| How to Stop Ants Coming Into Your Home Posted: 23 Mar 2017 05:00 PM PDT On Earth, ants outnumber humans 140,000:1. However, that doesn't mean they need to become guests in your house. You can keep them out by destroying their nest, removing their food sources, building barriers, and baiting their scouts. Read on to learn how to stop ants from coming into your home uninvited. EditKeeping Ants Out - Seal off all entrance areas. Since ants are tiny, they can find thousands of tiny doorways into your residence. Some of them of are easy to identify; others will only be discovered when there's a parade of ants marching through them. First, figure out where the ants are entering the house: follow the trail of ants to see where they're entering and leaving your home. Seal all the entrance holes that you can find using silicone caulk, putty, glue or plaster. Temporary methods might include petroleum jelly or poster tack.
- If you use a temporary sealant, like poster tack, only do so until you can fill the space with a more permanent solution. A weaker material will deteriorate over time, and the gap will open up again.
- Seal cracks with caulk. Close the gaps around windows, doors, and walls. Block off any space that might permit passage to an ant army. Your sealing efforts will be most effective if you're thorough.
- An additional benefit of sealing off your home: more effective temperature control, and thus lower energy bills. Plus, this is one of the least risky methods where kids or pets are concerned.
- Line suspected entryways with anti-ant substances. This is a somewhat more aggressive tactic than simply caulking up the cracks. You can create barriers of chemicals and powders that repel—even kill—unwitting ants. Consider diatomaceous earth, salt, and even commercial ant poisons. This might function as a form of baiting.
- Diatomaceous earth is a fine powder that kills ants by pulling all the moisture from their bodies. It works by absorbing moisture from the ant itself, but it's best used in dry environments. You also don't want anyone in the house (especially pets and children) sniffing it up.
- Try using salt. It has a similar drying-out effect on ants, especially if they carry it back to their nests. You can spread it under doors, near windows, and along the edges of your walls.[1]
- Make a tape barrier. Line your kitchen with adhesive tape, sticky-side up. No poison or messy powders necessary. When ants try to climb over the tape, they may stick to the adhesive – effectively stopping them in their tracks. Make sure that the ants can't crawl under the tape; try using double-sided tape, or taping the back of the tape to your floors, walls, and counters so that there is no room for ants underneath.[2]
- Try making a barrier from talcum powder. Talc in various forms is thought to deter ants, although the mechanism is poorly understood. Tailor's chalk and baby powder usually contain talc, so you can use them to create a barrier for ants. Regardless of which form of talc you use: keep in mind that talc has been called out as a potential carcinogen.
- Many sources recommend using normal chalk; however, this is made of gypsum, not talc. This misconception could be the result of confusion with "ant chalk", which is an insecticide that looks just like normal chalk. It was outlawed in the US in the 1990s, but you may still be able to find it in certain underground markets.
- Some baby powder brands are made of corn starch, so they will not work effectively against ants. Check the ingredients before you build your barrier.
- Try using nontoxic ant deterrents. You can also defend your home with scents and substances that ants don't like. Consider some combination of vinegar, peppermint oil, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, whole cloves, and bay leaves.[3]
- Be careful where you place your deterrents: keep peppers and spicy things away from curious pets and children.
EditKilling Ants By Hand - Squish the scouts. Colonies regularly send out lone ants to check for food sources. If you see an individual ant strolling across your coffee table, don't let it make it back to the nest alive. It'll tell the colony where you spilled the apple juice. If the scout makes it back to the nest and brings back some friends, they'll be following a scent trail, single file. Unless you're ready to bait them and wait them out – squish them all, and do it quickly.
- Spray the trail with all-purpose cleaner or a bleach solution, then wipe it up with a wet paper towel. Spraying the nest can be effective, but you want to make sure that you get them all. If you only kill part of the colony, you may simply encourage some species of ant to establish new colonies – which ultimately won't stop ants from coming into your home.
