Pest expert says you should use cinnamon in your home to deter flying ants — here's why

Tom's Guide

23-07-2025

Summer is here, and while we're out enjoying the weather, so are seasonal bugs.
From mosquitoes in your yard to fruit flies buzzing around your sweet snacks, it can be challenging to keep pesky bugs away this season.
And with Flying Ant Day on the way (between July 22-25), these could sneak into your home, causing havoc. Not only do these winged pests hide in dark, damp areas (inside decaying wood and cracks), but they can quickly multiply, resulting in an unexpected and costly infestation.
That's why it's so important to know how to safely get rid of flying ants, without the hassle.
Luckily, an expert has revealed a rather unusual way of dealing with ants in your home.
In fact, this hack involves a fragrant spice mainly used in baking that we all love — that ants will hate. What's more, this is non-toxic, affordable, and will create a warm, festive aroma.
So why is cinnamon so good at repelling ants?
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It seems like cinnamon can do so much more than just spice up your cakes and bakes.
Rather than using harmful repellents to get rid of ants, cinnamon can be used to keep these unwanted bugs away simply by its strong, 'offensive' scent.
"Sprinkling a bit of powdered cinnamon, or even placing a cinnamon stick, near where ants are getting in can be a humane and effective way to deter them,' advises Paul Hambidge, Managing Director at Factory Direct Flooring.
'That's because the strong scent can disrupt ants' ability to communicate with each other and find food, without killing them."
You can try adding ground cinnamon to a small breathable sachet or cotton pouch (similar to what you might use for a wardrobe freshener) and leave it near ants' entry points in your home.
That way, you get the scent benefit without having loose powder to clean up.'
Ground cinnamon is a perfect warm spice to add to many bakes, but it can also be used in the garden to ward off pests, propagate cuttings and as a natural fungicide. This 18oz container can be used to make cinnamon buns, with plenty spare to help protect the plants in your yard.
And if you saw a viral hack about mopping floors with ground cinnamon to get rid of ants, don't even think about it.
According to experts, this could do more harm than good. 'I wouldn't necessarily recommend mopping your floors with ground cinnamon and water, especially if you have light or porous floors,' adds Hambidge.
'That's because the water can release the rusty brown pigment from the powder and leave nasty stains. The same goes for sprinkling powder on light carpets.
If you're specifically looking for an ant-deterring floor cleaner, diluting cinnamon oil in water is a better approach for avoiding stains compared to ground cinnamon, but only if you don't have pets.
While very small amounts of cinnamon are generally not toxic to dogs and cats, prolonged exposure to cinnamon, or the essential oil version, can be.
If you prefer non-toxic, pest repellents, you can also opt for a vinegar and water solution to deter ants.
'Mopping with vinegar and water can have a similar effect on ants because of its strong smell. It's also considered a dog-safe DIY cleaning solution by the American Kennel Club, which makes it a better option than cinnamon if you have pets.
Another great thing about vinegar is it's already a tried-and-tested floor cleaning method, making it a true multitasking hero when it comes to tackling ants and dirty floors (in fact, our swab results show that mopping with vinegar and water cuts bacteria on floors by 71% on average."
In fact, there are so many clever ways cinnamon can be put to good use in the yard.
From being a plant fertilizer to a natural fungicide, this spice can do well to protect your plants from all sorts of pests.
So if you have this spice in your kitchen, try out the powers of cinnamon.