My wife and I are having some problems around the house and my “honey-do” list is getting really long. Some of these problems I need to find answers to before she kicks me out! So before I spend the money on a product or service, I wanted to ask my questions to the very knowledgeable readers here at Being Frugal.net and try to fix the problems myself. While some would argue that I have more problems than you could possibly list, here are the main ones I could use answers to right now!
~ Ant Invasion - Help! This has been a terrible summer for these six legged creatures in our home. Just when I think I have the problem taken care of, they find another crack or hole and get back into our kitchen, pantry, and now our bathroom. If I had a dollar for every time my wife hollered, “Kyle….there back!”, I would have enough money to hire a pest service! With 3 young kids in our home, I am very scared of putting out harsh chemicals. What are some proven home remedies to get rid of these pests once and for all?
~ Gophers In The Lawn – I love a lush green lawn. The problem is I can’t even see my lawn through all the mounds of dirt. Gophers or moles (not sure which) have invaded my turf and I would love some advice on getting rid of these rodents. So far I have tried flooding their holes and I have baited their tunnels with a long metal stick thingee (from The Home Depot) that drops little poisoned seeds out the bottom. Nothing has made a difference yet. Have you had this problem in your lawn or garden? Aside from going “Caddyshack” with a stick of dynamite, what works best to get rid of them?
~ Fall Is In The Air – I want to try something to keep the leaves out of my rain gutters this Fall. At my local home improvement store, I have seen a bunch of different gutter guards and leaf removers and was wondering what worked, if anything. Also, has anyone been able to rig something up themselves, perhaps out of chicken wire or mesh, that can keep the leaves from building up in the rain gutters? After all, I don’t want to be out on my ladder cleaning the gutters every Sunday once the NFL season is in full swing. Boy, I hope my wife doesn’t read this post!
~ Nasty Stains – Also, my wife asks the question, “How do you fight stains on clothing?” I should add that the stains we are talking about include grass, blood, bodily fluids of every type, food, and unidentifiable combinations of all of these. What products or combination of products work the best to remove nasty stains?
Looking forward to your comments!
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I was having a really bad ant problem around the sink in the kitchen. I didn’t want to spray the area since it was near dishes and where we clean. I sprinkled baby powder all around the rim of the sink and back wall. It was a very visible white trail. I left it for a few days. It was ugly but did stop the ants. Apparently, they don’t like it.
Ants hate cinnamon, sprinkle it around the base boards and in pantry. I have used this for several years, safe for kids and pets added bonus: house smells great. For my area, cheapest place for cinnamon is Dollar store.
For stains in clothes, add some dishwasher detergent to the wash. Takes out grease and food stains.
For getting rid of stains, “Stain Devils” are the best product I’ve ever used. They are about $3.50 for a bottle and they have nine different forumulas depending on the stain (like red wine, ink, etc). I know they aren’t cheap but they WORK and so are worth the money. You have to know what the stain is but if you do, this will ressurect your clothes – it was worked for me numerous times! Find out more here:
http://www.carbona.com/index.a.....Category=4
Ants – I use Terro liquid ant killer http://www.terro.com/products......ant_killer – I cut a small piece of thick paper or cardboard and put a drop on it – the ants like it so much that they sometimes rip apart the paper and take that too. After a few days – ants disappear. I’ve also used dusting products like Delta Dust, for more out of the way places where I don’t like to/can’t get to very often… (like the attic and unfinished parts of the basement) dusts can last several years if undisturbed.
Rain gutters – nothing works except removing debris often. I’ve tried several screens, etc – noting works except manually removing the debris. I bought a special made hose adapter that blasts the junk out without me having to get on the roof or get a ladder out… it sometimes splashes out + gets me dirty, but I feel its easier to take a shower than to move the darn ladder 50 times.
i’ve heard that cinnamon works with ants, but i normally use ant baits with success.
and as far as the gophers/moles: we had trouble with voles (mole and mouse offspring) digging in our yard. then our neighbor got a cat who has been happy to help. i’ve heard from other neighbors that that is pretty much the only way to get rid of them. good luck with that!
Ants: I, too, have had good success with ant traps inside–just make sure if you have curious pets you put them in places where they cannot get to them. We have had horrible ants this year outside though–they clogged up our air conditioner line! So, I may try some of the suggestions above for them.
