Have you ever left your kitchen clean, only to wake up the next day to hundreds of ants? Usually, ants are not harmful. However, if you have small children or pets, they may find their way into their ears or noses. Besides, ants may carry germs on their bodies. These ants can then transfer the germs into food and water. However, if ants invade your space, there is no need for alarm.
In most cases, you do not need to use chemicals or call in professionals. There are amazing ways to ward off these tiny creatures naturally. Read on to discover some of the best ways below.
Keep Away Sweet and Starchy Foods
Do you like to keep open packets of sweets, chocolate, or biscuits in your house? Are there drops of honey on your kitchen counter that you forgot to clean? Ants are naturally attracted to sweet foods.
Be keen to seal all your snack bags to keep the ants away. Also, do not leave dirty utensils on the counter. Wipe the kitchen counters and clean food crumbs that fall on the floor.
Keep Your Compound Neat
This is for you if you have a garden outside or a green compound. Plants have lots of syrups and juices, which attract ants. For this reason, you do not want branches hanging too close to your house walls or windows. Do not give the ants an easy entry into your home. Trim the branches and clear all vegetation growing too close to the house.
Boiling Water
When you discover ants in your house, try to find where they live. Once you discover the holes, pour in boiling water. Although this method does not fully eliminate the ants, it greatly reduces the population. Do this to all the ant holes surrounding your home to minimize infestation chances greatly.
Cinnamon
Is cinnamon one of your favorite spices? I hate to break it to you, but ants do not feel the same way about it. When ants inhale cinnamon in large quantities, they suffocate and die soon after.
To effectively use cinnamon, pour a generous amount alongside the ants’ path. You can also pour it around the entrance to an anthill.
Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
Have you ever wondered how ants locate the candy packet you left on the table? The trail the ants follow is determined by scent. The ants will move towards certain food, guided by its scent. Lemon and vinegar destroy the ants’ ability to detect a scent, thus messing up their path.
Mix the lemon juice or vinegar in water, put it in a spray bottle, and spray it on all surfaces, entry points, and other areas where the ants like to crowd.
Mint
Ants dislike the smell of mint. If you wish to repel ants from your home, put mint essential oil in cotton. Use it to apply the oil in areas where you see the ants. Although the ants will not die, you will successfully keep them away from your home.
Conclusion
Ants are not harmful. However, no one wants to live in a house with ants all over the walls and kitchen counters. You do not need to panic if you see ants in your house. In this article, you will find simple ways to ward off the ants and claim back your freedom naturally.