Pecan Corner

At last, I found an easy, inexpensive, tidy way to store a few days' worth of firewood, just in time for cold weather. And I didn't even need to use any tools to make it, because the lumberyard made the cuts for me.

Our wood burning stove is our primary heat source, and I love it! I'm warmer in winter in this house than I've ever been in any home we've lived in. An old-fashioned box-type stove with no fans or windows or gadgets, needing no special kinds of fuel, it works perfectly to radiate warmth at an even temperature through our main living areas without drafts or cold/hot spots.

We store the cordwood we buy (or that my dad cuts for us) in the alley behind the fence, and I bring up enough for a few days at a time. This is where the problem has been - I've never found a good way to stack the wood I need near the carport door, to keep it off the ground, dry... and tidy.  The log holders sold in stores are either expensive, too small or else way too long for my space, or frankly, most look awfully flimsy.

Then I found this clever idea on Pinterest. Unlike so many of the elaborate projects on there, this looked like something I could actually make (LOL!).

I bought a couple of 8 foot long two by fours (they are actually about 1 1/2" by 3 1/2" because the mill measures before they are planed smooth), and two concrete cinder blocks. The ones I used are about 8"x8"x15".  Two by fours are stronger than one by fours, so they are best for this project.

The nice folks at Home Depot cut the lumber in half for me, so it fit into my Jeep Cherokee easily.

Stand the cinder block on their sides with the holes up, right against each other. They need to be touching in order to keep them stable. You'll need about 48" clearance width at the top.

Drop one four foot 2x4 into each hole and lean it out.  That's it!  Less than 5 minutes, not counting shopping time.  Total cost for everything - $13 and change.

I loaded several sizes of logs into it. You could also make two of them, and have one for large logs and one for smaller pieces and kindling.

Another new thing this year is twig bundles (see them on top?), which I made to see if they are more effective/efficient than just breaking small dead-falls as needed. With 3 full-grown pecan trees and one bur oak in our yard, we have a LOT of small limbs to dispose of over the course of a year. I just wrapped them up with twine. I've used them for my first fire and it certainly was simpler "at the time". My hope is that the twig bundles will work well for those warm Texas winter days we don't need an all-day fire but just need to knock the chill off.  

This little project is already getting our colder season off to a good start.  Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you stay toasty warm this winter! :-)

This is the season when Texas citrus are ripe. It is surprisingly easy to can fresh grapefruit  (or oranges) - and it tastes so fresh when we open it in the summer, when the refreshing sweet flavor is welcome for breakfast on a bright summer morning! These videos show how I do it!

 It takes me a couple of years to go through a gallon of bleach. We don't have that many whites to launder, and there's rarely anything that needs disinfecting. So when I bought a new gallon a couple of months ago, and it didn't have much of an odor, and left gray stains on our white laundry, I thought it must have been something wrong with the bargain brand. I called, complained, and got my money back. I was careful next to buy genuine Clorox brand Regular Bleach - but the only kind available was this "concentrated" version.

For me, this new formula - both the brand name and the bargain brand - performs poorly, compared to original chlorine bleach. It will remove SOME things, but not as many kinds of stains as it once did - and it takes longer to do that.

I started searching to find out what was going on. State child care regulatory agencies were announcing that there is no longer a uniform sanitation formula, and bleach now has to be carefully measured according to package directions; consumers were complaining (sort ratings by "Lowest" to see) that it does not clean like old bleach, that it fails to remove pet odors completely, that it is leaving brown spots on clothes, that it foams, that it leaves residue behind. Oh, and according to the State of Oregon Health Department, as well as Clorox itself,, it has a very short shelf life, of one year or less. (on the Clorox site, click "Ingredients and Safety" and arrow down to find the Shelf Life question).

The bleach companies are meanwhile in full denial mode, responding to user posts that this new product is just as good as the old formula. Mary Marlowe Leverette, the Guide for About.com Laundry, gave the question her best shot for a good answer based on common sense, experience, and corporate advertising about the changes, then approached Clorox on behalf of her readers and shared their response:
"One of the scientists at Clorox sent along this additional information that you may find helpful:
"Clorox® recently introduced Concentrated Clorox® Regular-Bleach, a more concentrated version of its namesake liquid bleach. The New Concentrated Clorox® Regular-Bleach contains the same sodium hypochlorite bleach active that consumers have come to know through generations of use, just with less water so the product is more concentrated..." 


