It’s essential to act quickly if you want to avoid ants in your cupboards or maggots in your home during summer – experts say this natural pest repellent household staple could help deter both flies and ants
Picture of a spray next to a houseplant(Image: Getty)
Summer brings with it beautiful sunshine and warmer weather, but unfortunately also brings more unwelcome visitors into our homes, including ants and flies. Quick action is essential when dealing with ants, as they communicate extraordinarily fast – and once they’ve found an easy food source, they leave a scent trail that makes them extremely difficult to get rid of completely.
Flies work differently, proving quite clever as they sneak into homes to lay eggs at this time of year, and if you’re not careful, they’ll set up a breeding site in a drain or at the bottom of a bin. Both creatures are opportunistic, making it critical to stop them now if you want to avoid having ants in your cupboards or maggots crawling in dark spots around your home during the summer.
Luckily, specialists at Pale Horse Pest Control have shared that chemical sprays from the shop aren’t needed – these nuisances can be kept at bay using ordinary household items like vinegar.
They explained: ” One of the simplest home remedies for pest control is using vinegar. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and use it to spray on the affected areas.”
Both ants and flies rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food, but they’re usually straightforward to ward off with strong natural scents you likely already have at home, reports the Mirror.
Particular fragrances can mask the odour of food or rubbish, making your property much less attractive to flies and ants. These fragrances can also prove highly irritating to both pests, indicating that a location is dangerous or simply overwhelming them sufficiently to prompt them to look for an easier meal elsewhere.
Vinegar is often suggested thanks to its potent smell, which both creatures find repulsive. Most households already stock it in their kitchen – simply mix it with water and apply the mixture around entry points and windowsills.
Both pests will be put off by vinegar, although it’s worthwhile trying out a blend of various fragrances to determine which proves most effective in your property.
The specialist continued: “You can also use essential oils such as neem oil, lemon oil, eucalyptus oil, and mint oil to get rid of pests. These essential oils have a strong scent that is unpleasant to pests and can keep them away.”
Ants deposit pheromone markers to inform their colonies of available food sources, and particularly detest coffee grounds or cinnamon, as these can interfere with those markers.
Flies, on the other hand, tend to dislike the aroma of basil, mint, lavender and other herbs – so it’s advisable to combine these essential oils with vinegar or maintain potted herbs on ledges.
While these aromas can help repel pests, the most powerful method to prevent them accessing your property is to render your environment as unappealing as possible, so they simply cannot detect any sustenance. Consistently sweeping away crumbs, emptying the bins each day, clearing out the drain and storing food in sealed containers should all go a long way towards keeping your home pest-free during the warmer months.
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