- For a less hands-on solution, vacuum them all up. Then, vacuum some talcum powder or diatomaceous earth to finish off the ants inside the vacuum cleaner. This second step is important: make sure that the ants don't survive their trip into the vacuum!
- In a pinch, just use your hands or a damp towel. Squish the ants or wipe them into oblivion. You don't need any fancy methods to eliminate the scouts.
- Use water. If the ants are all over the floor, throw some water over them and wipe them up with a paper towel. If ants are on your bed, get a good handful of paper towels and a cup of water. Dip the towels into the water. Squeeze to let out all the extra water—you don't want to be sleeping on a soppy bed—and then wipe them all up.
- Repeat this process as needed. You might need to do it many times to rid your home of all the ants.
- Bring down the nest. If ants continue to raid your home, you're going to have to raid theirs. If you're able to locate the nest, you can pour several gallons of boiling water into it to instantly kill most of the insects within. If you don't know where they're coming from, your best alternative is to bait them.[4]
- Kill the queen. The most permanent way to get rid of ants is to destroy their source: the ant queen. The queen produces a large number of ants, and she gives direction to the nest. Destroy the queen, and you'll scatter the ants. You can find the queen at the center of the ant nest. Follow the trail of ants back to the nest, if possible.
- Consider hiring an exterminator. If the trail of ant-workers disappears into the wall of your kitchen, you'll find it much more difficult to trace. An exterminator can do this for you.[5]
EditRemoving Food Sources - Don't leave food out. These ants are coming into your home because there is something there for them: a food source or a warm environment. If you have a very dirty house, ants will multiply – so make sure that you clean daily. The cleaner you keep the house, the less they'll have to eat, and the more they'll look elsewhere for sustenance.[6]
- Wipe down all surfaces. Spray tables and counter-tops with a mild bleach or vinegar solution. Make sure you keep up with a regular cleaning regimen: sweep, mop, and vacuum at least a few days each week.
- If you do accidentally leave something out, take the opportunity to trace the trail of ants back to their source. It can be tempting to wipe out a swarm immediately – but try to think long-term about the problem.
- Remember that all it takes is one ant. If you see a lone ant roaming your counters, it is acting as a scout. It is scoping out your kitchen for scents and food sources. If this ant discovers a perceived food source—even just a sticky sweet spot on the counter-top—it will carry the information back to its nest, and you'll have an infestation on your hands.
- Store food in airtight containers. Even if you've stashed your food in a cupboard, ants can still find their way in through the smallest of holes. If they can smell it and reach it, then they will swarm it. Putting food in airtight containers has the added bonus of keeping the food fresher.
- Consider buying Tupperware or another brand of standardized, sealed containers. It may be easier to keep track of your containers (lids and bottoms) if you're using a uniform set.
- Consider washing out resealable containers, then reusing them to store food. This might be a resealable yogurt tub, or a plastic takeout box, or even a lightly-used Ziploc bag.
- Keep the sink clean. This means no dirty dishes, no standing water for ants to drink, and no food in the drain. If you clean your hands, food, and dishes in this sink, you want to make sure that it's a safe and sanitary environment.
- Place pet-food bowls in a slightly larger bowl, then add some water to the larger bowl. This creates a moat around the pet food that the ants can't easily cross.
EditBaiting Ants - Pick your poison. Mixing boric acid powder or borax with maple syrup is the most common bait; some popular commercial ant poisons essential monetize this mix. Boric acid affects ants both externally (when in powder form; similar to diatomaceous earth) and internally (when ingested). The ants bring the poison (borax or boric acid) with them to the colony and spread it around. If you get the quantity and timing just right, you can wipe out a large colony, but it might take anywhere from several weeks to a few months.[7]
- Mix the bait carefully. A bait that's too strong will kill the ants before they make it home, and a bait that's too weak will only weaken the colony temporarily. Be intentional about your increments. The idea is for the poison to spread all throughout the colony before it begins to kill the unwitting ants.[8] The boric acid kills the ants; the water dilutes the boric acid; and the sugar attracts the ants. Try the following recipes:
- Mix 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar, and 2 tablespoons boric acid.