I am no chemist, but here is what I was able to piece together:

 The chlorine bleach industry switched away from free-flowing chlorine for security and safety reasons after Sept 11th 2001, and Clorox notes they completed this transfer to a new form of chlorine-type bleach in 2011 called sodium hypochlorite.  Information on why, two years later, another change meant that suddenly all "bleach" was no longer called "chlorine bleach" and also no longer works, was hard to find. I ran across a uniform press release on several sites about municipal drinking water treatment facilities:

"Regulatory Considerations
The following are the current or proposed regulatory actions or regulations for each of the three contaminants or byproducts mentioned above:
1. Bromate -- The maximum level of bromine allowed in sodium hypochlorite is expected to be reduced by January, 2013 to around a level of 39 ppm. Currently, 69 ppm of bromate is the Maximum Contaminant Level allowed in sodium hypochlorite. Since bromate is produced in the ozonation process, ozone's use in the treatment process could be reconsidered."

So.  Previously, sodium hypochlorite bleach also contained bromine, which is a strong bleaching chemical, according to Wikipedia:
"It bonds easily with many elements and has a strong bleaching action."
""Dissolving bromine in alkaline solution gives a mixture of bromide and hypobromite...."
"This hypobromite is responsible for the bleaching abilities of bromide solutions. Warming of these solutions causes the disproportion reaction of the hypobromite to give bromate, a strong oxidising agent very similar to chlorate."  [Edit 10/21/18 to link to March 2014 version of Wikipedia article, contemporary to when this article was written. The current Wikipedia article omits vast amounts of information about bromines - read history of edits to learn more. ]

These bromines have a great ability to remove rust, are more effective than chlorine in alkaline water,  and were generally a strong booster for the old bleach. Without them, it sounds like even an increased concentration of bleach will not be as effective for those of us who have alkaline water or who have a lot of iron in the water.

Now,  I don't like over-regulation, but it is good to reduce anything that can permanently contaminate drinking water. Good for Clorox and Wegmans and the EPA for making the best product they can! What I don't understand is why the manufacturers have not been transparent about WHY they stopped making chlorine bleach and started making something they like to call "Concentrated Regular Bleach".  What harm could there possibly be in letting the world know that the EPA changed the rules to limit bromine/bromate, and thus the formula for household bleach had to change too? Why try to convince consumers that the only change was to "concentrate" it? Wouldn't  it be better to own the changes and help those customers who are experiencing challenges?

Clorox never says that regulation or product safety has anything to do with the changes. Instead, they say:
  "With so much power in one bottle of bleach, some worry about its environmental impact. ..."
 "In 2012, our namesake Clorox Bleach product will convert to a 33 percent more concentrated formula. This will help reduce the overall carbon footprint associated with the lifecycle consumption of bleach. The end product is a more convenient consumer product that is also better for the environment."

Everything in that statement is true. But is it "the truth" as in the primary rationale for an entire industry completely reformulating a product that is essential to health and sanitation nationwide?

When I finally found the Clorox webpage on old formula "Regular Bleach Non-Concentrated", they still kept silent about the regulatory requirements, and instead had this to say:
"How is Clorox® Regular Bleach different from Clorox® Regular-Bleach1, concentrated?

"We’ve done a great deal of research to ensure we are meeting consumer’s needs. In the Clorox® Regular-Bleach1, concentrated, the new Clorox® Bleach bottle will be easier to handle and easier to use in high-efficiency washing machines, which have built-in bleach dispensers. In addition, the concentrated formula will provide improved whitening on clothes and be able to kill viruses like norovirus on hard surfaces. And because the size of the bottle will be smaller, we can significantly reduce the amount of water used in bleach and the amount of packaging used, which is better for the environment."
- See more at: http://www.clorox.com/products/clorox-regular-bleach/#sthash.EpKbHL7L.dpuf "

The Wegman's Bleach folks talked about how people had been using too little bleach, so the concentrated formula was to make up for that.
"The rationale is that most people doing laundry these days do not use enough bleach; they even have a name for it, “underdosing.”  One reason given is that many detergents these days have the addition of bleach alternatives, so consumers wanting whiter whites think they’re already covered or think they don’t have to use as much bleach.  Typically, consumers have used ½ cup of bleach when the package directions say to use ¾ cup.  And the majority of High Efficiency washing machines have a pull out tray for bleach, which measures half a cup.  So for all those reasons, the companies decided to concentrate their formula..."  I'm sure every word of that is quite true and honest, but was that the whole truth about an industry-wide change that coincided with these new environmental regulations?

