Ants are extremely pesky for a relatively harmless creature, especially when they manage to squeeze into condiment jars, food items and other consumables in the kitchen. Although they could be a sign of bad cleaning and hygiene, there could also be other reasons for such household pests appearing.
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Once infested, it can be a mighty (and annoying!) feat to rid your home of an army of ants, so the trick is to prevent them entering in the first place.
These natural pest control tips and chemical-free cleaning solutions mean nothing nasty is required to rid your home of ants and, compared to professional pest control services or toxic treatments, these tricks will cost you next to nothing!
Like most household pests, ants come from the outdoors in, nesting in your garden, under the house and often in the walls or floors of your home. There are plenty of natural pest control tips for the garden that will get rid of ants at the source. A simple eucalyptus oil solution or a concentrated garlic spray have both been known to put ants off and the best part it is this won’t harm your harm your plants, or you!
- Citrus
- Calcium carbonate i.e. chalk
- Peppermint
- Coffee grounds
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
Doorways, windows and tiny cracks in floors or walls make the perfect point of entry for an ant colony looking for food. Making sure windows and doors are shut properly is the first step. If you have cracks that need sealing, ask and expert about what kind of caulk or sealant is best for the job.
To humans, there’s nothing better than the smell of fresh pungent herbs like sage, mint and bay leaves. To ants, there’s nothing worse! Growing these herbs in your garden should keep the ants at bay (pardon the pun) and keeping fresh cuttings of these in your kitchen or pantry is also an easy way to ward off ants and other pesky bugs.
Natural cleaning solutions like the classic combination of bicarb soda and vinegar will leave your house sparkling and ant-free! Add essential oils like peppermint, lemon and eucalyptus for some extra oomph and a delightful fragrance that will only discourage ants further.
Text: Homes to Love