Finding ants in your own home can be very unpleasant. A dirty plate or bread crumbs left on the table and whole colonies of ants start to roam the flat. These little invaders take up residence in every room, and can seem to multiply every day. We will show you a few simple and effective ways to combat ants.
Of course, there are specialised shops that sell effective, fast-acting products to put a stop to ant activity. But you can also decide to use eco and animal-friendly methods that can be implemented with simple recipes. We will introduce you to five of them.
How to prevent ants in your home
In order to prevent ants from entering your home, you can take certain preventive measures:
- Keep rubbish and compost only in closed cupboards and bags;
- Never leave food scraps accessible;
- Check that there are no ants in the flower pots you bring into the house;
- Maintain seals;
- Keep pet food in closed bags and cupboards;
- Air the house regularly so that ants do not feel at home.
Strong scents scare away ants
Ants have a highly developed sense of smell and therefore do not like strong scents. Strongly scented oils such as lavender, cloves or lemon will deter unwanted tenants from moving in. Scented oils are most effective if you apply them directly to areas where ants are accustomed to visiting.
If necessary, cinnamon can also be used. Simply sprinkle it on the infested areas of the home and the ant army will leave. In addition, the house will give off a pleasant smell that will remind you of Christmas. Other, slightly less pleasant alternatives could be lemon peel or vinegar.
Fighting ants with chalk
Ants hate chalk, so it provides a natural barrier that these little insects will not cross. If you notice an ant invasion in your flat or are worried that you will soon be invaded, you can carry out a very simple defense strategy with chalk. Draw chalk lines in the places where you will find ants. Your chalk lines will need to be monitored, however, as they tend to disappear quickly over time or under the influence of weather.
Copper against ants
Copper coins are perfect for eliminating ants. They can be placed directly on the anthill, in the path of the ants or in the places where they enter the house. Ants hate the smell of copper as much as they hate the smell of strong-smelling perfume oils. You can also insert copper wires into the anthills.
Moving the ant farm
If you find an ant farm in your garden, you can easily move it. Fill a flowerpot with soil and place it upside down on top of the ant farm. The ants will take it as their new home and return to the flowerpot. After a while you can take the whole pot and move the ants to any place you like.