Yard Critters: We have a cat who is an excellent huntress and have never had any vermin, inside or outside our house. If the cost of a spay and some cat food is worth it to you, I say get a yard cat from your local Humane Society and let ‘em go!
I have gophers as well and you can buy a castor product that will drive them away (the don’t like the smell). I bought mine from gardens alive. I’ve considered getting an outdoor cat to keep the chipmunks, moles & gophers away.
Gophers – This product worked for my landlord:
http://www.critter-repellent.c.....ellent.php
Good luck!
Vinegar will work on both the ants and the stains and is a safe household chemical.
Thanks everyone so far for the great suggestions. I will give the cinnamon a try for the ants, I will give the baby powder a whirl as well. I know we have a bunch of that! Has anyone ever used cayenne pepper or I think I heard once that baking soda helped too?
I like the cat suggestion as well, especially since we have some mice in the garage. Only problem is where we live the Coyotes get the cats! Or so our neighbors have told us! I will check out the products Catherine and Susy suggested.
Thanks for the removing stain tips too. This is great!
Ants – know the source/home, kick the kids out & spray the heck out of the area. It was the only thing that has worked in 5 years, they are gone!
Stains – Dish soap works on greasy and food stains.
Fall leaves – not sure on that one we are considering covering the problem areas next time the guards are on sale.
Gophers – I have not idea, sorry!
Ants can be eliminated with Terros ant killer. It is safe around kids and pets. You can also make your own by mixing sugar water with Borax. Put a small amount in a bottle cap. The ants love it and will take it back to the colony and eliminate the queen and the colony.
Kyle – This is a horrific year for ants (I think it’s all the rain) and everyone here in Chicago has them, too. Wipe all your surfaces with vinegar, and use Boric Acid in the cracks and crevices where they enter the house – usually at floor level. When they do get in, let the kids sit there and suck them all up in the vacuum (they love playing Destroyer of Worlds, dear little barbarians). Weird side note: the teeny-tiny little ants at our house don’t go for the sweet stuff, they’re carnivores! For stains, I’ve found both Simple Green and OxyClean to be well worth the price, since both work on more than just laundry. About the gophers: whatever you do, don’t get a terrier of any kind! They will dig to China to get the vermin. Good luck!
I had an ant invasion as well. I know you have small kids, but maybe you can make a good day out of it. Take your kids out to the park, while the chemicals work their magic, or go to the zoo. I don’t have kids, but I did take my girlfriend out to the lake for the day. It was really relaxing. It just takes a short while to lay the chemicals yourself then we headed out to the lake for the day. It was really relaxing and fun. Hope this helps!
NASTY STAINS!!! I have found that using DAWN dishwashing liquid helps with stains on clothing. If you put DAWN on the stain and let it sit for a bit, it will remove the stain with no shadow stains. I have even used this on dried on blood stain and had the total stain removed. DAWN is a really great product. Not just for the dishes.
I have found a few resources online about how to clean stains from clothes but the one that I have seen the most often is vinegar. Here are two pages that tell how vinegar can be used in many ways.
http://www.gomestic.com/Homema.....egar.11881
http://www.gomestic.com/Homema.....egar.29770
Im not sure if it will help with the ants but its definately worth a try!
We have had a bad ant problem the last couple of years down here in the south. One way that is kid friendly is using Windex. Off-brands of this work and it cleans while killing the ants. Plus, th smell is not as bad. They die instantly and it will not break the bank. Worth a shot!
Stains – I have found that OxyClean can take out 99% of all stains I have tried it on. I put a little OxyClean in the bathroom sink filled with water, soak the item, then wash it. No more stains. Now I have found it in a squirt bottle also, so I keep that by my laundry area and pretreat stains down there. That is one thing I don’t ever want to run out of.
For the clogged gutters we installed a product called gutter brush. They are round brushes that fit into the gutter. They can be easily removed if they clog. We built our house in the woods and have lots of really tall trees and they haven’t clogged in the two years that we’ve had them. The other brands of gutter guards can’t be easily removed if they clog. Our whole house was less than $500. I am very happy with this product. Their website is http://www.gutterbrush.com
It is almost exactly how I feel. I have ants problems in my kitchen. I used dishwashing liquid with hot water to wash the ant trail. Guess it was effective. Can’t see any ants now.
This is a selection of mole treatment stuff from ED HUME’S Website. I expect it would probably work for gophers, too, even though they eat undergroun vegetation instead of insects; it would probably work in the same way (be unpleasant tasting, give them diarrhea, etc.) You might want to check the labels for Mole-med or Scoot-Mole to see if they work w/ gophers.
IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MOLES (OR OTHER SMALL ANIMALS) TRY USING THIS FORMULA TO DRIVE THEM OUT OF YOUR YARD:
• 1/4 CUP CASTOR OIL
• 2 TABLESPOONS OF LIQUID DETERGENT SOAP
• BLEND THE TWO TOGETHER IN A BLENDER (THEY WON’T MIX PROPERLY OTHERWISE)
• ADD 6 TABLESPOONS WATER.
• BLEND AGAIN.
• STORE THIS MIX IN A CONTAINER TILL NEEDED.
WHEN YOU ARE READY TO APPLY THE SOLUTION TO THE AREA WHERE THE MOLES ARE ACTIVE:
MIX 2 TABLESPOONS OF THE SOLUTION INTO 1 GALLON OF WATER. POUR IT INTO THE PROBLEM AREA (ALL OVER THE AFFECTED AREA, NOT JUST DOWN THE HOLES.)
I WOULD ONLY USE IT IN THE AREAS WHERE THE MOLES ARE WORKING; AS THIS IS APPARENTLY WHERE THE INSECT POPULATION IS LOCATED….THAT’S THEIR SOURCE OF FOOD. I THINK IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE IF YOU PUT IT ON WITH A SPRINKLING CAN INSTEAD OF SPRAYING IT. GENERALLY, THE MIX WILL LAST FOR 2 TO 3 MONTHS.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET THAT CONTAIN CASTOR OIL. MOLE-MED; SCOOT MOLE AND TWO OR THREE OTHERS.
THE CASTOR OIL WORKS BY COATING THE INSECTS, THEN WHEN THE MOLES EAT THEM (THE INSECTS ARE THEIR SOURCE OF FOOD) IT GIVES THE INSECTS A FUNNY TASTE PLUS CAUSES THE MOLE TO HAVE DIARRHEA. GENERALLY, THEY WILL MOVE ON.
I GOT A NOTE FROM A LISTENER THE OTHER DAY AND THEY SAID THEY HAD PURCHASED THEIR CASTOR OIL AT COSTCO AT QUITE A SAVINGS. I HAVE NOT CHECKED THIS OUT…SO I AM PASSING IT ALONG FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH.
I work at a vet clinic where blood and “bodily fluid” stains are a fact of life. Hydrogen peroxide (in the brown bottle) works great on them and, I would assume, any other protein based stain. I have not yet had a problem with it taking the color out of anything, but I would use caution on any thing that runs or on delicate fabrics. It also works great on mold, both on clothes (mildew) and in the bathroom.
Also from working at a vet clinic, I plead with you not to get an outdoor cat! Death by coyote or car is not pleasant, and if you feed it outdoors you will attract strays and other “problem” wildlife. Cats are not native species and they harm wildlife by killing songbirds as well as your “problem” species. Have you considered getting rid of the unnatural, resource greedy and expensive lawn and replacing with xeriscaping? A garden full of native plants is beautiful, low-maintenance and can help sustain native populations of birds, butterflies, etc. And you may no longer notice a few gopher holes.
Sugar and borax mixed for the ant.
But sure fire – TERRO is the best! Buy the sticks or traps for the outside corners of the house. Inside, in non-kid-reachable spots, put the drop of Terro on a small spot of paper. You may need to do it once a month til all are finally gone – but the stuff works!
Stains – shake and fizz up a bottle of club soda – great for most stains. Also shaving cream works great for cat/dog ‘accidents’ on carpets, and anything similar. Or go to the Tide detergent site – there is a great list there of what works on what stains.
Gophers – spearmint chewing gum sticks down the holes – or spearment leaves.
I have an inexpansive, homemade stain remover that works really well – even on stains that have gone through the dryer.
1/3 part water
1/3 part dish washing liquid (any kind)
1/3 part ammonia
I have to agree with Terro for ants. I read the ingredients though and it’s just borax, so I’m going to try it next time. The Terro ant traps were on clearance at my Home Depot for $1 a box.
Ants, Gophers & Moles: check out http://www.stretcher.com – It is the Dollar Strecher website. Search your critter of choice and you will have more remedies than you can imagine + most are non-toxic.
