How to deselect a layer in gimp specifically to get rid of marking ants around layer [on hold]

Selection tools are designed to select regions from the active layer so you can work on them without affecting the unselected areas. Each tool has its own individual properties, but the selection tools also share a number of options and features in common. These common features are described here; the variations are explained in the following sections for each tool specifically. If you need help with what a “selection” is in GIMP