Use these essential oils when washing the floor - they really work well to repel ants

We all have favorite products when it comes to cleaning different surfaces in the home, and this also applies to floors. We often choose detergents not only on the basis of how much they satisfy us in terms of cleaning, but also on the perfume they give off, which is always a sort of pleasant reward for the effort made .

However, we could also consider another advantage of a certain type of floor detergent over the others: the ability to repel annoying insects, especially ants, which at certain times of the year become daily enemies. They are not dangerous pests, but it is best to keep them out of our kitchens. So, among the many measures we can take to make our homes less attractive to ants, there is also a simple tip to use when scrubbing floors: add essential oils.

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It is generally known that all the strong odors from the aromatic plants (from which the most popular essential oils are extracted) are unattractive to ants: but some research has shown that in particular, there are five that seem to work better than the others, even in the area of agriculture. These are the essential oils from:

• Mint (spearmint);
• Peppermint;
• Gaultheria Procumbens (Tea from Canada, Wintergreen);
• Cinnamon;
• Cloves.

A research conducted in Portland, Oregon (USA) in 2010 revealed that these oils, tested with different solutions, were able to keep ants away for variable periods, with peppermint being effective after 7 days.

We can add some drops of essential oil to our floor cleaners: since we wash these surfaces often, frequent use of essential oils can help keep the home unattractive for ants. Obviously, the concentrations of oil that we use in home blends is not particularly high (unless you use a large amount of the product which, in the end, could affect you too).

But when we prepare homemade detergents, with natural soaps such as Marseille soap, soft potassium (grandma's yellow soap), or Castile soap, then adding another completely natural ingredient is not at all difficult and indeed, it can even be beneficial.

The next time you use a homemade detergent or that is not already perfumed, try adding 20 (maximum 30) drops of one of these essential oils to the hot water in the bucket!