Nasty Stains: Goop – you can find it at Menards or auto parts stores. My father-in-law was a diesel mechanic, and my mother-in-law swears by this stuff. Even if it’s already gone through wash & dry, rub it in and let it sit. This has saved more of my daughter’s clothes than you can imagine. And you don’t have to buy the Mom’s Goop or whatever they call it. You want the goop in the white tube with the blue and red printing.
Cat poo in the mole holes is supposed to work. I’ve had outdoor cats all my life and never lost one to a coyote. Peroxide works like a charm on blood. When my kids were babies, I would soak their stained clothes in a bucket of HOT/boiling water containing 1/4 cup bleach and 1/4 powdered dishwasher detergent. I never noticed a color change, but be prepared just in case. If something is stained and you cannot get it out another way – why not give it a whirl? Dawn IS great. Fels Naptha soap is also great.
We have had a horrible year with ants in Oklahoma, too – I finally have them out of the house, and am now pouring boiling water on their ant hills outside. Borax and honey – as someone else stated. Borax sprinkled on carpeting is also good to get rid of fleas.
Commenter Vanessa is spot-on: cats are pets, not pesticides. Plus, if you’re adequately caring for a cat (regular vet care, food, time, attention, etc.) there’s no way that would be a frugal way to control gophers. Please consider the more humane deterrent suggestions before you cruelly subject a cat to outdoor hazards like disease, auto encounters, or coyotes simply to have a prettier lawn.
You could try adding borax to the laundry for tough protein based stains. it works well for me.
To some of the posters, I regret if my post indicated I thought cats should be used as a “pesticide.” For the record, our cat was dumped at our house pregnant, and we raised the kittens, found homes for all of them and had the mom spayed and kept her. She does not like to be inside because we have inside dogs and they do not always get along. But she stays right near the house and, in addition to being a loving, beautiful pet, has been an excellent deterrant for vermin. She proudly leaves the “remains” on our front mat. But you are correct in saying that a cat is not the most frugal option, as I noted as well. Sorry to hi-jack the post–just wanted to correct and clarify my comment.
PLEASE … DO NOT put poison in your yard.
What if one of you kids or pets got some of it on them or in them.
It sounds like moles, just go outside each day and step on the mounds to push them down. The moles are only doing what they are suppose to do, which is “airing” your lawn. They are blind and will not harm you. Keep stepping on the mounds and they will leave your yard sooner or later.
I have Cinnamon around both doorways to our house and the ants walk up to it and turn around immediatly! ;) It really has worked… I wasn’t sure but with all the neighbor cats and kids around I didn’t like the chemicals… you have to replace it every couple of days… but it smells better then the chemicals!
For moles and especially skunks, moth balls work wonders. For the ants, if you have outside mounds, sprinkle instant grits on them. the critters take them into the hole and the moisture expands the grits and “poof” For stains, I use soilove. It can be found on the Cheapskate Gazette website and it works wonders.
We have had problems with ants too. Usually we use a local pest service once in the spring and they spray inside and out – we only have to be gone for a few hours and it makes a huge difference. We didn’t get around to it this year however and we have used a few other things with reasonable success. We used good old fashioned grits on the trails we saw – apparently they eat it and it puffs up and they die. We have also had to resort to some ant killer powder outside around the house and a terro spray in the entry areas of the house. Windex does work but I have found it only works on the ones that get sprayed directly. Terro ant killer (the liquid you put on the cardboard) really works well if you can find a place that won’t be bothered by kids or pets. We did find that our cats liked the taste of the Terro ant spray (that we had sprayed on the carpet in one place) and they licked it so we stopped using it where they could get to it. If all else fails do spend the extra to have a pest control come in – ours is less than $100 for the entire house inside and out and well worth it. They only spray the edges of the rooms and it is safe after it dries. Good luck!
We had a horrible, recurring problem with ’sugar’ ants, those tiny but mighty ants that would invade our kitchen and bathroom by the thousands, in spite of sealed food containers and no available water for them. For a time, we used a homemade windex type spray made of 1/3 spray bottle filled with ammonia and topped off with water, then shaken well…which kept them at bay. We also tried vinegar. Still they came back eventually.
However, when they started building an anthill in the corner of our kitchen (I literally swept out a cup of dirt every day!), my husband had had enough. After deep frying some french fries one evening, rather than cool the oil for reuse later, he took it out to where the anthill was and poured it down inside.
We’ve gone ALL SUMMER without ants in our home. Not sure what the oil did to the soil, but to be ant-free after being bothered previously for entire summers…priceless.