Problem with ants? How to get rid of the pesky pests naturally

Have you ever gone out for the day and returned home to discover that an army of ants have taken over your house?

That might be a slight exaggeration, there’s no denying that many households become a hotspot for the tiny creepy-crawlies at this time of year.

While particles of food or sticky surfaces can sometimes encourage ants to enter your home, weather conditions can also lead to ants setting up shop in your home.

Even though bug sprays can be a great way of killing ants, they can be harmful for your health and damaging to small pets such as dogs or cats.

Thankfully, there are a number of natural things that can act as a deterrent to ants.

So, if you want to see them marching two-by-two out of your home, here are some tips to follow.

Read more: How to get rid of all manner of bugs without nasty chemicals

Draw with chalk

If your grandkids have some spare chalk, it can actually act as an effective repellent to ants. Just as humans would avoid walking through mud or dirt if we didn’t have to, ants are quite similar. Home Guides suggests that ants hate walking through powder and when drawn on the ground, chalk is going to completely confuse them.

Try drawing a line around the area where you see the ants entering and leaving your home. The best part is other powders such as baby powder also work a treat if you can’t get your hands on any chalk.

Use vinegar

You probably already know that vinegar is great for cleaning, but did you know that it can also keep the ants away?

According to The Balance, ants simply can’t stand the smell of vinegar because it messes with their scent trails.

For the best results, use an equal mixture of water and vinegar and wipe down any areas that are popular with ants. You may need to a couple of times a day but you should find that it stops the ants from sticking around.

Try citrus scents

While ants are often looking for a sweet treat to snack on, citrus can actually be quite harmful to them. Many blogs suggest that keeping citrus peels near entry points is an effective way of stopping an ant infestation.

The ant is going to detect the citrus, realise it’s harmful to them and find another food source. If you don’t like the idea of keeping orange peels or other fruit waste around your home, citrus fragrances or scented spray-and-wipes also do the trick. You can even spray lemon juice and water at effected areas to stop them.

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Scatter herbs and spices

No, we’re not talking about the ingredients in KFC chicken, but rather more common spices found in your kitchen.

Things such as cinnamon, mint, black pepper and even garlic give off strong smells that ants do not like. In addition, a number of other bugs that may be causing you grief are also turned off by scent and are less likely to enter your home if they can smell it.

Leaving them in small bowls or sachets usually works, but cotton balls dipped in oil versions of the spices is also known to have positive effects.

Do you ever have problems with ants? How do you stop them?