The Wikipedia  article for Clorox reads in a way to make it appear that there have not been any changes to formulation in recent history - despite the fact that even the US Government via the EPA has referred to these formerly standard products as Chlorine Bleach:
 "Sometimes confused with chlorine bleach, household bleach has a completely different chemistry. Household bleach is a chemically-combined oxidizing agent that is used to remove or lighten color. Clorox bleach is derived from sodium chloride — common table salt. Clorox produces household bleach by bubbling chlorine into a solution of water and sodium hydroxide. During this process, the chlorine is converted to a sodium hypochlorite solution.[19] The ingredients in Clorox bleach are water, sodium hypochlorite (used to whiten and kill bacteria), sodium chloride, sodium carbonate (removes alcohol and grease stains), sodium chlorate, sodium hydroxide (removes soils that are fatty, oily, or acidic), and sodium polyacrylate.[20]"
 
In fact, it seems that the concentration is a way to control the  rate of disintegration that happens to the new ingredients. From Wikipedia's article on Sodium Hypochlorite:
"Bleaching:  Household bleach is, in general, a solution containing 3-8% sodium hypochlorite and 0.01-0.05% sodium hydroxide; the sodium hydroxide is used to slow the decomposition of sodium hypochlorite into sodium chloride and sodium chlorate.[10] "
And from the State of Oregon: "Bleach at high concentrations degrades fairly rapidly (16% lasts only minutes), but slows as the concentration becomes lower. Bleach at 5.25% will probably last several months without too much deterioration. It continues to deteriorate slowly to about 3%, where the speed of deterioration virtually stops."

Not being well versed in chemistry, I don't really understand how all of this works together, but I have learned enough to surmise that this "concentration" of the product probably has less to do with saving shelf space than it does with: (1)increasing the "rate of decay" of the product ( A bottle of old formula chlorine bleach would last indefinitely. A bottle of the new product will be much weaker in 6 months than it was when it was made); and (2) making up for the loss of bleaching action caused by the bromines.

In a nutshell:
* No, you haven't suddenly forgotten how bleach used to work. Bleach is no longer bleach and it does not work like the kind we and our parents and grandparents used.
* The changes were probably necessary, as they also apply to the chlorination process used for public water supplies, thus helping our drinking water from becoming saturated with chemicals that are harmful to us.
* For some reason, the PR departments in the industry decided against discussing regulatory requirements and actual environmental improvements in informing consumers about the change in formula. 
* And they have held tight to that refusal to name the EPA as a player in these changes, and continue to avoid discussing this information with the consumer.
* Bleach can still accomplish some tasks. We just have to learn how to use this new product. Clorox and Wegman's are still trusted brands, and both have directions on how to use them for disinfecting surfaces and water, as well as how to use them in laundry.
* This is a good time to learn about old ways of bleaching garments and linens: hanging them in the sun, for starters, will brighten whites and make them smell good too.




Textual sources that may be useful to you:
https://public.health.oregon.gov/HealthyPeopleFamilies/Babies/HealthChildcare/Documents/bleach-FAQ.pdf
"FAQ About Bleach Solutions
What are the changes in bleach concentrations?
The concentration of bleach solutions sold in stores has changed throughout the country. The new, stronger bleach solution available in many stores is now 8.25% sodium hypochlorite solution. The former concentrated bleach (5.25%-6% sodium hypochlorite) is no longer available at many stores. The 8.25% solution is being produced by both brand name companies as well as companies that produce generic products. Many of these products are now EPA-registered products as well. Because of the variety of products available, it is more important than ever to check the label on your bleach bottle to determine the concentration."

