Coffee grounds on the windowsill are a cheap and easy answer to a common problem

Every year there are recurring phenomena which we would gladly do without. One of these is the return of flies, mosquitoes and midges with the warmer weather. And then there are also armies of ants which, although harmless, can invade our homes (and especially, our kitchens).

Of course, we can use commercial products (insecticides) to kill ants and/or keep them at bay. But one remedy some may not know of, is the use of coffee grounds.

Creativo

Don't throw away your used coffee grounds - they can be used to keep ants away from your home. It costs nothing, and the only thing you need to make sure of is that you dry the grounds out thoroughly (otherwise mold will form on them, rendering them useless).

Using the dried grounds is very simple. Since ants do not like the smell of the grounds, just sprinkle a little on windowsills, thresholds or wherever you see them marching. The smell of the grounds will deter any ants using the access points to your home.

Coffee grounds also absorb bad odors and (when they are dry), even a little humidity, so they are doubly useful.

If, on the other hand, you want to use the grounds to repel mosquitoes, flies and midges, you can burn them slowly - just like you do for incense inside a tin, ceramic or glass container. In this case again, the grounds must be perfectly dry so that they can burn properly and not go out. The strong-smelling smoke from the grounds will keep these pests at bay.

Great reasons to recycle your coffee grounds, don't you think?