- Mix 3 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 4 teaspoons of boric acid.
- Administer the bait. Try letting the mixture sit in an upturned lid or a low dish for easy access. If you have pets or small children, leave the bait in a container that will allow ants to enter, but isn't wide enough for larger creatures to get at the poison. Carefully shake the poison into the bottom of a metal can. Crush one side of the can, but leave a gap that is just thin enough for ants to get inside. [9]
- Wait for the ants to show up. Remove any deterrents, if you used them; the idea of baiting is to attract the ants so that they'll defeat themselves. Don't lure new ants with the bait, or else you might attract new colonies.
- Move the bait closer and closer to the nest. Once there's a line of busy and scavengers, place the bait next to the trail. The mass of ants will shift to swirl around the bait. Keep moving it further from your kitchen and closer to where the ants are entering your home.
- Be careful not to place the bait directly on top of the ant trail. You'll confuse them and interrupt their march home, making your baiting strategy less effective.
- If you want to stop red ants, use bug spray only.
- If the huge wave of ants is bigger than you can handle, try getting friends or exterminators to help.
- Most air freshener products kill ants upon contact. They work about as well as most repellents, and they also make your kitchen smell nice!
- You can repel ants with a number of household items, including: vinegar, cayenne pepper, black pepper cinnamon, Windex and chalk.[10]
- If you are dealing with red ants, you may want to step out of it and call an exterminator to take care of them. Red ants are vicious, and you don't want to risk getting bitten.
- If you can't find the ant nest, put some food on a table. An ant will see it and tell the others in the nest. Follow the ant, but don't kill it while it's showing you the way.
- Windex kills ants on contact.
- Use Borax laundry booster powder. The same kind you use to wash diapers. Get a plastic spoon and dip it in powder filling - about a 1/3. Try to tip spoon towards the wall filling the crack/space between the carpet and baseboard. Do the perimeter of entire room and window sills. This will keep ants out until you vacuum it away so get it in the space good pulling back the carpet if needed. Keep windows closed so children don't touch it and do the floor when children aren't watching so they will not be curious to see what you were doing, same for pets. This works very well in carpeted rooms, and can keep not only ants out but crawling pests of all types from coming in through the floors and windows.
- If you have small children in your home, you may want to avoid placing ant traps. Most of these traps contain poisons and other harmful chemicals.
- Glue traps are non-toxic.
- Diatomaceous earth may cause allergies or breathing problems. Do thorough research before using it.
- Be careful around a large wave of red ants.
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| How to Do a Wall Push Up Posted: 23 Mar 2017 09:00 AM PDT Exercising is very important if you want to have and maintain a healthy body. Push ups are an excellent way to strengthen the muscles in your arms, shoulders, and chest, but conventional push ups off the floor are too difficult/strenuous for many people.[1] Using the wall instead of the floor makes it easier to lower and lift yourself, allowing you to build muscle strength without the risk of back pain or falling on the floor. Whether you are pregnant, have arthritis, chronic pain, or just haven't toned your muscles enough for standard push ups, doing wall push ups are a great alternative to get you back in shape and feeling your best. EditDoing Wall Push Ups - Find a spot. Before you start doing wall push ups, you should make sure the wall you've chosen can accommodate push ups. An ideal spot should be away from any corners so that you have a long, straight wall. Additionally, the wall you choose should be free from any objects or obstacles.
- Make sure there is nothing hanging on the wall where you decide to do push ups. This includes picture frames, decorations, etc.
- Choose a blank part of the wall that is also far from any potential hazards, like windows or kitchen "pass through" window holes (for a breakfast bar).
- Get your footing and hand placement. Proper stance and positioning is important for doing a wall push up. If you are too close to the wall, you won't get a proper workout and could potentially hurt your back. If you're too far from the wall, you could risk falling to the floor or hurting your back from arching it uncomfortably. Positioning yourself may require you to lean slightly, so make sure you're ready to perform the wall push up once you're in place.
