During summer, cats using your garden as a toilet can be especially unpleasant.

The unsightly act can leave a pungent smell in your garden and can make gardening, eating outdoors and enjoying your garden difficult.

One person who had enough of cats pooing in their garden was Facebook user Glenis Keeling. She asked the social media group ‘Mrs Hinch Gardening Tips’ for advice.

She posted: “How can I stop cats using my garden pots as their lavatory? I read somewhere that someone used cinnamon sprinkled on the pot.”

While some gardeners suggested using spices, the most suggested solution was to use citrus fruit such as lemons and oranges.

Mallows Sally replied: “I use citrus fruit peeling as they hate the smell – it is working for me, and my garden has been free from cat poo for weeks.”

Lyndsey Wells agreed and wrote: “I use the lemon juice that comes in little plastic lemons. Cats don’t like citrus so I squirt it around my garden.”

Marian Walker said: “I was told by a cat lover to spray lemon juice. They don’t like the citrus smell. Does work for me.”

Sue Willoughby also wrote: “Orange peel – they hate the smell and it’s environmentally friendly too.”

Lesley Fawcett posted: “I read to put oranges cut in half around the garden. I do that and it works.”

Cats naturally don’t like strong citrus smells as it’s too pungent for their noses. Other smells they dislike include garlic, ammonia, vinegar and coffee.

A four-pack of lemons can be bought from Tesco and Aldi for as little as 65p which works out at 16p per lemon.

Other suggestions from Mrs Hinch fans for deterring cats from pooing in gardens were to use chilli powder, spices such as curry powder and broken twigs.

Pam Gardner said: “Pepper, paprika, curry powder, I’ve used all of these and they all work.”

Amanda Jane replied: “Broken twigs stacked upright in the soil work really well.”

Jacqueline Swan commented: “I used extra hot chilli powder and it keeps the foxes, snails and slugs away too.”