Ants can certainly get on our nerves and break our… morale! Who wants this pesky kitchen invasion? And especially if they’ve launched their attack… where we store food? Even one ant… soon turns into a whole colony. If you find yourself battling against these tiny but powerful creatures, try one of these creative but simple (and effective!) ways to take the edge off!
1. Draw a line with chalk
If you have a door or patio door in your kitchen that leads directly to the outside of your home, this is probably the pathway for ants. To see them… dead (but not literally), draw a chalk line on the floor on the outside of the door. Ants don’t like calcium carbonate at all, so it’s a great repellent that won’t allow them to cross that simple, dividing line and head inside your home.
2. Sprinkle with flour or cinnamon
Similarly to chalk, ants are repelled by flour and cinnamon! So instead of chemicals in and around your kitchen, sprinkle some flour, baking powder or cinnamon in and around your cabinets, or even along windows or other openings.
3. Use lemon or other citrus fruits
Get rid of the ants and scent your kitchen too! The power of citrus fruits like lemons or oranges will keep them away. Spray the casings of windows or doors with a little lemon juice and also on the window sills and you will prevent ants from coming in. You can also put some lemon peels outside your kitchen door to put a stop to the invasion!
4. Defend yourself with herbs
Ants love sugar, and from the largest container to the smallest grain, they can smell it from miles away! That means your kitchen counters or cabinets can become a hotbed for a colony of ants, even if there’s the slightest trace of a sugary substance. Herbs like sage and bay leaves can prevent ants from “attacking” your sugary treats, and you can put the herbs directly into your sugar container or next to your honey to keep ants away.
5. Follow their path.
When ants enter your home, they leave behind a scent trail for other ants to follow. This is why you usually see ants in a line, and rarely one alone. If you notice an ant coming into your kitchen, clean the area with a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water. This won’t kill the ants already in your home, but it will eliminate their smell so other ants can’t follow.
6. Seal the cracks
Ants are very unlikely to come in and through cracks and holes around windows. So make sure to seal the slightest crack with silicone or some cement.
7. Do not neglect good cleaning
Clean your kitchen constantly and often. Pay special attention to the counters and the floor, sweeping well from crumbs or other food residues. Mop up or wipe down with a cloth any liquid you spill immediately. Keep cupboards and drawers as clean as possible.
