Cats can be a nuisance in the garden, especially when they dig up soil, damage plants, or use the area as a toilet. However, they are naturally free-roaming animals, and it's generally accepted that they should be allowed to explore outdoors, often using neighbouring gardens as a toilet.

Like foxes and rats, it's impossible to keep them out completely, but there are ways to deter them safely. Taking to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, an anonymous user asked how to deter cats from the garden.

The anonymous post read: "A cat has taken to using the stones in my garden as a toilet. I hate this. It stinks. Is there anything you can suggest that I can put on it? The cat seems to be oblivious to any hack I've tried."

Caroline Reynolds commented: "White vinegar. Cats, rats and foxes dislike the smell. It won't hurt them, it'll just keep them away. I have a spray bottle and spray the garden a couple of times a week."

An anonymous user said: "White vinegar! Spray the area in the morning and at night for the first few days, then just once a day. They'll stop using it as a toilet; they hate the smell."

White vinegar works as a simple, natural cat deterrent because cats strongly dislike its sharp, acidic scent.

Felines' sense of smell is extremely sensitive, so it's thought that they can smell vinegar from quite far away.

As well as spraying the garden to avoid plants, you can also soak rags or cloths in a diluted vinegar solution and place them in problem areas.

White vinegar can be purchased for as little as 39p a bottle and used for many jobs around the home and in the garden.

Make sure to keep it away from the lawn or nearby plants, as it will kill them off. However, it can be used to remove weeds.

The natural ingredient will also be effective at keeping other animals away from your garden. This includes foxes, rats and even mosquitoes in the summer months.