The vinegar trick that very few know and that you can use in summer: a great help for home intruders

Home‑and‑garden specialists say a humble pantry staple may be the quickest way to stop tiny intruders before they cross the threshold.

Sunshine brings barbecues, open windows—and a marching line of ants looking for crumbs. If you would rather redirect those six‑legged visitors than harm them, the team at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk has a refreshingly simple tip: spray distilled white vinegar around entry points.

Vinegar’s sharp aroma overwhelms the chemical trails ants lay for their nest‑mates. No trail, no parade. Experts warn that an average colony can send out as many as 15,000 foragers, so blocking that invisible highway early matters.

Vinegar masks scent trails that guide thousands of ants to your kitchen

Ants rely on pheromone “breadcrumbs” to lead relatives from the yard to your cereal box. Vinegar’s acetic acid scrambles those signals and forces the scouts to turn back. “They hate the smell and can’t navigate,” the gardeners note.

It also evaporates cleanly, so you avoid residue that might bother pets or kids. Still wondering whether a grocery‑store staple can beat chemical sprays? Think about how often you already wipe counters with vinegar for grease—this is the same science at the doorstep. Below, a step‑by‑step guide to spraying vinegar safely around doors and patios:

1. Fill a reusable spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water.
2. Identify hot spots: door frames, threshold cracks, and visible ant lines.
3. Mist lightly but thoroughly, keeping nozzle six inches from surfaces.
4. Repeat every two or three days during peak summer activity or after rain.
5. Wipe excess from metal fixtures to prevent potential corrosion.

Short on time? Spritz while taking out the trash—it takes seconds. Who knew pest control could fit between flipping burgers?

Keep in mind, not every scent suits pets—skip chili powder if curious paws roam the porch.