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MARKETPLACE:  Auto | Jobs | People Search | Personals | Travel | Yellow Pages  January 27, 2005
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Household Dilemma of the Month: May
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Can you help us to solve this fellow viewers household dilemma?

If you have suggestions, please reply below. We'll pick a select number of replies to post and one of them may be yours!

This month's dilemma:

How do I remove ants from sidewalks and patio areas?

Asked by Bob.

Suggestions:

Cinnamon works wonders for controlling ants.  I used this all the time while living in southern California.  I would reapply the cinnamon once a month or after a heavy rain along the outside of doors and windows to keep them from invading my kitchen.  I would think that this would also work around the perimeter of a patio and along sidewalks as well. - Amy, NE

Spray windex or a mixture of amonia and water. Pour in ant hills and spray anywhere you see a line.  It kills them instantly and deters them. - Minnie, TN

I put out GRANT'S KILLS ANTS ant stakes in early spring and fall around entrances and porches, and after a week or so the ants are gone.  Be sure to hide them from children and pets. - Cristina, TN

I have found that if you take fresh orange peels and add a little bit of water with them in a blender , then pour it on the ant hill it kills them. The acid in the peels is what makes it work. - Judie Rini Ohm, Brooklyn Ohio

Peppermint leaves have worked, but my mother has used cucumber peelings since I was little and the ants just disappeared. - Linda, Portland OR

I use garlic salt on the patio and sidewalks.  You have to re-apply after watering and rain, but, i think the scent interferes with their tracking and scent trail abilities.  Also, this doesn't harm pets or
birds. - Candace Sartor, MS

Baby powder works wonders. Just sprinkle over the ants and the anthills. - Paula, KY

Sprinkle grits on the ant bed.  Once their little stomach consume them, it kills them from the extreme swelling.  I just had that problem myself and after using grits; no more ants! - Lorraine, GA

I was once told to sprinkle dry grits on the mound and then when they drink it will kill them, never tried it myself, but a man with a very pretty lawn told me about this! - Amanda

Pour hot soapy water on the ant pile and surrounding area. Drench well. Ants will be gone by the next day. - Jessie, LA

I use Bengal Ant Spray.  It is expensive and not easy to find, but your grocerer or local hardware store (like Ace Hardware) can order it or you.  It cost about $12.00 a can, but in FL when the pest control guy couldn't get rid of ants, Bengal could. - Pat Firman

Sevin Dust is wonderful for killing a lot of different pests. I noticed several mounds of ants recently and sprinkled Sevin Dust on them and within minutes they were already dead.  It works great when used to control tomato worms and cabbage worms on veggie plants.  It will need to be reapplied after a rain.  It has done wonders for my insect and pest problems. - Penny, MI

I have heard that coffee repels ants. Try sprinkling coffee grounds on the edge of your sidewalk or place a container of coffee (out of sight) in the problem area. - Tracie Melbourn, IA

Red pepper and bay leaves are also ant deterrents and they will probably look better in the natural environment than a coffee tin. - Sarah, IL

I heard the other day that chalk would stop ants. Draw a ring around the edge of the ant hill with sidewalk chalk. Hope this works for you. - Vickie, GA

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