Ants are timid looking little creatures that dwell almost everywhere. But you should never judge one’s power by their looks. These petite innocent looking insects can give you a lot of pain by their stings. They are also carriers of many germs and bacteria that can cause sickness.
Using the synthetic pesticides is equally harmful to the humans or pets so here are some of the natural ways to keep these tiny intruders away from your home:
White Vinegar
This is the best inexpensive handy method to take care of the ants loitering on your property. White vinegar is an effective DIY ant repellent and a deterrent that keeps off the marching ants away. The strong smell of vinegar is not only unpleasant for the tiny creatures but it also masks their scent trails thus making them lose track.
Blend equal amounts of vinegar and water in a bottle and spray the fuse in the way of the ants.
Chalk or Flour
The discipline, organized and hardworking nature of ants have made it to many books. But are they really that good at following their leader? Ants have a unique feature of depositing pheromones. It’s the scent of this pheromone that makes the ant stick in one line. So, if we use substances that overpower the scent of pheromones then the ants lose trails.
Using chalk or flour on the way of the ants diminishes the scent of pheromones making them lose their track.
Adhesive Tape
Ants’ piling up in the bottles of sweet is just an annoying sight. The multipurpose adhesive tape is just the thing you may want. Create a trench with the adhesive tape around the food jars. The ants end up getting stuck in the adhesive while attempting to reach the candy jar.
Lemons and Oranges
Lemons and oranges contain a compound called limonene that repels ants. Use the juices of lemon or orange to keep ants at bay. In fact, their peels also act as an effective ant repellent.
Salt
Table salt is the cheapest and best way to get rid of many insects including ants. Just sprinkle some white crystals on the way of the ants or make a solution of water and salt with large amounts of salt and spray it on the ants. It will definitely keep them off your territory.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is an easy and effective household repellent. The smell of cinnamon is too strong for the little ants. Just sprinkle some cinnamon or place cinnamon sticks at the entrance of the house that gives a red signal to the marching ants. Applying cinnamon oil on the cracks and crevices also guards your house against the ants.
Pepper
Pepper is also very effective in stopping the ants from marching on your property. Its smell discourages the ants from entering your house and scrounging in your kitchen. Sprinkle it directly or mix it with water to ward off the ants.
Peppermint
The strong scent of peppermint irritates the ants as it hinders their natural strength of detecting food and following the scent of pheromones.
Cucumber Peel
The bitter cucumber peel is another DIY method of shooing away the ants. Ants have a natural aversion to cucumber, as they cannot stand its taste.
