Ants and Spiders Hate this Simple Kitchen Ingredient – Find Out Why

People have a lot of reasons why they may want to use natural ingredients to repel bugs over synthetic chemicals and pesticides. Homemade insect repellants can help you avoid the toxic chemicals in conventional bug sprays. You may be surprised to learn there is an item almost everyone has right now in their kitchen that can be used to naturally ward off ants, spiders, and other insects. Find out why ants and spiders hate this simple kitchen ingredient.

Coffee Grounds as a Repellent

Don’t toss those leftover coffee grounds after brewing your morning cup of joe. You may already have heard that coffee grounds make an excellent fertilizer for plants because they contain nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. 

However, spent coffee grounds have been found to have properties that pests, such as ants, spiders, slugs, snails, and mosquitoes, hate.

Why Do Ants and Spiders Hate Coffee This Simple Kitchen Ingredient?

Numerous research studies have shown that using coffee grounds as a repellent can be an effective natural insecticide. Some of the benefits include the following.

• Coffee grounds contain compounds such as diterpenes and caffeine that are harmful to insects.
• The strong aroma of coffee grounds masks the scents that can attract bugs, so they help with prevention.
• Burnt coffee grounds produce an even stronger scent than fresh coffee grounds to help ward off pests.
• Coffee may help reduce mosquito populations. Research has shown mosquito eggs were less likely to hatch when coffee is present.
• An old study by NASA showed that spiders that had ingested caffeine struggled to build webs. 

How to Use Coffee Grounds to Repel Pests in the Garden

Coffee grounds can be sprinkled in your garden to help repel pests. Some of the insects that hate coffee grounds include the following. 

Ants

Although ants can be beneficial to your garden soil because they aerate the soil, don’t cause harm to plants, and act as pollinators, there are times you may want to stop them from coming into your garden. For one, ants may bite you as you’re working in the garden. Also, they sometimes act as protectors to harmful pests such as aphids. 

If you’d like to deter ants from your garden in a natural way, try sprinkling coffee grounds, either fresh or used, around ant hills, or other areas you’ve seen them coming and going. 

Slugs and Snails

Sprinkle either fresh or used coffee grounds around your plants to deter slugs and snails from crossing over and munching on the vegetation. Alternatively, you can make a solution using brewed coffee to deter the slugs. 

According to Oregon State University, research has shown that it’s the caffeine in coffee that kills slugs. Mix one part water to two parts strong coffee and sprinkle the liquid on the ground near the slug infestation. Alternatively, you can make a spray with nine parts water to one part brewed coffee and spray on leaves where slugs and snails are feeding.

Mosquitoes

There are multiple ways you can use coffee to deter mosquitos. Burn coffee grounds as you would incense to create a fragrant odor that mosquitoes hate. To control your mosquito population, sprinkle fresh or used grounds in and around standing water where mosquitos are breeding to reduce eggs from hatching.

How to Use Coffee Grounds to Repel Pests in the House

Many pests, including spiders and ants, are repelled by the smell of coffee. You can scatter dry coffee grounds (either fresh or used) around the areas inside your home where bugs are coming in to deter them. Some common spots may include doorways, windows, cracks in walls, and other entry points. However, be cautious when using coffee grounds in your home if you have cats or dogs as caffeine is toxic to them.

If you don’t want loose coffee grounds scattered around your house, you can bag them up in a sachet and place them around. Be sure to replace the grounds from time to time. The coffee will lose its potency over time. 

What Are Other Household Items that Can Repel Insects?

The first thing you can do to keep insects out of your home is to prevent them from coming in the first place. Seal up cracks or openings in windowsills and doors where bugs may be getting in. Also, be sure your food is kept sealed and put away in your kitchen. But even despite your best efforts, insects will often find their way inside your home.

Besides coffee grounds as a repellent, there are many natural ways to ward off insects. You may want to try experimenting with other household items to keep the pests away. Some other natural repellants include citronella, cinnamon, garlic, essential oils, and vinegar.