Spotting ants in your home, especially in the kitchen, can feel like the beginning of a nightmare. But before you reach for a chemical ant killer, the lemons in your fruit bowl could actually be put to work instead. The idea does have some legs beyond being some old wives tale — lemons are often recommended as a more natural way to help deter ants because the fruit's strong citrus scent and acidic juice can interfere with ant's pheromone trails. You can either mix one part lemon juice with three parts water in a spray bottle or simply squeeze lemon juice directly onto windowsills, door frames, countertops, baseboards, or anywhere where you think ants could be entering your home. This may be enough to discourage small amounts of ants without relying on commercial insecticide.