With rising temperatures, ants become a more frequent presence inside homes, appearing mainly in kitchens, pantries, windows and doors, especially when they find food, water or small openings that allow them to enter. The Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE) explains that pest control should be based on early detection, species identification and knowledge of their life cycle, being essential to eliminate the conditions that favor the presence of these animals.
Cinnamon is one of the homemade solutions used to keep ants away. One possibility is to mix cinnamon and water in a spray bottle and apply the mixture to doorsteps, windowsills and baseboards. Research available through the National Library of Medicine of the United States indicates that cinnamon essential oil has shown repellent properties against some ant species, although this method should not be seen as a guaranteed way to eliminate a colony. The effect may be mainly temporary and more useful as a complement to prevention measures.
Another homemade method involves using water and vinegar when cleaning the surfaces where ants circulate. Ants can orient themselves through chemical signals left by the other ants in the colony, so by cleaning countertops, baseboards or other passage areas, it is possible to reduce these traces and temporarily make it more difficult for other insects to follow the same route. Cleaning becomes particularly important near sugary foods, fruit, fats or open containers.
More important than any homemade ingredient is eliminating what is attracting the ants, such as crumbs on the floor, sugar, honey, pet food or overripe fruit. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends storing food in sealed containers, removing trash regularly, cleaning countertops and tables regularly, and rinsing recyclables. When ants persist, it may be necessary to resort to professionals specialized in pest control.
