It's spring! And the ants come marching one by one....

We have been enjoying the beautiful spring weather and all the flowers. The hard part, however, is that while there are bulbs waking up and the grass and trees are all waking up, so are other things. Like ants.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Lee

Now, I know the ants are necessary and I know we need them to help aerate and mix up the soil and things like that. However, I really don't like them coming into my house. But they are persistent and keep trying. So here are a few oils I use to discourage them.


The main ones that are great deterrents are Peppermint, Lavender, Citronella, Cinnamon, Basil, Eucalyptus, and Lemongrass. My favorite is to put Peppermint, Eucalyptus and Lavender oils in the areas I know the creepy crawlies are coming in. At Rocky Mountain Oils we also have a synergy named Bug Off made of Peppermint, Lavender, Citronella, Cedarwood, Eucalyptus, Lemongrass and Thyme; many of the ones that are great for repelling the creepy crawlies.  


Just use a few drops of each. Start with five and see how it does. You can put them on a cotton ball and stick it into the corners you know they are coming in or you can wipe them along the thresholds of doorways and places like that. You will need to refresh them every week or so. And they'll make your house smell lovely!


You can use a carrier oil to make them go further but you need to be careful which one you use. Olive oil will attract the ants in spite of the essential oils. Some people will use a mineral oil for a carrier oil on their floors. 


One year I was using a lot of Peppermint and Eucalyptus, with a touch of Lemon, in my front doorway. We had a Fennel plant right next to the front door and it attracted a lot of wasps. I'm talking 20-30 wasps hovering around it all of the time. Never once did one of them come into my house.  Maybe they didn't like the scent of the oils. I'm not sure, but I was very happy they stayed out!


What do you like to use to keep the creepy-crawlies out?


--JC Shannon








(This information is provided for informational purposes only. It is not approved by the FDA nor is it provided in order to diagnose, prescribe or treat any disease, illness or injured condition of the body. Rocky Mountain Oils assumes no responsibility for such use. Anyone suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with a physician or health care provider.)