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Spring is a beautiful time of sunshine and warmer weather, but it also brings more annoying insects, such as ants and flies, into the home. It is important to act quickly when dealing with ants, as they communicate rapidly and, once they find an easy food source, they leave a scent trail that makes them difficult to get rid of completely.

Flies are different as they are actually quite sneaky as they go into homes to lay eggs at this time of year, and if you are not careful, they will create a breeding ground inside a drain or at the bottom of a bin.

Both insects are opportunistic, and it is crucial to prevent them now if do not want to be dealing with ants in your cupboard or maggots wiggling inside dark corners of your home throughout summer. However, the experts at Pale Horse Pest Controlhave revealed that you do not need to use chemical sprays from the supermarket, as these pests can be deterred with simple household items like vinegar.

They said: " One of the simplest home remedies for pest control is using vinegar. Mix equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and use it to spray on the affected areas."

Ants and flies rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food, but it tends to be easy to deter them with strong natural scents you likely already have at home.

Certain smells can mask the smell of food or bin waste, making it less appealing to flies and ants when entering a home. These scents can also greatly irritate flies and ants, signalling that an area is dangerous or simply overwhelming them so they will go find an easier food source.

Vinegar is often recommended because it is very pungent, which both insects hate. Many people already have it at home; all you need to do is mix it with water and spray the solution around windows or doors.

Both insects will be repelled by vinegar, but it is best to try out a mixture of different scents to see if one is more effective for your home.

The expert added: "You can also use essential oils such as neem oil, lemon oil, eucalyptus oil, and mint oil to get rid of pests. These essential oils have a strong scent that is unpleasant to pests and can keep them away."

Ants leave pheromone trails to signal to their colonies that food is nearby, and specifically really hate coffee grounds or cinnamon, as it can disrupt these trails.

Flies often hate the scent of basil, mint, lavender and other herbs, so it is recommended to mix these essential oils with vinegar or keep them as houseplants near windows.

These scents can help deter insects, but the absolute best way to prevent them from coming into your home is to make your space less appealing to see so they cannot sniff out food.

Make sure to wipe up crumbs, take out the rubbish daily, clean the drain regularly and seal up cupboard food, and it should help keep your home pest-free throughout the warmer months.