Homeowners are being urged to follow ‘the kitchen sink rule’ to prevent ants in homes this summer

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

As temperatures rise, so does the risk of encountering a frequent and annoying kitchen nuisance — ants. Whether you’ve spotted the rogue few or a trail, it can be disheartening to have to try to get rid of ants.In fact, I had a bothersome issue with the tiny critters in my kitchen by the patio doors and found some success with using citrus peels to deter ants. However, the best deterrent is to eliminate the key things that are attracting ants to your home altogether.An expert has highlighted a simple yet lesser-known preventative habit that we can do each day to tackle an ant invasion. The 'kitchen sink rule' will take less than five minutes and will make our kitchens less welcoming for ants to nest.What’s more, it’s practically ‘free’ and doesn’t involve any ant or homemade repelling products. So why are homeowners being urged to follow ‘the kitchen sink rule’ this peak season?What exactly is the ‘Kitchen Sink Rule’?

Kitchen sink (Image credit: Shutterstock)Essentially, the concept behind the ‘Kitchen Sink Rule’ is simply to leave the sink area dry, clean and ‘reset’ overnight so there is nothing there to attract or guide ants into the home. This simple deep cleaning exercise at the end of each day will eliminate all the sources that invite ants into your kitchen.“This is the time of year when ants really pick up,” says Glen Peskett, DIY expert and Company Director at Saxton Blades Multi Tools. “As soon as it gets warmer, they’re out looking for food and water a lot more, and kitchens are one of the easiest places for them to find it.“The sink area is a bit of a hotspot because it’s damp and there’s often tiny bits of residue there, even if it looks clean.”Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.“It’s really just a simple end-of-day thing,” he explains. “If you leave standing water, damp cloths, or bits of food around the sink, you’re basically giving them everything they need. If you spend a minute before bed drying it down and clearing it away, you’re just taking away what they’re looking for.”How to follow the ‘Kitchen Sink Rule’?