Ants: Non-toxic solutions

From reader kjoni:

Try putting the dog food in a bowl, then put the bowl in a shallow, non-rusting pizza pan. The ants do not want to cross the water to get to the dog food! It works surprisingly well!

We have an outside cat and every year the ants try to get in her food. I finally found that vaseline smeared near the base of the dish kept them out. They won't cross vaseline. With no food available, they don't hang around.

We also get yearly invasions of ants into our kitchen. Since they come in a different way every year (darn them), I have to kill all the ones in the house and then stop them from coming in. The ones in the kitchen I kill with 409 and/or a paste of 20 Muleteam Borax. Neither is particularly toxic. Outside, I use an ant killer on their entrance point. That usually takes care of it until they find a new way in.

I have a stroller that has been in the garage for two years. My daughter is now pregnant. We are trying to get the odor of urine out of the material padding. I have been trying to get urine out of a towel also, but I wash it, bathe, and when I dry I immediately smell the urine! Any suggestions?
Allison

At Home Depot there is a spray in the carpet cleaning section which got the smell of cat urine out of our carpet. I think it is called ZAP. A salesperson should be able to help you find it because there are several different things with that brand name.

You can also try white vinegar.

My aunt passed this solution onto me when I had those tiny ants invading my new home. Sprinkle a 50/50 mix of white sugar and Borax where you see the ants. It may a take a couple of days, but the ants will disappear.
I now make a mixture of 1 cup sugar + 1 cup borax and have it sitting ready in a glass jar. Works wonders in the garden as well!

Essential oil of peppermint. Just a few drops on a cotton ball or paper towel in the area will do the trick. But please note, pets especially dog will be ultra sensitive to the smell.

I order my cleaning supplies from a non toxic wellness company. Their laundry spot cleaner can double as an ant killer and it is safe around pets!
Abbeyj3@optonline.net