When you move into a new home, the last thing you want to deal with are unwelcome critters, such as ants. Your new home is already filled with your pets and children, and you don’t have any extra room for pesty little bugs. What’s more, you probably don’t want to start spraying and sprinkling toxic chemicals in corners and crevices of your home, especially if you have babies, puppies, or kittens crawling around. The good news is there are some natural, nontoxic alternatives, which may help rid your new home of ants.

Cucumbers

While you may love the refreshing crunch of a fresh cucumber, ants can’t stand the taste of these green fruits. Simply slice a few thin slices of cucumber and place them around the main spots where you’ve found ants in your new house, to prevent them from coming back.

Spices

For whatever reason, unlike humans, ants don’t like the extra kick of spices on their meals. Some swear by adding salt, pepper, or cayenne to a spray bottle filled with water and spritzing the areas where the pests frequent.

Vinegar

You’ve probably heard vinegar is a great way of naturally cleaning your counters and floors, and now you have even more reason to give it a try. Ants are not a fan of the smell of vinegar, so they avoid it at all counts. Mix half part water and half part vinegar, and wipe down any surfaces where you’ve seen the critters.

Chalk, Talcum Powder, and Baby Powder

Some say ants don’t like the feel of powder on their little feet, while others say powder causes them to lose their sense of direction. Whatever the reason, ants don’t like crawling through the white powder, so sprinkle chalk, talcum powder, or baby powder around the areas where you think the little guys are entering your home.