- While facing the wall, stand just over one arm's length away.[2]
- For most people, a comfortable stance will probably be between 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 centimeters) away from the wall.[3]
- Keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Put the palms of both hands flat against the wall at shoulder height, approximately shoulder-width apart.
- Lower yourself against the wall. Controlled movements are important in this (or any) form of push up. If you let yourself drop too quickly, you could lose your balance, yet moving too slowly could cause you to get tired out very quickly.
- Keep your feet planted firmly on the floor. Do not lift or shuffle your feet at all while doing push ups.
- Slowly bend your elbows and lower your upper body towards the wall (without hitting yourself against it, of course).
- Lower yourself to a count of four. That is generally a safe span of time in which to drop down during a push up.
- Breathe in while you are lowering yourself. It's much easier to inhale while you are doing the "easier" portion of an exercise motion and to exhale on the strenuous component.[4]
- Keep your back and hips straight as you lower yourself.[5]
- Pause when your chest and/or chin is touching the wall.[6] One or two seconds should be sufficient.
- Lift yourself back up. Once again, a slow and well-controlled motion is crucial during wall push ups, and that includes when you are lifting yourself back up. Don't rush it or you could hurt your back, shoulders, or elbows.
- Exhale as you begin to push off the wall.[7]
- Lift yourself up to a count of two. You shouldn't need as much time as you took lowering yourself, since there is not as much risk of hitting the wall while returning to your start position.
- Continue to keep your feet firmly planted with your back and hips straight throughout the push up.[8]
- The push up is complete when you have completely returned to your starting position. Make sure that you do not lock your elbows once your arms are fully extended or you could injure yourself.
- Repeat. By now you've successfully completed a wall push up with the proper form and positioning. But you won't build any muscle by doing one single push up! It's important to work out in sets with a predetermined number of repetitions per set in order to get the most out of your workout.
- 10 to 15 push ups is a good number of repetitions in a given set.[9]
- Rest for one or two minutes after finishing your first set. Then, if you're able to, try to do another set of 10 to 15 push ups.
EditMaking Your Workout More Challenging - Gauge your progress. Doing wall push ups is a great way to strengthen your pectoral and tricep muscles.[10] However, just because you can do a few sets of wall push ups, it doesn't necessarily mean you should move to the floor just yet.
- It takes time and consistent effort to build muscle mass.
- By some accounts, it can take anywhere from six months to a year before you build any noticeable muscle mass.[11]
- Make sure you've adequately built some muscle before trying to advance your workout routine into anything more challenging.
- Progress to a lower surface. Once you've built some muscle from doing wall push ups and can comfortable do multiple sets, you may want to progress to something more challenging. Before you tackle traditional push ups on the floor, it's a good idea to work your way down to lower and lower levels (and build more muscle mass in the process).[12]
- First, try doing push ups off of a counter ledge. It's slightly lower than a shoulder-height spot on the wall, but still easy enough to execute the movements without much difficulty.
- Progress to a couch armrest. The armrest of a couch will be slightly lower still than the counter. Just make sure your couch is sturdy - have someone sit on the opposite end if there is any risk of the couch flipping over on you.
- Finally, after several weeks of training at each incremental height, you may be ready to try the floor. Doing a regular push up off the floor is difficult, though, so make sure you're ready for it.
- There is no objective measure of when you're ready to advance your workout. Only you can decide when wall push ups (and each subsequently lower surface) become easy enough to do comfortably.
- Consider doing bench presses. Eventually, after many weeks or months of doing different types of push ups, your workout routine may hit a wall. As you get stronger and build up more and more muscle mass, push ups (off of any surface) won't offer you enough of a challenge. When this happens, you may want to consider a weight-lifting regimen like bench presses.[13]
- Bench presses work many of the same muscles as push ups, but have the added benefit that you can add more weight on once your current routine becomes too comfortable.
