Fascinating facts are everywhere when it comes to ants - their superhuman strength, ability to farm and even that some species of ants can swim!
Yes, facts abound, making the tiny ant a giant in the insect kingdom - you could almost admit that you admire these tiny, shiny powerhouses - except of course when they’re all over your bench, running riot through your pantry or enjoying your pet's food.
Thousands of ants can occupy just one nest, right outside your home and worse they can decide to move into walls, your bathroom and window frames.
Ants are never an easy enemy to deal with. You can spray them away, wipe them, squish them and they just keep coming.
Something you should absolutely know... if you squish an ant without completely cleaning up, more will come.
Dead ants release pheromones that signal danger. Groups of ants are then triggered to come and investigate the crime scene, collect the body and relay the potential danger back to their colony.
So here a few tips from us on how to keep ants away the natural way!
Coffee Grounds
Brewed coffee grounds have been shown to keep out the so rather than tapping them into the bin, try sprinkling them on disposable surfaces (while still wet) and leaving them near areas that attract ants, such as pet bowls and indoor plants.
You can also place the grounds on windowsills. They work much better when wet, so make sure you replace them often.
Hand Soap
A simple mix of hand soap and water may be enough to prevent ants. The mix removes the scent of ant pheromones trails.
Without the trails to follow, ants can't communicate with each other and so won't be able to find their way around.
Corn Flour
If you find an ant trail outside, you can sprinkle some cornflour on top of the ants to smother them.
Liberally pour corn flour over the entire group of ants, and then pour water on top. It's messy, but the ants will be gone.
Black Pepper
A tried and true, old-school remedy is to sprinkle black pepper around an ants’ trail when you spot one outside. Like hand soap, black pepper conceals their scent trail.
Cinnamon Leaf Oil
An unexpected power player in the YOURS range is our Cinnamon & Tangerine Surface Cleaner.
A spray of this divine scent loaded with essential oils will not only deep clean your surface but will also work to get ants out of your kitchen.
Compounds in cinnamon leaf essential oil, including trans-cinnamaldehyde, have been found effective at both killing and repelling ants.
Insect Off
Finally, the least messy but still effective way is to use YOURS Insect Off.
Spray and wipe Insect Off around your door frames, windowsills and any other entry point around your house to deter the next ant army from making themselves at home.