Bay Leaves Keep Ants Away

Cleaning Tip of the Day

Ants in the house are mostly a nuisance rather than a threat. They are looking for food crumbs, especially from sugar and sweet treats. Bay leaves are one plant that ants dislike.

There are many herbs and spices that repel ants. Bay leaf, which grows on a laurel tree, is one herb that has been used for centuries as an insect repellent. Scientists have discovered that the reason that bay is so successful in repelling ants are chemical compounds in the bay leaves. Ants use their antennae to find food and to follow their scent trails back to the nest. The bitter smell that the bay leaves exude disorient the ants and they lose their way and leave.

To use bay leaves, sprinkle fresh bay leaves around the area. Crushed dried bay leaves work just as well. Sprinkle the leaves where the ants are entering the house, if known.

Camphor, derived from the wood of camphor trees, is also an excellent ant repellent.

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