Q: To more effectively control ants, you need to understand a few basic facts about their behavior: Ants are social insects that live in colonies. As a result, killing a few isolated ants won't eliminate your ant problem. If they enter your house, they are looking for protection from the weather, food, and water. Most of the ants you see around your home or outside are worker ants, tasked with finding food and bringing it back to the colony. These ants leave behind an invisible chemical trail of pheromones to lead other ants to sources of food. They will travel long distances from the nest to locate food, and don't necessarily travel in a straight line along the way. With the exception of a few species such as fire ants, ants are not aggressive and don't deliver a painful bite or sting. Being aware of where ants are located in your home can help you diagnose and treat the source of your infestation. If the ants you observe inside your home seem to congregate around a window or door, this suggests the ants are currently living outside and traveling inside to locate food. You can probably control ants by sealing off entry points and eliminating food sources. Alternatively, you can attempt to locate and destroy their nest outside. If you notice ants around electrical outlets, in cabinets, or cracks in your floor, they may be nesting somewhere inside your home. Unfortunately, these infestations can be harder to resolve because it's difficult to locate the nest. You can attempt to use bait stations safe for indoor use and get rid of food sources, which should help control the ants. Destroying the nest inside or outside your home will offer the most long-term solution to your ant problem. You can locate an ant nest by observing and following the ants. They usually crawl single file, and you can get a pretty good idea of where they are headed and coming from. Ants, carpenter ants and termites can look similar, but carpenter ants and termites can cause much more serious damage to your home and property. Keep these facts in mind to make sure you are dealing with ants and not carpenter ants or termites: While termites and ants can both have wings when new queens leave after hatching to start a new colony, termite wings are much larger and longer. Ants have a narrow body and waist, while termites are more rectangular and do not have any indentations on the body. Ants are typically more visible than termites. While it is normal to see ants in the open, most termites avoid light and are more reclusive. If you suspect you have a carpenter ant or termite rather than an ant problem, contact a pest control company for an inspection as soon as possible so they can begin treatment before the carpenter ants or termites cause irreversible damage. One of the most effective steps you can take to control ants is to work with a professional pest control company. They will be able to identify, diagnose, and treat your specific ant problem. Different ants may require different types of treatment to control the population. Pest control companies often have access to products that are unavailable to most consumers, and highly effective. Regular pest control visits and treatments can prevent ant problems before they start.
A: Understand ant behavior. Pay attention to where you see ants in your home. Try to locate their nest. Make sure you aren't dealing with carpenter ants or termites. Work with a pest control company.

Q: This method is more time-consuming than others, unless the LEGO only has minor dust and dirt. Use this for your favorite or most collectible LEGO, to keep them safe from accidental damage. Set aside any pieces with stickers or printed patterns, as well as any multi-part units that are not meant to be separated, such as turntables. Scrub these with a dry towel, or remove serious grime using a new toothbrush. Delicate electrical parts can be cleaned using alcohol wipes instead. Detach all non-water-sensitive parts from each other, unless they are stuck. Make sure to pull apart multi-piece units such as tires. If you have a large collection, divide them into containers of about 200 or 300 each. Place the separated LEGO bricks in a container. Add lukewarm water and a little dish soap or other mild detergent. Agitate the bricks gently, stirring them around with your hand. Never use a cleaning product that contains bleach. Never use water above 104F (40C). If the bricks smell bad or if you would like to sanitize them, add white vinegar to the water. Use approximately to as much vinegar as you did water. Leave them to soak for at least ten minutes, then check up on them. If the water is extremely murky, replace it with fresh soapy water and leave to soak for a full hour, or overnight if convenient. If there is still stuck-on grime, you may need to scrub it off using a new toothbrush, or a toothpick to reach crevices. Clear plastic pieces such as windshields are easily scratched. Rub them with your finger instead. Transfer the LEGO bricks to a strainer or colander and rinse them in cold water to remove the soap and loosened grime. Optionally, spin the bricks in a salad spinner to remove some of the water. Next, place the wet bricks in a single layer on a towel, right-side up so water drains from the underside. To speed up the drying process, leave a fan on blowing over the bricks. Do not use a hair dryer, which can damage the bricks.
A: Use this method to minimize damage. Scrub water-sensitive parts with a dry towel or toothbrush. Separate all remaining pieces. Agitate in soapy water. Add vinegar (optional). Let the pieces soak. Scrub the pieces if necessary. Rinse the pieces. Dry the bricks.

Q: The elastic should be long enough to attach at the back of the heel, run over your ankle, and then reattach at the back of the heel on the other side. The ends of the elastic should attach one finger's width away from the back heel seam on either side. You can position the elastic on the inside or outside of the shoe. If you want to attach your elastic to the outside of your shoe, position it low, near where the heel meets the floor. Elastics sewn on the inside should be positioned all the way down in the shoe. Keep in mind that elastic sewn on the inside of the shoe may irritate your skin. Once you have positioned your elastic, pin it in place and slip your foot into the shoe to make sure it fits properly. Be careful not to poke your foot! The elastic should be snug, but not so tight that it cuts off your circulation. The elastic should be tilted slightly forward so that it lies flat against your ankle. Sew each end of your elastic onto the shoe using dental floss or reinforced thread. Start your stitching near the top of the shoe, just under the drawstring. Continue stitching along each side of the elastic end, so that your stitching forms a box. Be sure that you don't stitch over the drawstring. Only stitch through the canvas lining of the shoe. You don't want the stitches to show on the silk outer layer! You'll need your shoes to be even, of course! Sew elastic onto your other shoe following the steps outlined above.
A:
Measure the elastic. Position the elastic. Pin and test your elastic. Sew the elastic ends onto the shoe. Repeat the process on your other shoe.