Anyone who lives in the Canary Islands is familiar with these little pests: ants range from chunky, loud ones to mite-like tiny creatures. They play an important role in nature. Among other things, they help to aerate the soil, disperse seeds and promote biodiversity – to name just a few of their positive aspects.
But an flat or a terrace is not a natural habitat. If you want to get rid of the ants, there is a non-toxic solution. After all, deterring ants is far better than poisoning them.
This effective home remedy for ants is easy to make: you’ll need a spray bottle. You’ll also need a mixture consisting of water, a few cloves, ground cinnamon, a little lemon juice, coffee grounds and – to break the surface tension of the water – a small splash of washing-up liquid.
Tested in the Canary Islands: this recipe reliably repels ants
Leave this mixture to stand for 24 hours and then, ideally, filter it through a coffee filter or a cloth to prevent the spray nozzle from becoming blocked. The mixture does not leave any stains, even on smooth surfaces. As a precaution, you should omit the splash of lemon juice only when using it on marble surfaces.
How to disrupt the ‚ant GPS‘ in the Canary Islands
The essential oils in the ingredients repel the ants. They mark their paths and trails using pheromones. First, they swarm out from the nest in all four directions in search of food. If one of them finds food, it marks the path and returns.
There, the successful ant informs its fellow ants about the tasty find, and a whole colony of ants sets off. If the scent of the ant pheromones is then masked, the ‚ant GPS‘ is naturally disrupted.
By the way: if you spot the entrance to the nest, it’s enough to spray a slightly larger area around it. Of course, as these fragrances evaporate, you should reapply the spray from time to time. The same applies if the surfaces have been cleaned or if it has rained. In this way, you’ll get rid of the ant infestation naturally over time – and, incidentally, it’s non-toxic for children and pets.
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