Ants will 'keep out of your house for good' if you apply 1 natural powerful ingredient

There's plenty to look forward to in summer, especially spending more time outdoors. Finally putting your to use, whether it's simply enjoying an afternoon cup of tea in the sun or hosting friends and family for a barbecue, this time spent outdoors can also leave your home vulnerable to unwelcome guests.

Keeping garden out of the home can be a nuisance, especially if you're struggling with . They're often more apparent in spring and summer, too, as this is when the queen ant lays her eggs, resulting in a population explosion. While there are a number of repellents on the market, these can also give off strong odours which are unpleasant around the house, and if you're dealing with large swarms of ants, it will simply leave you with a mess to up. Natural repellents like are often recommended as non-toxic ways of keeping your home free of ants, but if you don't have those to hand, there's another scent ants can't stand.

Ants can be tricky to manage as they often appear in large numbers, and even if you've kept food stored away and regularly tidy your kitchen so as not to leave any crumbs behind for them, they often still find their way indoors.

Finding ways to deter them is a more effective long-term solution for keeping them out of the home, and instead of using white vinegar and lemon peel, or a chemical repellent, one TikTok user has recommended cinnamon oil for the job.

In the video posted on TikTok, Nicole Jaques shared that using the oil will "keep ants out of your house for good". Not only is the scent of cinnamon off-putting, but it can interfere with ants' pheromone trails that they rely on to find their way around.

The essential oil will also work for keeping out spiders and moths, and although it's a great non-toxic option, Nicole warns not to let household pets ingest it.

Nicole demonstrates how it works by applying the oil to her kitchen counter in a circle around ants and shows how the pests won't cross the barrier, essentially creating a trap which makes it easy to remove them.

As the oil can be quite harsh when applied to surfaces, it's generally advised to dilute the oil with water. Simply adding some to a spray bottle with water and applying this to areas where ants congregate will help deter them.