Great Touch Cleaning, Inc.

It is the time of the year: the ant’s do their best to come over for dinner. Or maybe even move in. To keep the social distancing, we spend more time at homes, form a new office-at-home spaces and these little “friends” can get really annoying!  Of course, with all the health hazards out there, the last thing we want, is to add chemicals or toxins to our healthy home.
Luckily, there are many natural ant repellents. Here are some I know:

• Lemons

Squeeze a lemon or place lemon peels in places from where the ants enter. You can also wash your floors with water that has a little lemon juice added to it. Ants apparently don’t like the smell of lemon juice so they will keep away.

• White vinegar

You can also wipe hard surfaces with solution of 50-50 vinegar and water. White vinegar kills and repels ants. It does not smell as nice as lemons, but the scent doesn’t remain noticeable for long to most people. Ants on the other hand can smell the vinegar long after it dries.

• Coffee grounds

Brewed coffee grounds have been known to keep ants away. Try sprinkling the coffee grounds on disposable surfaces, such as index cards, and leaving them near areas that attract ants, such as pet bowls or plants. You can also throw them among your flowerbed in the garden – they actually fertilize the soil. Indoors they may lose their potency once dry, so make sure to change them as often as you enjoy the coffee.

• Pepper

Since ants seem to find the smell of pepper irritating, you can try pepper as an ant deterrent. This ant remedy is also completely natural and safe. Sprinkling pepper around baseboards and behind appliances may help keep ants at bay.

• Peppermint

Peppermint is a natural insect repellent that may be highly effective also with other bugs, such as mosquitoes. You could use it in a form of essential oil, mixing 10 to 20 drops of oil with 2 cups of water. Spray the mixture around the baseboards and windows of your home. Let dry.  Planting a peppermint may also prove helpful. Peppermint is easy to grow and it thrives even without much sunlight or great soil.

• Keep All Surfaces Clean.

Food crumbs and spills attract ants like crazy! It is therefore important to keep your kitchen and eating areas clean. However, if you have better plans for the summer afternoon than washing and the floors and countertops, you know whom to call for help: the cleaning experts from Great Touch Cleaning.