Behold the power of cinnamon

[peppermintesse]

A few years ago my laptop was the target of an ant invasion...

Two nights ago--oh, I shudder to think of even now--I was brushing my teeth (we have a Sonicare) and I noticed some ant activity on the bathroom counter. "?" thought I. Curious, I finished, picked up the base of the Sonicare... and found not only a swarm of them beneath the base on the counter, but ZILLIONS OF THEM hanging out IN THE BASE with the coiled cord.

EWEWEW!!!1!!!one1!!! As I've told grian_ruadh before, "I'll kill the spiders... you take the ants." I do not like them, Sam I Am.

They were there for the same reason they flocked to my laptop: because they're attracted to electricity. The base was unplugged and duly divested of ants, but the problem became what to do next, because the minute it got plugged back in, they would return, as evidenced by the scouts milling about the counter this morning. (We left it unplugged for a good day or so.)

Then I had a thought: cinnamon! Ants and cinnamon don't get along, for whatever reason. Cinnamon smells nice and won't hurt kitty cats! So I sprinkled some cinnamon on the counter under where the base sits, plugged it in... and the ants have not yet returned.

\o/

Comments

[kenboy.livejournal.com]

I had no idea about cinnamon! We get an annual invasion of tiny ones, and I'm the one assigned to their murder, which often takes place by means of vacuum cleaner, windex, or occasionally fire.

You know, I distinctly remember once or twice getting to work and seeing an ant or two scurry across my desk, as if it had hitched a ride in my laptop. What the hell is up with that?

They love them the electricity!

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

I have no idea where I read the cinnamon thing but it really works as a repellant. Best thing to actually kill them is that orange oil air freshener (or any citrus oil-based air freshener, but orange seems to work the best). 100% all natural, again, smells good, and instantly kills them--eats through their little carapaces. =)

[trudchen.livejournal.com]

Wow, what a great thing to know.

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

Happy to be of service :}

[jcortese.livejournal.com]

Ants like electrivity? What, do they have to recharge their ipods or something?

*is weirded out*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xis/]

They were living in my iron once. :( Wonder if I can sprinkle cinnamon on that and my laptop.

Silly bugs. :(

[shiningmoon.livejournal.com]

In your IRON??? Did you leave it plugged in for a long time? That is really odd!

Not sure I'd recommend sprinkling cinnamon on your laptop :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_xis/]

That was the curious thing -- the iron was stored in the closet forever. (I'm horrid. I rarely iron! :)

I bet my laptop would smell very nice though if it was cinnamony and sugary...