Garden experts say vinegar, coffee grounds and lavender can keep ants out of your home this summmer

With the sunny spell set to continue, Britons are being given advice on keeping ants out of their home and garden.

The black ant is the most common in the UK and can be spotted in homes and gardens during the summer months. Each colony can contain up to 15,000 of the critters.

Now the garden experts at GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk have put together the natural deterrents to keep the insects out.

Natural ingredients won’t harm ants but will deter them from entering homes and disrupt scent trails.

Acidic smells including lemon juice and coffee grounds will both repel ants as will strong scents including chilli powder and vinegar.

For green fingered Britons, planting mint and lavender will act as natural barriers to keep the bugs at bay.

A spokesperson for GardenBuildingsDirect.co.uk said: “Ant season tends to start late spring and reaches a peak through June to August. Like us, ants love the warmer weather and with the sunny weather set to continue, Britons can expect to see more ant activity in their gardens and home.

“There are natural ways to deter the insects without harming them, which will discourage ants from entering your home and creating scent trails.

“Try sprinkling chilli powder or spraying vinegar around entry points. Ants dislike the strong scents and it disrupts their trails making it harder to find food.

“In the garden, plant mint and lavender. These act as a natural barrier, and will leave your outside space smelling lovely. You could also pot them and place them at entry points including doors, sheds and summerhouses.”

Here are GardenBuildingDirect.co.uk’s natural ways to deter ants.

Vinegar
Ants don’t like the strong smell of vinegar. It disrupts scent trails making it harder to find food and their way back to their colony. Spray around entry points and where they’re most visible.

Chalk
The calcium carbonate in chalk can mask scent trails. This won’t get rid of the ants but it will confuse them and cause them to look for other paths.

Coffee grounds
Ants don’t like the smell and acidity of coffee grounds and they don’t like the feeling of them underfoot. Create a barrier by sprinkling them around entry points and replace regularly. Once they dry, they become less effective.

Lemon juice
Lemon juice is another effective natural deterrent. Dilute with water and spray at entry points and where you see ant trails. You can use lemon juice to clean floors and work surfaces to deter them from returning.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon has a strong scent which ants hate. Try sprinkling at entry points or create a spray with cinnamon oil and water.

Mint
Try growing mint plants near entry points to deter ants, create a spray with peppermint oil and water to use where ants are a problem and scatter chopped leaves where ants are active.

Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is another scent which repels ants. Soak cotton wool balls on the oil and place the around entry points. Alternatively create a spray to stop them entering your home.

Chilli powder
As well as disliking the smell of chilli powder, it can also irritate the ants’ skin making it a good deterrent. Either sprinkle the powder or create a spray. However, be careful with this if you have children or pets. Chilli powder on little hands or paws can lead to problems.

Lavender
Lavender is another fragrant plant which can repel ants. Planting in your garden will create a natural barrier, place potted lavender near outdoor seating or other problem areas or make a spray with lavender oil and water.