Ants are pretty harmless by themselves. Unfortunately, they almost never travel alone, and an infestation of ants in your home can be a huge bother, not to mention the food you'll have to throw away. Trying to get rid of them using poisons can also be harmful to small children or any pets you may have. Here are some natural ways to scare those ants away and prevent them from coming back using just natural, organic products most people keep at home or can easily get at the grocery store. |
|
|
|
Cucumber / Citrus Peel
Place cucumber or citrus fruit peel wherever you're seeing a lot of ants coming from. Citrus fruits and cucumbers are toxic to a certain tiny mushroom ants feed on, so they avoid them.
|
|
Cinnamon Sticks and Cloves of Garlic
Follow the trail of ants and try to identify where they're entering from, such as windows, doors or other gaps found throughout your house. Place cinnamon sticks or cloves of garlic as close as possible to them. Cloves of garlic give off a strong smell, so it is recommended to leave cinnamon sticks, which have a more pleasant aroma. If you do choose garlic, make sure you peel it and cut it up before you put it down. You can put cinnamon sticks in your pantry as a preventative measure against future ant visits.
|
|
|
|
Vinegar
Put some vinegar in a spray bottle and spray the places where you last saw ants, as well as their (suspected or known) points of entry. Vinegar harms their sense of smell and destroys the pheromones they leave behind them to help them find their way.
|
|
|
|
Talcum/Chalk Powder
Create a small 'barrier' of talcum or chalk powder in the ants' points of entry. The talc, the material found both in talcum powder and chalk, destroys their sense of smell and makes it extremely hard for them to cross, so a little barrier will help prevent them from coming in where you don't want them.
|
|
Black pepper
Sprinkle some black pepper on the trail of ants and see how they quickly disperse. Now you can track them and see where they came in from. Make sure you sprinkle some black pepper there, too.
|
|
Mint
Another handy tool that disrupts the little intruders' sense of smell is mint. There are several ways you can use mint to do so. Firstly, you can plant it in your garden and around your house, close to doors and windows. Secondly, you can place some mint leaves by the windows of your home. Like the cinnamon sticks, this too can be placed in the pantry to prevent future intrusions.
|
|
Cornmeal
If you encounter a really big problem with an ant infestation, you may want to use cornmeal. Cornmeal doesn't just prevent ants or makes them run away - it kills them. Ants see it as food, but in reality they can't digest it and eventually die after eating it. It won't kill them as quickly as poison, but it definitely works. It's also cheap and environmentally friendly to use in your home.
|
Images Courtesy of: freedigitalphotos.net
5 Tips to Keep Your Toothbrush Truly Clean
Incorrect or inconsistent care of your toothbrush may expose you to germs and bacteria. Following these tips will help you avoid it.
What You Need To Know About Covid-19 and Air Conditioning
Summer is in full swing. Here is what we know about the effects on AC on coronavirus transmission.
You MUST Watch This If You Own a Cat
Did you know that cats are actually lactose intolerant? Or the many meanings of purring? 13 myths on cats you must stop believing.
Does ‘Buy One Get One Free’ Actually Make You Spend More
Find out why 'buy one get one free' isn’t actually such a big discount, and what to consider before buying more than you originally planned to.
Sun Poisoning vs. Sunburn - The Important Differences
Now that the hot months are almost here, it's important to know how to tell sun poisoning from an ordinary sunburn.
11 Grease Removal Tips You Wish You Knew Before!
Grease stains can be notoriously difficult to remove, but that will be a thing of the past if you use these 11 fantastic grease-removal methods.
16 Useful Charts & Guides That Teach You Surprising Things
Save these useful charts and guides. They will come in handy someday.
11 Natural Ingredients That'll Help You Get Rid of Odor
Suffer from unpleasant odors? Here's what to do about it.
Guide: How to Get Rid of 18 Bad Odors in the House
Familiarize yourself with the 18 items that can help eliminate, neutralize, prevent, and mask any unpleasant smells in every area of your home.
13 Ways to Make Your Shoes More Comfortable
These tips will help you adjust your shoes to your feet, and even enhance them to prevent issues like wetness, squeaking, wrinkling, or pain.
12 Indoor Gardening Hacks You Must Know
Even if you can’t say about yourself that you have a green thumb, you can try yourself with indoor gardening, and these 12 tips will help
12 Myths We've Been Told About Intercourse that Aren't True
It's time to expose some of the myths we've all been told but are actually boldfaced lies.
Ever Thought of Using Vaseline in These Practical Ways?
Did you know Vaseline would have so many purposes in the house, in cosmetics, and in beauty? Check out the amazing list of uses!
