Ants ants ants in our pants

So, it is a not-so-cold winter in northern California, rainy on and off, and we have scouts in the house. Strangely, the ants aren't in our cupboards, they're up in the bathroom drinking water and licking toothpaste? What are they after in rainy weather like this? Warmth maybe? I read posts from July on fire ants and other ant control, including hot water on the nest, cornmeal, Diatomaceous E, leaving food and water outside, etc. Well, ours are small black ants, what I'd call ordinary, and I can't tell where they are entering from..but this is a reoccurring problem. In the past they've done worse damage, spoiling lots of food in the kitchen. But this time seems different. I'd really like to find out what they need so I can provide it for them outside and make an unfriendly home inside.
I hesitate to use ant stakes, worried that the ants will poison other critters and such, but have used Orange Guard to kill the scouts on contact. Is Orange Guard safe if we clean it after contact?
Does anyone in my area (Sonoma) know why they'd be entering and how to deter them? Gracias.

Hi, Adriana, Sorry I don't have an answer to your question but this will bump it back up in case someone else does.

I am having troubles with the same sort of ants, these smart critters moved thier nest to next to where i had buried some compost.

I left the nest in the yard last year, not hurting anyone i thought, but this spring I cannot keep them out of the house. I have sprayed eucalyptus oils around the house foundation and on the basement windows (which i strongly suspect is their point of egress) and this always keeps them gone for a day or so but apparantly it has no staying power. Clove oils discourages them, ground cinnamon makes them go...everything i do makes them go for a day or two then they come back. Clearly they have a well marked path to my kitchen.

I either need to kill the ant hill, make them move it (it is perhaps 6 meters from the house) or make coming my direction across the lawn less desirable.

Oh yes i was wondering if anyone had use eucalyptus mulch to keep bugs away and how long does it work.

ants hollow out eucalyptus to make digeridoo tubes, don't know what type ants you have tho, or if it will work

boric acid does tho....

yeah i have boric acid as well so i guess it seems stupid not to have used it. I guess the truth of the matter is I want the ants to live but live outside. They are what we call sugar ants. Small ants who are definitely repelled by eucalyptus oils....for fun my husband put one drop on the counter and they all ran away....I guess in the native aussy areas, there would be ants who have adapted to love the stuff.

I gave up trying to allow them to live, i sprinkled around the mound with sugar and instant yeast (all I had) so we will see if that works. I dont have corn meal.