Keep Ants Out of Your Home with This Natural Spice

Spring and summer are just the best. The weather gets warmer and we can get outside and do all those things we like to do that we can't because winter doesn't exactly give us the most ideal conditions for doing things like playing golf, taking a walk, playing sports, or whatever outdoor activity it is that you enjoy. But, like most things, spring and summer do have their drawbacks. Namely, the return of bugs. Specifically, ants. Those little suckers come out of hibernation looking for something to eat, and guess who has food? Yep. You and me. But, you may have something in your kitchen right now they won't eat that will keep them out of your house altogether.

Natural Ant Repellent

Your first instinct when finding ants is likely to run to the store to buy some bug killer to hose them down with. But, while all those chemicals aren't good for ants, there's a good chance they're not good for you, your family, or any pets you have that spend time outdoors. Fortunately, there are several non-toxic options you can use to try and keep them out of your home, including one I just recently learned about.

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A friend of mine recently sent me the video below from Instagram user, homehacksco, showing how a common spice used quite a bit in holiday baking recipes will repellent ants once they get a whiff of it.

Do Cloves Really Repel Ants?

I'm typically not the type to trust, well anything, but specifically, a video on the internet claiming to have some magic solution for a common problem using an everyday ingredient. So, I did a little research and found that this claim is true. According to the National Library of Medicine, cloves naturally contain a chemical called eugenol which repelled 99% of the ants they tested it on within three hours. It also killed 100% of the ants within six hours.

Why it works is still up for debate. Dr. Killigan's, a company dedicated to discovering all-natural solutions for pest control, says one belief is that eugenol is a neurotoxin that targets the ant's nervous system. The company goes on to say other essential oils such as cinnamon and peppermint have also been shown to be effective in getting rid of ants.

DIY Ant Killer

Once you've spotted ants in your home, it can be difficult to get rid of them. While the oils mentioned above will apparently do the trick, they will only kill the ants you see, not the hundred or thousands more that are back at the colony. If you want to get rid of them for good, colony and all, give this DIY ant killer a try. It's worked for me every time we've had ants in our house.