So, you left a scented blueberry candle lit in your bathroom to find that catchy scent but instead, you find some unwelcome guest (ants) lounging in your bathroom. And you wonder, are your scented candles attracting ants?
The specific scent of a candle determines whether or not it will attract ants. Ants are attracted to any sweet-scented candles, edible candles, candles with artificial sugars, and food inspired scented candles. Natural scents like pepper, orange, and lemon will prevent an ant invasion.
Not only are they living rent-free in your house, but they’re also occasionally biting you, your kids, and pets, too; nobody wants that. Read on to find out whether your scented candles are the cause of your ant problem.
Scented Candles That Attract Ants
Whether a scented candle will attract ants depends heavily on its scent. We cannot sum up all the scents that will draw ants into your house, but here is an overview that will help you get the drill on the types of scents that attract ants.
Blueberry
An ant is naturally a sweet tooth, so you can imagine how inviting this candle scent is to ants. If you want to fill up your space with the sweet blueberry aroma, stay prepared to face an army that wants a taste of whatever smells so good.
If you want to keep this scented candle, make sure you put up other preventive measures like anti-bug sprays to prevent the ants from invading your space.
Lavender
Oh no, not lavender too. Right? Unfortunately, this candle lover’s favorite is also a favorite for these tiny soldiers. Lavender’s warm and sweet scent will attract a few ants. You will occasionally find one that got stuck in the melted wax to add salt to the injury.
Read our full review on Best Lavender Candles.
Vanilla
You can’t even blame them for this one. If you are in an ant-prone zone, you might want to pull the breaks on that vanilla-scented candle purchase. Vanilla heavily attracts ants, and this scent might fill your house with ant traffic.
Strawberry
If you have already tried this candle, we can agree that its aroma is the most accurate depiction of sweetness. You won’t lack these pesky little creatures leaving your candle carrying chunks of it.
Honey Candle
This scent often sells as part of a blend, like oatmeal milk and honey scent. The sweeter the alternate blend scent, the higher its probability of inviting ant colonies. If your environs are very welcoming to ants, you may want to keep off honey scents.
Black Cherry
By now, you have probably caught the drill. If it’s sweet to you, it’s sweet to ants too. They live to hunt sugar and sweet things. Frankly, this scent is pretty much an invitation. If that isn’t your intention, then hold your horses on this flavor.
Scented Candles That Repel Ants
Not all candles will bring you ants in your house; as a matter of fact, some of them will scare away ants. Here is a sum-up of the top scented candles that will keep the ants at bay.
Peppermint
Peppermint is a powerful ant-repellent. This scent not only keeps the ants at bay, but it also repels other bugs and mosquitoes. Peppermint carries a strong aroma that deters the ants and makes homemade pepper sprays during springs to eliminate ant colonies.
If you choose to use a peppermint scent, it will not kill the ants and bugs. The strong scent will just keep the ants away since they cannot stand the smell.
Lemon Eucalyptus
Buying a lemon eucalyptus scented candle will repel ants and other pests from your house. Lemon eucalyptus has the perfect quantity of citronella oils. These are perfumery chemicals commonly used in candles.
Ants cannot stand this scent, so having this candle scent in your house will work best for you if you are in love with citrus aromas.
Read our full review on Best Eucalyptus Candles.
Orange and Lemon
Fruity scents from citrus fruits will repel ants. Strong smells repel ants. The sharpness of your candle’s scent will keep ants away from your house.
Coffee Grounds
If you fill your house with the sweet smell of coffee, ants will feel very unwelcome. Ants hate the coffee aroma.
Read our full review on Best Coffee Scented Candles.
Herb Scented Candles
This bracket includes scents like mint and any odor from herbs and plants that give off sharp scents. If your scented candle’s smell is pungent, ants won’t stand it.
Read more about Do Scented Candles Keep The Bugs Away.
DIY Scented Candles That Keep Ants Away
Having a relaxed evening in your patio, gazebo, or backyard can stress if you keep finding a trail of ants around your food, books, or even your clothes. Having the right scented candles can eliminate this problem.
If you like to get handsy, these are a few DIY (do it yourself) projects that you can take up to create your ant repellent scented candles.
To make a scented candle, you need to have the following.
Here are a few tips on making DIY scented candles that will go a long way repel ants.
DIY Ant -Repellant Citronella Diffusers Candles
If you haven’t made a homemade candle before, this is a perfect recipe for beginners. The diffusers involve heating a mixture of beeswax, coconut oils, ant-repellant essential oil, and your fragrance of choice. You can always reuse the beeswax again and again because it does not evaporate.
Herbal DIY Citronella Candles
Choose wood wicks for those outdoor candles to keep ants away. Top each candle with a variety of the best natural scented herbs. Pour all of these into a mason jar that will allow you to keep the lid closed when the candle is not in use or if there is rain outside.
DIY Ant Repellant Scented Candle
Melting and pouring wax is the most intimidating part about making DIY candles. Luckily there is no need for that if you want to make an ant-repellant candle jar. Instead, fill the pot with slices of lemon, lime, lemongrass, a few sprigs of basil, a scented bug-repelling essential oil, and some water. Then, add a floating candle, and all that is left to do is light it up!
DIY Citronella Candle With Lavender, Vanilla, or Strawberry
If you are not a citronella fun but you are still forced to use it because of its effectiveness, pair it up with other oils such as lavender, vanilla, strawberry, or any different aroma that you want. Such oils soften citronella scents. A mixture of the two will keep ants at bay, and the recipe is quick and straightforward.
Balloon Dipped DIY Scented Candle
Who said that homemade candles could not look amazing? Add a pop of color to your patio with a colorful balloon-dipped candle. This method is a perfect way not only to get to enjoy your scented candle and keep those pesky ants out of your home but also to impress your guests.
Lemon Bowl DIY Candle
After squeezing that lemon juice, get rid of the juice free pulp. Remember to cut the lemon into half. Fill the pith and pulp with a mixture of the scent, dried herbs, and wax. As the candle burns, it will produce a mixture of citrus and your fragrance of choice. The citrus will keep the ants away from the candle.
Related Questions
What Scents Attract Bugs the Most?
During an interview at ABC, Dr. Fredros Okumu said, “Scientists have known that bugs such as mosquitoes smell people; that they do not see us but instead smell us.”
Bugs are mostly attracted to stinky feet and scented deodorants. Just like you, the sweeter the scent, the more attracted bugs get to it. Bugs such as bees are also attracted to flowers for the nectar.
Do Peonies Attract Ants?
Before planting those peonies in your yard, you’ll want to think twice. As it turns out, ants are attracted to peonies because of the flowers that produce a delightful scent.
According to the University of Missouri’s Integrated Pest Management, bugs are attracted to flowers, especially peony buds, because they release a sugary sap right before they are about to blossom. Ants cannot get enough of peonies.
Do Scented Candles Attract Mice?
Yes, scented candles will attract mice to your home, especially if you have scented candles that are food-inspired. Such candle includes berry scented, honey-scented, and cocoa butter scented candle. If mice invade your space, they will eat the candle.
If you’ve recently interacted with mice or live in a mice-prone place, avoid food scented candles. Alternatively, you can still go for a food scented candle, but you will need to invest in other mice repelling solutions.