Learn to Replace a Bathroom Faucet: Step by Step Tutorial
after watching this step by step video tutorial, you’ll know how to replace a bathroom faucet like a real pro...
Bacteria Time Bomb! 10 Household Items That Need Changing
You wouldn't believe the amount of harmful bacteria these common household items store, and what what a short lifespan they actually have!
Your Ultimate Guide to Wearing that Suit!
A beginner's guide to wearing a suit the right way.
Has There Ever Been a Substance As Useful As This?
Vinegar has so many different uses around the house! You should always have a bottle of it handy.
Guide: How to Use Rising Interest Rates to Your Benefit
Consider these tips to meet your investment goals when rates are rising.
29 Facts That Show Truth Can Be Stranger Than Fiction
History is rich in plot twists and these amazing stories are strange but true, proving history is sometimes stranger than fiction. Which one of these will blow your mind?
Tip: It Is Possible to Peel an Orange in a Few Seconds
Peel oranges in just a few seconds and in the most effective method possible.
The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Wills
Make sure your heirs get what you want them to get by not making these mistakes.
Waste No More: 6 Great Ways to Use Fruit & Veggie Peels
If you want to save both money and reduce your waste, remember these 6 practical and delicious ideas for what you can do to utilize your fruit and vegetable leftovers to the max.
Cleaning With Baking Soda Can Really Damage These Surfaces
Even baking soda isn’t universal, and using it to clean certain surfaces, like wood, marble, and glass, can damage them...
There's a Secret Trick to Understanding Chinese...
This brilliant lecture will teach you the basics of Chinese
14 Useful Charts and Guides You’ll Want to Save!
We prepared a list of 14 visual guides and charts that will come in handy at home, outdoors, and even when you’re searching for something online!
6 Popular Grocery Items You Should Definitely Stop Buying
Many companies have become masters at selling us stuff we don't need. Here are some of the worst offenders.
Struggling to Wake Up Early? Here are 8 Habits to Avoid
Do you do any of these bad habits in the mornings?
10 Dog Winter Care Tips that'll Guarantee a Healthy Pet
The following list delves into ten pivotal areas of focus for dog owners, ensuring a comprehensive approach to winter dog care.
This Ice Cube Hack Will Keep Your Burger Juicy
Check out these essential tips to ensure a juicy burger.
Keep Your Clothes Whiter with These 7 Tips
With these handy tips, you can make your whites last longer using simple household ingredients.
14 Incredible Egg Tricks For Egg Lovers
14 tricks and tips for cooking eggs!
6 Harmful Types of Mold That Could Be Growing in Your Home
It’s important to identify and prevent these dangerous types of mold in the house.
The Egg Secret Tips You Never Knew...
This video shows you some of the best egg life hacks you never knew you needed, but now you'll see them - use all the time!
WARNING: These 6 Habits Are Damaging Your Teeth!
When brushing our teeth and going about our daily lives, we make mistakes that can damage them. Here are 6 of such mistakes.
15 Signs of Infidelity That Are Too Easy To Miss
Unsure of whether your partner is having an affair? These 15 tips will give you a clear indication.
Psst! Here Are Some Clothes' Tips Few Know About...
These tips will allow you to keep your clothes in as good a condition as new!
The One Ingredient in Shampoo that Damages Our Hair...
Most shampoos have at least this one ingredient that might damage your hair - protein.
15 Golden Tips to Start Living a Better, Happier Life...
These 15 little tips sound like small things, but they can make your life that much better.
Give Your Shoes a New Life with These Clever Hacks
Everyone should know these life-changing shoe hacks.
Buying Clothes Online Made Easy! Body Measurement Guide
Learn to take accurate body measurements at home and make online shopping so much easier!
Have You Been Making These Toilet Paper Mistakes Too?
The next time you use toilet paper, avoid these mistakes.
Smart! This Is How to Peel a Hard Boiled Egg
You can actually peel a boiled egg without even touching it! That's incredible.
Do You Store Your Eggs in the Door of Your Fridge? Don't!
If you store your eggs in the refrigerator door, you should stop. Here's why.
How to Deal With a Narcissist in Your Life
This article will provide essential information on how to identify these subtypes and offer effective strategies for dealing with different situations in life.
Manage Stress in Your 50s with These Meditation Techniques
Manage stress in your 50s with these meditation styles.
14 Ingenious Organization Hacks to Declutter Your Closet
Here are 14 incredibly clever and easy tips and tricks everyone can master to organize your closet and make it a lot more spacious.
Cheap and Great Tips for Removing Rust from Any Surface!
Ugly rust will become a thing of the past, using these simple methods to remove it from metal surfaces and even clothes.