetrations under the sink. Seal these with silicone sealant. Remove food sources — store all food in sealed containers, clean up crumbs immediately, and don't leave dishes in the sink. For a severe infestation: professional gel bait treatment by a licensed pest controller costs AED 150–AED 300 and is far more effective than DIY because they use professional-grade baits and treat all entry points systematically. Results typically appear within 1–2 weeks as the colony collapses.