Keeping the critters out: weird but effective tricks?

politics_rain · 2026-04-20T07:28:22Z

I stumbled across this trick a few years ago when I was desperate to keep ants out of the kitchen—cinnamon. Not the fancy oil or anything, just the regular ground stuff from the spice rack. I sprinkled a line along the windowsill and, weirdly enough, they just stopped coming in. Not sure if it’s the smell or what, but it worked way better than those little ant traps that seem to attract more than they catch. Also, for fruit flies, I just leave out a small bowl with apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap. They dive right in and can’t get out. Kind of gross, but satisfying to see it actually work after spending weeks swatting at them. One thing I haven’t figured out is how to keep spiders out without going full chemical warfare. I’ve heard peppermint oil works, but honestly, I’m not convinced. Anyone tried that? Or maybe you’ve got some other offbeat hack for keeping bugs and rodents at bay? Curious if anyone’s found a trick that sounds ridiculous but actually works.

Page 6 / 6 Prev

Maintaining Your Landscape

Last Post by philosophy168

26 Posts

25 Users

0 Reactions

126 Views

RSS

Posts: 5

philosophy168

(@philosophy168)

Active Member

Joined:

Tried those ultrasonic things a couple years back—honestly, didn’t notice much of a change. Maybe the mice just didn’t care? What’s worked best for me is a combo: copper mesh stuffed in every gap, then a dab of expanding foam to seal it up. Not pretty, but it keeps ‘em out. I do check every few months for new holes, just in case. Sometimes the low-tech route really is the way to go...