"How long does regular household bleach last on the shelf?
Bleach at high concentrations degrades fairly rapidly (16% lasts only minutes), but slows as the concentration becomes lower. Bleach at 5.25% will probably last several months without too much deterioration. It continues to deteriorate slowly to about 3%, where the speed of deterioration virtually stops. According to Clorox™, the amount of hypochlorite that is added to their bleach depends on the season in which it is manufactured, because temperature affects the decomposition rate of sodium hypochlorite. So, more hypochlorite is added to bleach made in the summer than in cooler months. Clorox aims to maintain a constant hypochlorite concentration for at least six months after the manufacturing date, assuming the bleach is stored around 70°F. It takes about 4-8 weeks from the time chlorine bleach is made to when it gets to a store so that you can buy it to take home. This leaves you 3-5 months where the bleach is at the effectiveness level stated on its label."


 http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/products/bleach.htm
(Last updated on Monday, January 27, 2014)

"Chlorine Bleach:  What is it?

"Did you know that a pesticide is added to your washing machine to help keep your white clothes white? This pesticide is also found in many household cleaning products that contain a "disinfectant" to kill germs. And it is found in household products used to clean mold and mildew from your shower or tub. Can you guess what this pesticide is? Chlorine Bleach!

"You wouldn't think that ordinary chlorine bleach is a pesticide - but it is. Because it kills bacteria- and viruses it is called a disinfectant or an antimicrobial pesticide. And because it kills fungi and molds it is also known as a fungicide.

"If you are responsible for doing laundry or other types of cleaning as some of your chores around the house, you may be using liquid chlorine bleach to do the job. If so, you need to be sure to always "Read the Label First" to know how to properly use this product and for safety information. Also, be sure your parents know what household products you are using. They can make sure you use them safely.

"What's in it?

"Standard household bleach contains the chemical sodium hypochlorite.
What health and safety things do you need to think about with chlorine bleach?

"Liquid bleach in the bottle is a 5.25% sodium hypochlorite solution. That means 5.25% of the liquid is the chemical sodium hypochlorite and the rest is mostly water. The number 5.25% tells you how strong the concentration of a chemical is. Look at the labels of other household cleaning products that contain bleach in your home. Some contain sodium hypochlorite or chlorine bleach in concentrations of .7%, 1.8% and 2.4%.

"Never mix a chlorine bleach with any other household or cleaning products. Doing so can result in different types of harmful acids being formed. Poisonous gasses can also be released that will cause very serious breathing problems.

"Always be careful when using chlorine bleach. Because it comes in 1 gallon jugs the container can be a little hard to handle. Spills and splashes happen. Not only will the bleach damage your clothing but it is irritating to your skin and can cause serious damage to your eyes, even blindness. As with any chemical, your exposure to it is important to know. "

Here's a little organization tip. A while back, we found a bargain on a huge box of Cascade. I don't remember what size it was, but I think it must have weighed ten pounds. It took both hands to lift it out from under the sink! And I almost needed a counter-weight to pour it!  With that much volume, it would be a long time before the box weighed much less.

Solution? An empty liquid coffee creamer carton. We used a funnel to pour it full and our problem was solved. The one we use is from Coffee Mate Brand, but probably any of them would work.

What is crazy is, we both liked this solution so much that we continue to transfer the dishwasher detergent powder into this bottle regardless of what size box we buy. It is amazing - I can pour the exact amount of powder into the little well. I never waste by pouring too much, and I never spill it.

I never knew that putting soap in the dishwasher was a chore until we found an easier way to do it. Now every time I load the dishwasher, I smile when the last dish is loaded and it is time to pour the soap!

As my little bio over there in the sidebar notes "I am easily amused."  Especially when things are nicely organized. :-)

In Home Economics class, they taught us how to sift flour, but never owned up to the real reason sifters were invented: to remove weevils from flour back in the days when throwing it away might have meant starvation. Some people call them flour moths, mealy bugs, Indian Moths, pantry webs... lots of names because good housewives everywhere have been plagued with them for centuries.

I will never forget how horrified I was in my first home when weevils were in my flour. It really freaked me out. That was when I talked to my grandmother to find out what to do. She told me 3 things: (1) Put a bay leaf in everything, (2) store in airtight containers, (3) if you have them, clean thoroughly to get rid of them, then follow (1) & (2).

Getting weevils in grains or moths in the pantry doesn't mean you don't keep a clean house but once you know how to keep them away, you never have to cope with them again. 

(1) Put a bay leaf or two (a dried, culinary Bay Leaf) in each canister or bag. It will not put out any flavor or odor to the food, but will prevent weevils or moths. Mema told me that weevils come in the flour/grain, and that the secret is to keep them from hatching. That prevention is what the bay leaves do, and they really work. Even an airtight container may not prevent weevils, but the comination of a bay leaf in a closed environment well.

