Ants can be kept away using natural remedies and simple precautions. Here are some ways to keep ants away:

• Cleanliness: Keep your kitchen and bathrooms clean, store ripe fruit in the fridge, and keep other foods in airtight containers. Clean up food spills and crumbs immediately, and take out the trash regularly.

• Seal entry points: Caulk gaps in windows and doors or foundation cracks with silicone-based caulk. Crushed stone or rock used around a home instead of mulch or pine straw that ants prefer to nest in can help keep ants away from your home’s perimeter. Fix leaking water pipes and maintain proper drainage away from your house.

• Natural deterrents: Ants hate the smell of certain items, such as mint, vinegar, lemon juice, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. You can plant mint around your home or use peppermint essential oil. Mix a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it around your windowsills, doorways, and other places where you see ants coming inside. Sprinkle cinnamon or cayenne pepper on the ants’ path or around an anthill opening.

• Other natural remedies: Spread table salt near nooks and corners to keep ants away. A line of salt creates a barrier that repels ants. You can also use dish soap and glass cleaning spray to get rid of ants and clean your home at the same time.

By taking these simple precautions and using natural remedies, you can keep ants away from your home.