Have you noticed ants crawling around your garden? The pests can be a nuisance and knowing how to keep them away can be difficult if you don’t know where to start.
While we know ants like outdoor spaces, they can also make their way inside our homes. However, there are some simple things that can be done to keep them away without harming them.
Ants are sensitive to some scents so when they smell them, they tend to leave the area that the smell is coming from.
James Higgins, eCommerce manager at Grass247, has shared some smells that Brits can add to their gardens and homes to deter ants.
How to get rid of these common garden pests
He said: “While ants are a necessary part of our biodiversity, and actually cause very little damage to our gardens, there’s no denying they’re not exactly the ideal guests when hosting a summer BBQ, or eating al fresco.
“And while it might be tempting to douse your garden in store-bought pesticides as a quick deterrent for ants, these can be damaging to the necessary wildlife our gardens need to thrive.
“Instead, there are a few natural solutions Brits can use that ants hate the smell of to mitigate any problems”.
5 smells ants hate when exploring your garden
White vinegar
You might have some white vinegar in your cleaning cupboard but it’s not just for cleaning as it can be used to keep ants away from your garden.
James says they “absolutely hate” this scent so you can mix equal parts white vinegar and water and spray down your garden furniture, surfaces and even your patio.
He adds that it will work as a natural repellent by clearing the scent trail they use to get around your garden, sending them in the opposite direction.
Lavender
While humans often like the smell of lavender, ants definitely don’t.
There are two ways you can use lavender to keep ants away from your garden. You could bunch up some dried lavender and leave it where you normally see ants to create a barrier.
Or you can go one step further and plant lavender in your garden. The plant thrives in the UK, particularly in the warmer months but you’ll need to bring it indoors before the first frost.
If you don’t have space for it indoors, you can move it to an area of your garden that doesn’t frost and is protected from wind and direct sunlight.
Peppermint
Add some peppermint (or any mint) to your garden to keep insects away, including ants.
In a similar way to lavender, you can plant peppermint around the area that ants like to go.
James explains that peppermint is one of the hardest mints and can tolerate the cold and wet British winters well.
In the winter months, it often goes dormant but grows again from spring, ideal for when Brits begin dining al fresco again.
Rosemary
Ants also hate the smell of rosemary as it’s quite pungent for them despite it not being particularly smelly for the human nose.
Rosemary thrives in the sun but it also tolerates British winters well.
Thyme
Thyme contains linalool which makes it an effective repellent for ants.
If you don’t want to plant thyme in your garden, you can sprinkle some dried thyme around problem areas or create a thyme-infused spray by boiling some thyme leaves and transferring them to a spray bottle once cooled.
Then, mist the solution over any problem areas.
5 smells ants hate when exploring your home
James explained that ants can also make their way into your home, saying: “While ants in our gardens can be annoying, they’re particularly pesky when they make their way through the cracks in the exterior of our house and into our homes.
“Ants thrive in the kitchen - especially around food waste areas like the kitchen bin.
“As such, you can try adding the following scents to your home to stop any ant problems”.
White vinegar
If you’ve already mixed the white vinegar solution for your garden, consider using it in your home too.
James advises adding it to and around the main entry points to your home from your garden, including doorways, windowsills and any cracks.
If you’ve noticed ants are already in your home, you’ll want to spray the solution on any surfaces where you’ve spotted the ants.
You can add some essential oil to the solution if you don’t like the smell of white vinegar.
Cinnamon
Ants hate the smell of cinnamon so you can add some dried cinnamon to areas of your home where you’ve seen ants or get a cinnamon-based diffuser or candle to keep the ants away.
Recommended reading:
- How to keep flying ants out of your home this summer
- How long is flying ant season and how long do they live? What to know
- Homeowners are being urged to try this 5p test to keep rats and mice away
- 8 ways you can keep slugs off your plants without harming them
Tea tree oil
Similar to peppermint and lavender, the smell of tea tree oil will send ants in the opposite direction.
Like the white vinegar solution, you can try adding some tea tree oil to a water solution and wipe down the problem areas.
You could also consider adding a tea tree diffuser to your home. Tea tree oil is often used in aromatherapy and is said to support immune system health and fight infections.
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