(2) Store everything in airtight containers. I like clear containers so I can see what I have. Otherwise I forget. And I like plastic because I'm a klutz, but glass is superior otherwise. Clear plastic, clear glass, or brand-name zip storage bags (like Zip-Loc heavy-duty gallon bags) are all fine. Tins and opague plastic, such as Tupperware, will work great too so long as you can remember how to find things.

I leave things in their original package, and use a container big enough to just drop them down into. The Bay Leaf can then go into the container and doesn't have to be directly in the package of flour or barley. Plus that way I can remember what brand I bought.

Keep birdseed and pet food in airtight containers too. These are notorious and easy to forget. If possible, keep both of these items outside the house, in the garage. Rubbermaid tubs are super for large quantities or for storing several kinds of items in their original packaging.  Airtight & watertight, Rover and the red birds will love you for keeping their food fresh. Birds don't mind the protein from the bugs but still I'm sure they'd rather have the sunflower seeds!

(3) To get rid of a problem with them if you already see pantry moths or weevils, empty the pantry and brush it thoroughly, including the joints, with a stiff brush, then vacuum using the crevace tool or a dust buster- including the joints. If you don't have a vacuum, use a whisk broom or other stiff brush and give it a good brushing on all surfaces.

If it won't hurt the pantry to get it damp, wipe it down after that with soap & water and allow to dry completely. Don't use pine oil or anything with a strong scent as foods might pick it up. Just use soapy water and wring out your washcloth well. No need to rinse - the soap residue will also help keep pests away.

When you put things back, put them into containers with a bay leaf first. Inspect the stuff you took out to be sure it doesn't have weevils before putting it back. Telltale signs are small holes in the packaging, webby
clumps in flour or meal, and of course, weevils themselves.



All of this may sound like a lot of work, but it's not really. Once you get the pantry set up, it's only a matter of keeping it up. So when a new bag of flour comes in, straight away it goes into the flour tub. New boxes of cake mix can go into the same Zip-Loc bag the others came out of. Easy-peasy.

And it doesn't have to cost much at all. Some will be free: recycle containers you'd otherwise throw away. Start one at a time, with flour and grains, as you get a container, put something in it. Any kind of containers that fit your budget are fine. My stuff is stored in pickle jars, Zip-Loc brand bags, mason jars, cannisters that rice came in, Tupperware from garage sales, big cannisters from the dollar store, sugar in a plastic sherbet tub.

Voila! Vintage living at its best: no more bugs, no more waste, and no poisonous pesticides. Just clean, all-natural remedies and a tidy house.

As I mentioned in the bathroom remodeling post, our choices with the worn-nearly-down-to-metal porcelain enamelled cast iron tub were to (a) bring in a cutting torch and cut it in half to enable two power-lifters to carry it out through the door or (b) tear out the entire exterior wall of the room including removing the weight-bearing framing in order to hoist it out that way.

We chose (c): give the ugly tub a make-over and restore its erstwhile beauty.

I had planned to have a professional come refinish the tub, but no one local does this. So, I bought a two-part spray epoxy kit called "Magic ReNew Tub and Tile Refinishing", and did it myself.

Some years ago, I used spray Appliance Epoxy to paint a built-in oven exterior with good and lasting results. So I figured, as bad as this tub was, I certainly couldn't make it worse by trying.

If we only had one bathroom, we'd have had to arrange to shower at a friend's and brush our teeth in the kitchen for the couple of weeks this project required. As it was, we have two so just kept the door shut on this one.

The hardest part was cleaning and prep. This took a long time (several repetitive hours over the course of a week), but the final result will not work if the preparation is not scrupulous. Any residue of soap or oil hidden in a scratch will prevent the epoxy from adhering and cause it to peel.  I was careful not to stay on my knees too much and did as much work as possible from a crouch or sitting position.

I removed the drain cover and overflow cover before starting. The I put on my goggles, my rubber gloves, and set to work. I scrubbed, cleaned with TSP (per directions on refinishing kit & using all precautions listed on the TSP package itself), sanded, steel wooled.. then scrubbed, cleaned with TSP, sanded, steel wooled... some more for at least three times. I'd work on it after work each evening until I gave out, then start over the next day.

After the final final rinse, I let it dry for several days. That's another essential - absolute dryness.  Then I  masked EVERYTHING.

