Ants will scurry away if you sprinkle 1 natural item near windows and doors

As temperatures soar across the UK this summer, many households are opening their doors and windows to let in a cooling breeze. However, this creates the perfect opportunity for ants and other pests to enter homes.

Ant infestations are a particularly common issue, but there is a way to discourage them without causing any damage. Cleaning specialist and TikTok content creator Chantel Mila has recently revealed simple pest-prevention techniques that anyone can use.

Instead of resorting to chemical solutions, Chantel suggests using cinnamon, a familiar spice that is probably already stored in most kitchen cupboards and costs just £1. For best results, she mixes water and cinnamon in a spray bottle and simply applies the mixture around windows and access points to keep uninvited ant guests at bay.

While cinnamon is very successful at driving ants away, it will not kill them, so there is no cause for concern about injuring the creatures. Nathan Kruger, proprietor of D-termination Pest Control, told The Spruce: "This aromatic spice acts as an olfactory deterrent repelling ants without causing them immediate harm."

The reason cinnamon is so effective is because of a naturally occurring compound known as cinnamaldehyde, which interferes with the way ants communicate. According to The Spruce, "Cinnamaldehyde disrupts these trails making it harder for ants to navigate and coordinate Without a reliable scent path to follow they get disoriented lose track of food and ultimately abandon the area."

Both cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon can be used. Simply sprinkle the powder along visible ant trails, across windowsills and in doorways. For those opting for cinnamon sticks, place several in spots within pantry cupboards or any corners where ants tend to gather.

TikTok user Georgia, known as Clean with Georgia, also recommends placing cinnamon sticks or oil at various entry points around the home. She said: "It's a hot spice and they do not like it This also deters ants as well so it's a great little hack."

Beyond pest control, cinnamon can be added into homemade cleaning solutions due to its antibacterial and deodorising qualities.