The summer months might be great for the sun worshippers amongst us, but the warm weather can also spell disaster for many homes as it's the perfect time of year for all manner of creepy crawlies to start making their way into your kitchen.
You might have seen an increased number of flies in your home if you've been having your windows open, and for those who are really unlucky, you may even find ants in your kitchen on the hunt for a food source.
While dealing with an ant problem can feel overwhelming, one mum has claimed it doesn't have to be a chore - as there's an easy hack that can ensure they never enter your home in the first place.
Shannon Doherty posted a video on TikTok in which she said that one 70p kitchen item can stop ants in their tracks as they hate the smell of it - and it has the added benefit of smelling great to human noses.
The miracle kitchen staple in question? Cinnamon.
In a video posted to her @athomewithshannon account, the mum said: "Why am I putting cinnamon all over my kitchen? Well, it's a mum hack.
"My grandma taught me this simple hack: Put cinnamon around the openings in your walls and the ants stay away and your kitchen smells great. Share it with everyone!"
Shannon could be seen using both sticks of cinnamon and ground cinnamon at strategic points in her kitchen, including next to her oven, by the door, and underneath her cupboards.
Ground cinnamon can be bought from Asda for as little as 70p, while the supermarket also sells sticks of cinnamon for the same price - meaning you can use both methods for a total of £1.40.
Elsewhere, Aldi sells ground cinnamon for 65p but does not sell cinnamon sticks, while Tesco charge 90p for their ground cinnamon and the same for their cinnamon sticks.
Commenters on Shannon's video were blown away by the hack, with many saying they had no idea that cinnamon was an effective ant deterrent.
One person said: "Cinnamon … who knew ants don't like it?!"
While another added: "Oh my God, never knew that! Thanks for [sharing], I'm gonna use it."
And a third posted: "Mind blown!!"
However, other commenters were concerned the cinnamon could attract other pests that aren't deterred by the smell, while some also said they had pets such as dogs would sniff out the cinnamon and potentially eat it.
If you do try the trick and your dog does accidentally eat the cinnamon, the good news is that a small amount of the spice isn't toxic to dogs. However, if your dog inhales the spice, it can cause coughing, lung irritation, or difficulty breathing, according to PetMD.
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