Seriously, this job can't be done without covering everything from the floor to walls with sheets and paper, as the spray paint will drift and settle and is impossible to remove. I left it all masked until the whole job was finished.

I followed all instructions carefully, especially the safety instructions, and including the interesting chill one/heat one method for mixing the contents of the two cans.

This task requires an experienced hand with canned spray paint. It would be wise to practice by repainting a set of wicker lawn furniture or something until one gets comfortable with the on/off, back/forth motion that covers without drips. I applied the several coats of epoxy over a course of days in the evenings, and closed that bathroom off completely to allow the full length of time to cure undisturbed.

While I will not be volunteering to do this for anyone else, and I still would recommend a professional if you can possibly get one, I am VERY happy with the results for a "homemade" job of it.

When we first saw this house (before we bought it), the laundry room was used like a closet. Tiers of jam-packed clothes racks went around the room, and the windows were shuttered with hanging garments. Although it had been done up with a laundry themed border, the closed window blinds and clutter made the room a cave to escape from - quickly.

With little more than paint, sunlight, and a few photographs, it's become one of my favorite places in the house. I love ironing in this room. I keep the blinds open to let the sun stream in, and can look out upon the neighborhood and a shady yard while I press our shirts.


Did you ever notice that all over the world, laundry is done in exactly the same ways? These photos show laundry hanging on lines to dry outside an apartment in Cuba, an Adobe in Bolivia, hung by soliders from a military tank in Israel, and an American sailor guarding uniform shirts drying on regimented clotheslines.

I bought the photos from Allposters.com and framed them with inexpensive mats and frames (that I spray painted white) from Hobby Lobby. All Posters has a great selection of laundry photos, and I ordered each of them in the same size. Remember when choosing to get ones that have similar orientations - either horizontal or vertical - if you want them to match as I have done. There were some superb ones that were oriented vertically, but because I had my heart set on using the tank, the others needed to be horizontal as well. As an aside, they had fantastic customer service, and I will buy from them again.



It took some doing to scrape off the 4 layers of different wallpaper border that had been successively painted and papered over! The wall you don't see was turned into a make-do floor to ceiling cabinet by the previous owners, with deep shelves and whole sheets of plywood on hinges for doors, which close with screen hooks. I just painted them the same color as the walls
and they melt away from view.


A vintage globe bank collects the change that comes out of pockets. The graniteware bucket has hydrangeas on it and serves as a little waste basket, catching the dryer lint. It sits on a white washcloth so that it won't mar the top of the dryer.

Above the windows, hanging plant brackets hold the coat hangers while I am ironing, then fold away when done. I got these brackets at the Dollar Store for $1.50 each, whereas special decorative hooks from the home improvement stores were around $12 each. These work perfectly for their purpose.


I save those little packets of silica gel and lay in the window sills to absorb moisture in case the windows sweat in winter. I deliberately choose to keep the window treatments plain, mini blinds only, partly because of the hooks above them while ironing, but also to make it easier to keep the room clean and dust free. Curtains tend to hide windows and collect cobwebs. With just blinds, I can open them up and the light streams in over clean sills and through clear windows.


Everything as much as possible is up off the floor to make cleaning easy, including the tiny bakers rack that holds laundry supplies, and since the shelves are wire, they don't get dusty. The rack for the iron and ironing board also came from the dollar store, as did the ticking clothespin bag (and the clothes pins). Take a walk down the laundry aisle in your dollar
stores and older grocery stores - you will be amazed!

The embroidered blue bird laundry bag is a vintage one. This is also the room in which I keep a vintage calendar that corresponds to the current year. It is a perfect escape tool for daydreaming while ironing - happy days indeed!

It is that time of year again. As cool weather approaches, small creatures of many types look for warm places to spend the winter. Those of us who live in old houses need to prepare right now to make our homes inhospitable to the critters. I'm not a professional at repairs or exterminating, so all this is just what I do for my home. Check with the pros to get real advice.

Regular exterminating is an important part of home upkeep. And regular cleanliness we all know is essential to preventing pests. But like Nicolas said, stopping things from getting in in the first place is the most important strategy. Even the cleanest old houses have all sorts of hidden entry ways! And these issues can occur even in a brand new house, or in apartments.


It can be difficult to find experienced people willing to do repair work, even if one can afford it. And even if one plans to repair it correctly later, immediate action is imperative in my book.

