IF you are fed up with ants crawling all over your kitchen, then fear not, you’ve come to the right place.
There’s nothing more annoying than spending ages cleaning your home, only to find ants scurrying around all over it.
Not only this, but if you want to ensure that your home is pest free – and that includes spiders, wasps and flies – then we’ve got just the thing.
With summer pretty much well and truly here, an expert has revealed how you can ensure that creepy crawlies stay out of your home – and for good.
Paul Strong, a store operations manager at Magnet Trade, has shared how you can prevent creepy crawlies from entering your home this summer – and one trick will cost you as little as 39p.
If you want to stop ants invading your home, white vinegar is your friend.
Paul explained: “Ants are considerably more active in the summer months due to the warmer conditions and are usually found in warm, sugary areas.
“With this in mind, it’s imperative that you clean down your surfaces after eating and clean up any spills.
“Ants don’t like the smell of vinegar – and if strong enough it can kill them.”
If you haven’t got any vinegar in your cupboard, you can nab a bottle for as little as 39p from Tesco.
Then, all you’ll need to do, according to Paul, is: “To successfully repel ants, mix at least one part vinegar with three parts water.”
If you’re scared of spiders, according to Paul, it’s important that you seal any cracks around windows and doors.
The expert said: “Start by sealing any cracks or openings around your windows and doors with weather stripping or sealant.
“If you’re after a repellent, supermarkets charge anything from £5-£11 for spider repellent.
“However, using plants and natural repellents is not only cheaper but chemical-free too.”
Common pests in the garden don’t need to be a cause for alarm. If you can identify them, you can work on getting rid of them and preventing them from returning.
Aphids (Greenfly, Blackfly)
Aphids are extremely common and can impact plant growth. They have tiny soft pear-shaped bodies, and are usually green or black. You may spot them clustered on the stem of soft shoots – look under leaves in particular – or may find a sticky substance on your plants that gives away aphids have been there sucking at the sap.
Whitefly
These small white-winged insects are related to aphids, at just 1 or 2 mm in length, and look very much like white moths as adults. They can be found on the underside of leaves, preferring younger, fresher leaves. They fly in clusters when you disturb them. Their lifecycle is only three weeks long, which means an infestation can occur very rapidly.
Slugs
An unmissable, squashy-looking body plus small sensory tentacles on its head. Slugs move along on one muscular foot. They range in scale from surprisingly small to terrifyingly large; limax cinereoniger species can grow comfortably beyond 20 cm in length.
Cabbage Moth Caterpillar
Cabbage moth caterpillars happily make their way into the heart of the vegetables, The caterpillars are distinguished in shades of yellow or browny green with no hair.
Mealy Bug
Mealybugs are tiny oval-shaped insects that have a white, powdery wax coating. There are several different species, many of which have what looks like legs coming from their sides and back end. In their earliest stage of life, it’s entirely possible to mistake them for fungus and not recognise them as insects at all.
If you’re on a budget and are looking for a cheap, natural method, you can rub lemon peels on your window sills, skirting boards, and bookshelves to keep spiders away.
Paul also advised mixing 20 drops of essential oils – whether that be tea tree, lavender, peppermint, citrus, or cinnamon – with water in a spray bottle and spraying it in corners and moist areas.
Another idea he swore by was placing cinnamon sticks around your home or burning a cinnamon-scented candle which can also help repel spiders.
Not only this, but when it comes to banishing slugs from your home, Paul recommended the plants your garden needs, as well as a super effective beer trick.
He advised: “When it comes to preventing slugs from eating plants, one of the easiest ways is by growing plants that are deemed less attractive to them.
“Consider planting ferns, as well as herbs like rosemary and thyme.”
Not only this, but he also added: “Equally, crushed eggshells and sand can deter slugs, as can beer.
“Slugs are attracted to beer due to the smell of malt – if slugs are killing your plants, consider burying a container in your pots and filling it with beer.”
Finally, if wasps, bees and flies make you squirm, it’s time to cover up food and give your curtains an upgrade.
Paul advised: “One of the easiest ways to combat them is to ensure food and drinks are covered at all times.
IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know.
Hornets and wasps – hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay.
Moths – acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent.
Flying ants – herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents.
Mosquitoes – plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
“These pests are attracted to sweet scents, and by ensuring you keep food covered and tidied away promptly, they’ll be deterred.
“A string curtain to hang in your door frames can be a great idea – they are an affordable way to keep insects out of your home while allowing the breeze in.”
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