- Remember that it's important to measure your progress and decide for yourself whether or not you are ready and able to advance your training to something more challenging.
- Have someone you trust who is able to lift weights supervise (or "spot") you while you lift weights. That way, if anything goes wrong or if you can't lift the weights, your friend or gym buddy will be able to help you get the weights back on the rack.
- After building strength with wall push ups, you may eventually be able to work up to a standard push up.
- Make sure you are at a comfortable level of strength before advancing your workout to something more strenuous.
- Do not push yourself too hard. If you feel any pain then stop and rest.
- Start slowly. Build up speed as you go along in a comfortable rhythm.
- Talk to your doctor before beginning this or any other workout regimen. Do not attempt to do any type of push ups if you suffer from a medical condition without first getting medical clearance.
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| How to Get Rid of Static in Hair Posted: 23 Mar 2017 01:00 AM PDT When your hair is plagued with static, you might find it impossible to hold and maintain a decent style. Before you give up completely and hide your locks with ponytails and hats, try a few of these suggestions for getting rid of that excess frizz and static. EditTraditional Hair Care Products - Use a moisturizing conditioner.[1] Even the most basic conditioner can hydrate your hair, which prevents it from getting too dry and inviting excess static.
- Use the conditioner every time you shampoo your hair for best results.
- If you choose a conditioner that contains silicone, the silicone in the conditioner supposedly neutralizes electric charges in your hair. By neutralizing these charges, the conditioner cuts down on the static electricity in your hair.
- If conditioner seems to make your hair feel weighed down or greasy, at least use it on the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, where the strands tend to be the most dehydrated. Near the base of your scalp, you natural oils may keep your hair hydrated enough.
- Only shampoo every other day. Keeping your hair clean is important for general hair care, but keeping your hair too clean can cause it to become overly dry, thereby making the static worse.
- Shampoo cleans your hair by bonding with the oil and dirt molecules weighing it down and stripping them away. Unfortunately, when you strip these natural oils out of your hair, your hair also becomes drier and more prone to static.
- By giving your hair a full 48 hours in between washings, you keep enough oil on your strands to naturally hydrate them without letting them get too dirty or greasy.
- When it does come time to shampoo, opt for a hydrating shampoo instead of a clarifying shampoo. Clarifying shampoos strip everything from your hair while moisturizing shampoos only clean away the surface level of dirt.
- Use hair spray with caution. A little hair spray can tame your flyaway locks temporarily, but too much can cause more harm than good.
- Standard hair sprays contain alcohol. Alcohol is a drying agent, so as a result, drenching yourself in hair spray will cause your already dehydrated hair to dry out even further, making the problem worse.[2]
- If you do decide to use hair spray, spritz your brush or comb with it and run the bristles through your hair while it is still damp.
- Apply a hair serum. Hair serum coats your hair with a protective layer that prevents the excessive loss of moisture. Less moisture loss means less static.
- Serum works best on damp to towel-dry hair. After washing your hair and letting it partially dry, apply 3 to 5 drops to the palm of you hand. Rub your hands together to spread the serum before running your hands evenly through your hair.
- You do not need to rinse the serum out of your hair.
- Try an anti-frizz cream.[3] If you have fine or straight hair that tends to be exceptionally prone to frizzy static, applying a bit of anti-frizz cream to your hair might be one of your best moves.
- Add a small dollop of cream to the palm of your hand. Gently rub your hands together to evenly spread the cream over both hands.
- Rub your fingers and palms through your hair, focusing on the tips of your hair. This will distribute the anti-frizz cream through the most static-prone area of your hair.
- Avoid putting too much anti-frizz cream on your scalp, especially if you have fine or straight hair. These products tend to be too heavy for find locks, and when they mix with the natural oils of your scalp, your hair can look greasy and flat.
- Consider using a conditioning spray. If your hair is of medium density or a wavy texture, a rich conditioning spray containing silicone or other moisturizing ingredients is a better option.
- Wash your hair as usual and apply the conditioning spray to your hair before you dry it.