It requires vigilance, but most especially it requires sealing the house from the outside in - especially around the bottom. It requires keeping things dry. The thing that has to happen is to seal the lower part of the house as though you were trying to make it water-tight. This means no little gaps.

It took me a while to get the hang of using a caulk gun, but I am the Queen of Caulk now. Once I figured out to hit that little lever on the back every time I paused for even a few seconds, it made a world of difference. I buy plain white cheap caulk by the contractor's boxful. I put on vinyl gloves and use my finger to smooth out the bead and make sure the seal is complete, and I keep a wet cloth to wipe my hands on.

Put a nail in the tip when you are finished for the day and the caulk will keep until the next time you find a spot that needs it. So caulking can be a do-it-when-you-see-it kind of task. See a gap? Caulk it now! Did an ant just escape into that little crack? Caulk it now!

One of the most important places to caulk on the inside that I never would have thought of is the baseboards. They actually cover seams in the floor or foundation that can be entry points. So seal them - bottom and top of them, all the way around the room and under the cabinets and behind the stove and fridge and around every corner - seal every micrometer of every
room. I caulk any place there is the least bit of a crevasse or where any two surfaces come together.

Use caulk to seal around all the window frames and door frames inside where they meet the wall and the floor, and outside where they meet the house siding. Pay special attention to the tops and bottoms of the frames and sills.

Install real weatherstripping for old doors - the kind that has to be screwed on, not that stick-on stuff. It will not only keep the cold out but will keep bugs out too.

I used Wood filler around and under the threshholds of old doors, which often have unnoticed gaps around them that the little mousies love to use. Once large gaps were filled, I used caulk to complete the seal.

I also make great use of "Great Stuff" Foam. It is sticky, will expand to fill spaces too big for my caulk to fill, and it is easily removed if you need to take it out. Read the directions before using and do not touch this stuff while it is wet! You can use it around where pipes come into the house, etc. Once it has gotten hard, you can cut off excess with a knife to make a flat surface. This is pricey and once you start using a can, anything left in it won't save over because the nozzle clogs, so I keep an ongoing list of "Places To Foam", then put on my gloves and do them all at once. It is worth every penny.

Check the bottom perimeter outside the house, where the walls meet the foundation, and make sure the siding there is in good shape. If it isn't try to get at least that bottom piece replaced with solid new hardiboard even if you can't do the whole thing. If you can't do that, it might help to use a trowel with spackle or plaster to fill and seal it, then paint it to keep it dry until you can fix it properly. That will help keep mice from getting in through dryrotted siding.

If you are on a pier-and-beam foundation, seal entry to under the house with screen, hardyboard or bricks to prevent small animals from being able to get under the house. Of course, make sure nothing is under there first!

Check the eaves and attic vents and cover them with screen to keep squirrels, bats and birds from being able to get in, while still maintaining essential ventilation for the house.

Foundation plantings and permanent mulches in flowerbeds provide habitat for little bugs. Avoid these near the house if you can do so. If you need these landscape elements for appearance sake, try to at least keep the back of the plants trimmed away from the sides of the
house so they won't create a bridge insects can walk over, and so you can get behind them to spray. And this is the time of year to stir or put insecticide in the mulch so nothing can overwinter in it.

We don't have any babies or little children in the family, so I keep a good quality home insect killer that has residual action and spray inside and out every 2 to 3 months. I also use a granular insecticide that has to be watered in around the exterior perimeter each quarter (I do it right before it rains). They tell me that Orange Peel Oil is a good natural insect killer but I have not tried it yet.

I keep Decon in any place that used to get mice before we were able to get their long-term entry points sealed up (there was actually a trail thru the insulation in one wall where generations of mice had made a tradition of coming in for the winter. They won't any longer!). I know, but I've tried traps in the past and they don't do the job well enough. Decon works.

These are things you can do yourself. We also use professional exterminators for bugs inside and out. Most recently, ours have been local companies that are licensed but not franchised. On the coast, Walter Dowell did our house. He was 87 years old when he passed away from a sudden heart attack. He had visited us for our regular spraying a month earlier.

Check your yellow pages and get estimates from several. They all charge more for the first treatment than for successive ones, but there can be a huge difference in price, so it pays to check around. While they are there, ask them to let you know if they notice any particular areas that could use attention in the prevention department.