Comments on Muthering Heights: I Have A Serious Problem...

We get ants as well, and it is sooo mysterious bec...

2009-06-13T17:24:44.368-04:00

We get ants as well, and it is sooo mysterious because they'll show up in places like our bedroom where there is NO FOOD in sight. I just don't get it. I enjoy killing them...and my daughter likes to say they're going to sleep and won't ever wake up again.

We have had ants in the past and I have tried seve...

2009-06-12T11:41:56.572-04:00

We have had ants in the past and I have tried several of the "natural" remedies but in the end I resorted to the ant traps.

I totally sympathize. We're dealing with a major c...

2009-06-11T22:26:16.150-04:00

I totally sympathize. We're dealing with a major case right now too, and have been for the last month. It's awful! I can't leave any dirty dishes in the sink or crumbs on the floor (and you know how that is with toddlers). We've taken some steps to get rid of them, with some success:

*A lidded garbage can that they can't get into
*Spraying the sink and counters with eco-friendly cleaners before bed and letting it sit there overnight
*Removing our cat's food right after he finishes. I found they were drawn to that one day, from the bits he leaves behind
*Spraying them with vinegar water. This just kills them, it doesn't prevent them from coming in. And it's safe around kids

Obviously we still have a problem, but I just can't see leaving out anything toxic or using traps. I hope they go away on their own like they did last year. It's hard to tell where they're coming from, the basement probably.

If you get any answers please post them. My kids h...

2009-06-11T19:42:26.773-04:00

If you get any answers please post them. My kids have learned to follow the trails to the nests and come get me with the spray can.....I should have stock in Raid:) LOL
Good luck
Blessings--
Beth

I know bleach works, spray where they are coming i...

2009-06-11T17:41:15.781-04:00

I know bleach works, spray where they are coming in BUT I dislike bleach ... here is a link to some other natural ways ...

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/980528a.cfm

let us know what works!!!!

I got nothing for ya. We get ants, but I've alway...

2009-06-11T16:45:15.368-04:00

I got nothing for ya. We get ants, but I've always used, (GULP), Raid. Not where the kids can breathe it in or ingest it, but in the crevices of the basement, etc...and we used those little traps once.

I'm going to go read all these better tips now!

I have to add that on the subject of ant traps, th...

2009-06-11T16:43:50.101-04:00

I have to add that on the subject of ant traps, those only work on the little itty bitty ants. If that's what you have, I recommend those; we had little itty bitty ants in our bedroom a while back and the ant traps did the trick. Our latest bout with ants was carpenter ants--and ant traps don't work for those. So if you have carpenter ants, my sympathies.

Is there a health food store near you? They would ...

2009-06-11T14:11:35.919-04:00

Is there a health food store near you? They would probably have a natural product or could recommend something. Good luck!

What is it with the ants this year? UGH! So pesky!...

2009-06-11T13:36:12.815-04:00

What is it with the ants this year? UGH! So pesky! My husband was able to get rid of them by spraying some super grade of insect killer. I only let him do it after everyone is in bed though - because I am paranoid like that. BUT in the garden section of Wal-Mart they have a new natural bug spray along with other sprays for your garden and general cleaners. It was about $4 a bottle so I would check that out for sure.

Try using Skin So Soft. Ants will not cross it.

2009-06-11T13:08:55.041-04:00

Try using Skin So Soft. Ants will not cross it.

I so hear ya!!! i hate them too!!! but at leas...

2009-06-11T13:03:06.552-04:00

I so hear ya!!! i hate them too!!!

but at least you don't have 300lb pigs ransacking your yard.... ;o)

Oh, and I forgot to say that I am going to follow ...

2009-06-11T12:50:35.462-04:00

Oh, and I forgot to say that I am going to follow your blog because I love it! (as soon as I am done writing this) Good luck with the ant situation.

Blessings,
Sasha

Oh gross. I know a lady who puts a half potato ...

2009-06-11T12:48:26.499-04:00

Oh gross.

I know a lady who puts a half potato on her floor at night, and in the morning, it's all covered with ants and she throws it away. I told her that not only is that disgusting, she has to do it every day because she is FEEDING those ants! Isn't that gross?