- A conditioning spray can help you to lock moisture into your locks before the air around you has a chance to steal that moisture away.
EditThe Right Hair Tools - Use a comb instead of a brush. Hairbrushes create more friction in your hair and combs create less friction.
- A wide-tooth comb has teeth placed far enough apart to reduce the amount of friction. By contrast, a brush has bristles that are held close together, so electrical charges in the form of friction build up faster.
- Opt for a comb made of metal. While combs are better than brushes, metal combs are even better than plastic combs.
- Plastic combs supposedly contribute to the static problem.
- Metal combs cause the electric charges building in your hair to discharge, thereby reducing the amount of static present.
- Invest in a natural boar bristle brush.[4] Even though combs are generally better than brushes, when you do use a hairbrush, you should choose a brush made from natural bristles instead of plastic bristles.
- Natural brushes do a more effective job of spreading your natural oils through your hair. These oils will coat each strand of hair, locking in the moisture and preventing a good amount of static.
- As an added benefit, your hair will also look shinier and smoother.
- Partially dry your hair using an ionic dryer. Ionic hair dryers cut down on the amount of time and heat used to dry your hair. As such, your hair is exposed to less dry, hot air, minimizing the amount of moisture that gets lost.
- Additionally, ionic dryers supposedly neutralize electric charges in your hair. These electric charges are responsible for static, so the dryer cuts down on the overall amount of static directly.
- When you blow dry your hair, stop once it reaches a partially dry, partially damp state. Let the rest of it dry naturally by air. Your locks will lose less moisture this way.
EditUnconventional Techniques - Mist your hair with a little water.[5] This is a quick fix, and unfortunately, only a temporary one.
- Fill a spray bottle with a fine-mist nozzle with water. Tuck this bottle into your purse when you leave the house.
- When you notice excess static frizz, give the flyaway strands a few quick spritzes of water and gently pat them down into place. Only mist your hair, though. Do not drench it.
- The water will give your hair a quick boost of moisture that can keep your hair going for another hour or so.
- Keep a dryer sheet with you at all times. Dryer sheets can be a surprisingly helpful and effective tool to use against last-minute surprise static. Carry one in your purse or pocket to help tame your frizziness on the go.
- Rub a dryer sheet on your brush or comb before running the hair tool through your locks.
- Keep your combs and brushes wrapped in dryer sheets during high-static conditions and times, like in the middle of winter.
- Worst case scenario, you can even rub a dryer sheet over your hair to put last minute flyaways in their place.
- Tame the frizziness with a little lotion. Lotion is another tool that can be useful for waging a last minute battle against frizzy, static-infested hair.
- Place a dollop of lotion into the palm of your hand. Lightly rub your palms together to spread the lotion over your hands without rubbing it into the skin.
- Only use a small amount of lotion. Too much can weigh your hair down too severely.
- Run your fingers through your hair to spread the lotion. Focus on the ends and any areas with notable flyaways.
- Run a humidifier in the same room. If static-ridden hair is a frequent, daily problem for you, especially during winter or another dry time of year, a humidifier could provide you with some form of long-term solution.
- In winter and other low-humidity conditions, the dryness of the air can steal moisture from your hair, causing it to be more prone to static.
- Running a humidifier in any room you intend to spend a long time in can add moisture back into the air and, as a result, back into your hair.
- Trade rubber-soled shoes for leather shoes.[6] Leather shoes allow you to ground yourself, reducing the amount of electrical charge on your hair and clothes.
- Rubber soles, on the other hand, cause your clothes and hair to build up electrical charges. As these charges build up, your hair is more prone to static-related frizz.
EditThings You'll Need - Moisturizing conditioner
- Moisturizing shampoo
- Hair spray
- Hair serum
- Anti-frizz cream
- Conditioning spray
- Wide-tooth metal comb
- Boar bristle brush
- Ionic dryer
- Fine-mist spray bottle
- Water
- Dryer sheets
- Lotion
- Humidifier
- Leather shoes
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