Ants are one of the most common pests homeowners can find roaming around their property from now until the end of summer.
Ants can thrive all year round, but certain months are more prone to heightened ant activity.
These pests emerge in the spring in response to a combination of factors, including warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours. As temperatures rise, ants become more active and begin to search for food.
They are also more likely to reproduce during this time, which can lead to an increase in the number of ants in a colony — and an increase of ants visible on your property.
To stop the invasion happening in your home, cleaner and founder of Calibre Cleaning Limited Rocky Vuong has shared some easy tips for effective natural methods to deter ants from homes and how to stop them from entering.
One of the first items Rocky suggests using is mint such as fresh mint leaves and peppermint essential oil as they are “powerful ant repellants”.
Simply, place some cotton balls in peppermint essential oil and place them near the entry points. You can also plant mint around the perimeters of your house.
Another natural item to use to ward off ants is white vinegar. As white vinegar is acidic in nature, “this disturbs the scent trails” of ants.
Rocky said: “Develop a solution from equal parts of white vinegar and water. Simply wipe down the surfaces where ants have been seen and use a spray bottle to target the ant trails directly.”
To ensure ants don’t step foot in your house and quickly scarper, the cleaner recommends using the “right spices”.
Rocky explained: “Ants hate the smell of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Simply sprinkle these spices on the ant trails or near the entry points to make them stay away from entering your house.”
However, it’s important that households remember to replace these spices every 10 to 15 days to “sustain effectiveness”.
As well as these repellants, households can develop their own “DIY ant traps” claimed the expert.
He said: “In a shallow bowl, mix equal parts of sugar and borax. The sugar is going to attract the ants and the borax will dehydrate them.
“Put these traps near the ant trails and entry points. However, borax should be kept out of children’s reach and pets, as it is toxic when ingested.”
Once the ants have been removed it is time to “seal up your place”. To do so, inspect the foundation of your home, and walls, and check the crevices around the doors and windows for any gaps and cracks – seal these openings using caulk to prevent ants from using the entry points.
Also, Make sure that you thoroughly clean your bins, and tightly close their lids as “ants love to live in overflowing trash”.