I think I just shivered. Ewww.

My sympathies are with you. Maybe your exterminator has an option that is safe and natural.

Oh no! I've heard peppermint essential oil is a go...

2009-06-11T12:24:14.605-04:00

Oh no! I've heard peppermint essential oil is a good ant deterrent.

I've got the same problem! I'll be pulling out th...

2009-06-11T11:53:00.761-04:00

I've got the same problem! I'll be pulling out the vinegar later. I was told to spray vinegar around wherever they are getting into the house. Hopefully, it will work. Hubby left an empty soda can on the counter last night and they were all over it this morning.

I hate ants too. My inlaws used to use pepper arou...

2009-06-11T11:41:10.391-04:00

I hate ants too. My inlaws used to use pepper around the doors. Don't know how well it worked though.

I tried putting baking soda, (it said talcum powde...

2009-06-11T11:30:46.472-04:00

I tried putting baking soda, (it said talcum powder or baking soda) it kinda worked but they came back. Then I got some stuff from my GIL and I sprayed it, and so far I have only seen about 5 ants since then. I also tried windex to kill them...which worked most of the time!

We've used baby powder. Just put it at the entran...

2009-06-11T11:15:07.040-04:00

We've used baby powder. Just put it at the entrance they are coming in from and they won't come in no more!

Yikes! I'm so sorry. I hated having those in my h...

2009-06-11T10:36:29.286-04:00

Yikes! I'm so sorry. I hated having those in my house, too when I lived in Florida. They are such a pain!

UGH! All this rain has been driving ants and some...

2009-06-11T10:28:02.727-04:00

UGH! All this rain has been driving ants and some other creepy kind of bug into our house. I hate bugs!!!!!!!!!!!! Of all kinds! Somewhere I THINK we have a carton of that Ortho Home Defense Max but since a certain adult male in this household piled our shed with closet-remodeling supplies I can't even walk in there, much less find anything. I may have to look into the ant traps. I have no clue where they're coming from, but with a very messy toddler in the house it's impossible to keep ALL the crumbs off the floor! This morning I noticed a grape in his booster seat (of course, Daddy fed him last night) - I picked it up and it had 2 ants on it!!! Gross!!!!! Good luck, and definitely let us know if you hit on something that works!

Put a mixture of white vinegar and water in a squi...

2009-06-11T10:05:42.290-04:00

Put a mixture of white vinegar and water in a squirt bottle and spray the area you don't want them in and they will go away. It really works!

Mix borax and sugar 50/50. Put it in an old butte...

2009-06-11T09:58:04.966-04:00

Mix borax and sugar 50/50. Put it in an old butter or yogurt container, punch some holes for the ants to get in and place out of reach of your kids (Borax is natural, but you still shouldn't EAT it). They will take it back to the nest.

You can also treat your yard or around your house with Diatomaceous Earth. Make sure you get the food grade, NOT the pool stuff. The pool stuff is powdered and not good to breath. It's just skeletons of diatoms and stuff, and it messes up anything with an exoskeleton...so ants, fleas, etc.

We have them at our new place. When we moved in, E...

2009-06-11T09:13:11.058-04:00

We have them at our new place. When we moved in, E noticed their trail outside, and we talked about how good it was that they were not coming inside. By the next day, they were in the kitchen. I may have to try some of the remedies suggested in your comments. Let me know if one of them works for you!!!

Ooh, I don't know. I have people who come to my h...

2009-06-11T08:48:00.253-04:00

Ooh, I don't know. I have people who come to my house every 3 months to put stuff in these tubes we had installed within the house to prevent anything like that from getting in. I freak out when I see bugs.

It's not completely chemical free, but we've gotte...

2009-06-11T08:17:22.744-04:00

It's not completely chemical free, but we've gotten rid of ants before by using peanut butter mixed with borax. Also, leaving dishsoap in their path definitely deters them from coming that way. And IDing the food source and getting rid of every possible crumb or sticky spot (easily done with the kiddos, I know) will ensure they don't come back.