The ant invasion seems to be wearing down. This is not really due to my efforts, it
has much more to do with the fact that it has been sunny out the last few days
and they are returning to their own homes.
Yesterday one of the priests came to visit, and I apologized
for the ant-cleaning mess.
“Oh, “ he said, “they’ve been coming into the rectory too.” When I asked what they had been doing to
combat the ants, he replied, “nothing.”
I have learned that when it comes to
cleaning in the tropics, you have to be uptight and relaxed at the same
time. So while I am running around
pouring baby powder on each new stream of ants and storing the cat food in the
fridge (the only place the ants have yet to breach) I am also admitting to
myself that the ants will retreat when they choose. It’s the way things are in the tropics.
It is an unavoidable fact that life in the tropics includes
creatures. . Geckos, ants, and
cockroaches are the big ones, but I have encountered a few scorpions too. And yes, one part of me is super ashamed to
admit the occasional cockroach has been seen in my house. On the other hand, an occasional cockroach has
been seen in my mother-in-law's house, and she is the cleanest person I know. She goes through gallons of bleach a week and
even scrubs the garage floor every Saturday.
My father-in-law knows better then to park his truck there Saturday
afternoon.
Anyways, here are some cleaning tips for the tropics:
1.
Everything molds. Here is a short list of things that I have
found mold on in my house: clean dry
clothes in my dresser, books, my staircase, a wooden crucifix hanging on the
wall, leather shoes, paintings. Tea tree
oil, bleach, or sunshine work ok to kill mold, but I prefer to try and prevent
it. This means trying to keep things
ventilated, but mostly it means I am super careful about what I bring into the
house. I have some beautiful art work
and fancy clothes that stay in the states because I can’t guarantee that they
will stay mold free. Which brings me to
my next tip:
2.
Everything should be washable. No delicate dry clean only silk, no
irreplaceable art. I decorate with
things that are washable like cloth, ceramic, or metal, and any photos or prints
I want are laminated. All my cushion covers, rugs and curtains can be thrown
into the wash.
3.
Clutter is bad. No food left out (even bread) or dishes
waiting in the sink to discourage ants, no dirty clothes piles on the floor to
avoid spiders and scorpions. I try not
to encourage dark corners, or at least move things around and vacuum behind them
regularly. I’ve taken a cue from my
mother-in-law and put heavy things like the couch and dressers on wheels so
they can easily be moved and cleaned behind.
4.
Cardboard is EVIL. The only cardboard I have in my house is
found as book covers, and those are monitored closely. Why?
Cockroaches. They love cardboard and paper, and can subsist on it alone
as a food source. I am pretty anal about
this, which means a lot of repackaging.
For example, if I buy a tube of toothpaste, or a box of Ziploc bags, or
a role of plastic wrap, everything is removed from the box and the box is
immediately thrown out. I have found
cockroaches in all of those types of boxes in the past, and I have no intention
of bringing stowaways from the store into my home.
5.
Plastic containers that seal are good. Every time I go to the states or someone
comes to visit I collect a few more of these.
I have all sizes and pretty much anything that is stored goes into
one. This includes everything from my
extra sheets and towels to my shoes to kitchen utensils.
And you know what? Even with all these things I still have
geckos running up my walls. That is the point where I just shrug and hope they catch a few mosquitos for lunch.
