It can be frustrating to open a window during the hot weather only for ants to begin creeping into your home, but there is a natural way to keep them away all summer. Most people get rid of insects with sprays, but Aida, a natural cleaning expert and founder of 3 Little Plums, is urging people to first try natural alternatives due to the chemicals in these products. 

Aida said, “These products have ingredients that can be harmful to humans, especially children, so it is just best not to use them inside your homes.” These sprays contain toxins that will linger on kitchen worktops and on floors, which can have potential health risks if you have children or pets in your household. 

Instead, a simple way to keep ants away in summer is to use lemons, which may sound bizarre, but they are a natural repellent that can disrupt ant pheromones. 

Aida said, “Ants really don’t like citrus. Sprinkle some citrus peels or lemon juice on an ant trail or infested area, and you will disrupt the ant line, and they will not come back.”

Ants rely on pheromone trails to communicate, explore areas and look for food, but the acidity in lemons disrupts these trails. 

This will greatly confuse ants, cause them to become lost and make them feel unsafe, so they stop coming back. 

Lemons also have an extremely strong smell that irritates ants, and they will be reluctant to cross any surface that has been treated with lemon juice. 

How to keep ants away all summer

All you need to do is mix one part lemon juice and one part tap water in a spray bottle. You can buy empty spray bottles in the cleaning aisle of most supermarkets, but they can also be found at pound shops, hardware stores and garden centres. 

Spray this solution on windowsills, around doorways, on skirting boards near the door and near your rubbish bin. Place citrus peels in your fruit bowls, cupboards or anywhere with food in the home. 

Make sure to also use lemon juice on your kitchen counters daily, and ants should naturally stay away from the citrus scent. 

However, the most important thing to remember is that ants will only come to an area where they can smell food, so make sure to keep your kitchen clean and do not leave crumbs on the floor. 

If you are planning on having a picnic this summer, then squeeze lemon juice onto the edges of a blanket and apply every hour or two to keep ants away. 

You can also wipe down tables, cool boxes and food containers with lemon juice if you are having a barbecue.