Two summers ago I came downstairs in the morning and was greeted with ants literally all over my kitchen, they had even got into the kettle yuk. There was nothing I could do as I had never experienced ants in my house so I had nothing in that I could kill them with. I couldnt work out why they were there, the kitchen is cleared every night of any left over food and the rubbish bin emptied outside in the dustbin before bedtime. I threw a coat over my pyjamas and dashed down to the local hardware store. I must have looked like some sort of mad women I hadn't even combed my hair and this is a women who wont even open the door to the postman without putting on the war paint first, no time for that, just goes to tell you how disgusted I was at having ants everywhere.

The guy recommended Raid Ant & Cockroach killer, kills in seconds and lasts for weeks is the statement on the tin. I got home with it as quickly as I could and read the instructions.

The can says to spray anywhere where ants enter and allow to dry, insects making contact with the barrier are then eradicated in seconds. The spray is for use indoors only and must not contaminate food stuffs, utensils or food contact surfaces. It is also very toxic to aquariums and to cover the tank first. Avoid contact with skin and to wash hands after use.

Panicked now that I couldn't just spray the ants as they were all over my breakfast bar where we prepare all our food, I phoned Mr Benn for advice (he does like to give out advice does Mr. Benn). Oh he said I did see a few this morning on the kitchen window sill, but there was definitely only a few and they were not anywhere else. I looked at the kitchen windowsill and sure enough they were marching in through a hole that we had made in the window frame to push a cable through at Christmas for the lights we hung in the porch. I opened the front door and saw they all were teaming into the porch up the wall and through the hole.

I gave the porch a good spray all up the wall and around the window frame, and as it was not raining I couldn't see what harm it would do to spray around the outside of the porch as well. I also sprayed a thin line along the kitchen window sill as well as it is not near any food or preparation areas.

I went upstairs for a shower and by the time I came down all traces of ants had vanished even from the breakfast bar and the strange thing was even in the porch there was no evidence of dead bodies either. I was now calm enough to make myself look decent and go and buy another kettle I just couldnt face using the one that had been invaded by ants moments before.

That one application lasted all summer and I never saw another ant in the house.

I now use it as a precaution, at the beginning of every April I get out Raid Ant & Cockroach killer and spray the porch and window frames and I have never had an ant in my house or porch since.

Raid is sold in Supermarkets and Hardware Stores in 300ml cans as is around £3.00.