How I Got Rid of Ants Im My House

  So a few days ago I noticed that we had...ANTS! Not just a few either. A whole mess of ants with a few good trails. (I have been re-arranging my house and getting rid of all my little man's baby items we no longer use so half of my living room/kitchen was blocked off for a few days. After I moved the items out to storage is when I noticed them.) My son has recently started crawling and so I knew I wasn't going to put any toxins down. I try not to use any toxins anyways but especially around my son.

  I didn't know what I could use to get rid of them. I posted on a board I am part of and got some great responses. Here are a few of them:

• Vinegar. Spray the area the ants are at. It works to erase their trail.

• Q-tip or cotton swab doused in peppermint essential oil. Ant's hate it and they will disappear. It also makes your house smell good!

• Lemon scented soap mixed with water apparently kills them too.

• Bay leaves. They also apparently hate bay leaves. Just put some around their trails and where they are entering your home.

• Chalk. Crush some sidewalk chalk and sprinkle around where they are coming in  your house, or outside of your house. They won't walk over this.

• Diatomaceous earth. Sprinkle on ants or around entrances. Be careful about breathing it in and it is best to not use around children. One lady mentioned using this before going out and then vacuuming it up before the kids are playing and crawling around near it.

• Corn Meal. They can't digest it and it kills them.

• Baby powder. Not sure if it kills them or they just don't like it but it got rid of them for one lady. She just swept it up the next day/later that day.

• You can also make this Ant poison. But be careful using it around children as it contains Borax. :
  
  Ingredients:
  1 cup water
  2 cups sugar (another lady said to use 2 TBSP's I guess just try it out)2 tablespoons Borax
  
  Directions:
  Boil in pot in stove for 3 minutes, let cool & put in shallow container(s) in home or outside. The ant's will drink it and take it back killing the other ants too.

This is what I used.

Before I even read the responses I decided to try Apple cider vinegar (ACV). (I was to impatient to wait...turns out I was thinking smart! :) )I mixed it with some water, more vinegar than water, and poured it everywhere the ants were. Than I got a rag and scrubbed the area down.

About half an hour later, and after I had read the responses, there were a few ants left so I got a lemon from the fridge and squirted the lemon juice over them.

The next morning there were only a few ants so I got a q-tip and added a few drops of peppermint oil to each side and laid one near their entrance and one where they were branching off to their 3 different paths. Now two days later not a single ant! I am so happy! No ants, no chemicals, happy mommy and safe baby! :)

What are some of your favorite natural bug killers and repellents?

~MissC

5 Ways I use Coconut Oil

  Hello everyone! I have recently been introduced to the wonders of coconut oil. In the month since I have become aware of this awesome-ness (that's a word right? :D)  there have been 5 ways that I have and am using it.

 

  1. Cooking. This is so much better to use than vegetable oil and even if you aren't a big fan of the taste of coconuts (like me) you should be fine cooking with it. Or baking. I used coconut oil to grease my cookie sheet and the flavor didn't stick to my cookies. (No pun intended ;) )

 

  2. Baby wipes. I used this recipe and really liked it! I will admit I haven't been using them lately but that's because I stopped using everything on my baby's bottom that I hadn't been using in the previous 2 weeks while I was trying to find the cause of his rash. I also want to make my own soap before I whip up some more wipes for him.

 

  3. Toothpaste.

 

2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons baking soda
20-25 drops of peppermint oil or spearmint (This is optional, but gives that minty taste we are used to. I didn't use it since I didn't have any on hand.)

 

I have been loving my new toothpaste!! My teeth have gotten whiter, less plaque build up and I feel good about what I am putting in my mouth. Also, if I swallow some (or my son does once he gets teeth to brush) I don't have to worry because all the ingredients are edible!  

 

  4. Deodorant. Another use of coconut that I am in love with. I hate using deodorant because of the aluminium that they out in them, which can cause breast cancer. Among the many other ingredients that I can't say properly. One big thing that I know is a big reason a lot of people don't want to try homemade deodorant is because they don't want to smell. We'll let me tell you this has done a great job for me so far! Better than my nasty store bought deodorant that's for sure! I have been using my new homemade deodorant around the house, which I never did with my store bought deodorant, because I don't feel like I am putting poison on my body....especially since it is so close to my breasts and my little mans head while he eats and sleeps! 

 

  5. Shaving. Another thing coconut oil is great for is shaving! No need for expensive shaving cream. (I use to just use my body soap actually) Just bring some in (I brought a spoon full in and set it at the end of the shower on the ledge) and when you are ready to shave wipe some of the water off of your leg (with your hand or a small washcloth)  get some of the oil and rub it over your leg. Than shave! Super easy and it also left my legs moisturized which is good cause I don't have time to lotion after my showers anymore. 

 

 

All 5 of these things I have listed only take 3 ingredients max. All of which you should have in your cupboards! Coconut oil, baking soda, and cornstarch (or arrowroot) and baby wash (for the wipes). That's it! Super easy and you can ditch your toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream, and baby wipes for a healthier, cheaper alternative! :)

 

~ MissC