Posted on 07/26/2023 8:48:44 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
Sorry for the vanity; (and also sorry for the length of this). But I’ve gotten good advice from people here about household problems in the past; and now I have a couple more.
1. For the first time that I can remember, I have had an infestation of fruit flies. We think it may have come from a bag of potatoes, which is something we’ve never bought before – we usually just buy the few single potatoes that we are going to use immediately. We got rid of that bag, and every fresh thing – onions, tomatoes, whatever - that was sitting out. But it didn’t solve the problem.
We spent many dollars on various solutions over the past 10 days or so (we can’t use exterminators for this, as we have cats and birds, and I have a lot of allergies.)
We tried the bowls and glasses of apple cider vinegar with drops of dish detergent squirted in, and also with red wine. These were somewhat helpful, but the kitchen still had scores of them flying around.
Then, I saw a video suggesting ‘Raid Fly Strips’. We bought them, and baited them with beer (Guiness Extra Stout!), according to another YouTuber. (I am not associated with ‘Raid’, and am not promoting them; it’s just the only thing that has worked in our particular situation.)
After 1-1/2 hours, this thing had gotten scores of these little jerks stuck to it. And for the rest of the night, I only saw two of them flying around. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.(I need to give a hat tip to YouTuber 'Ethnic Mama' who suggested this product. She doesn't seem to be around much these days, but I will be eternally grateful):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXHHLqUd22c
But if there are any exterminators here, I have a question:
Many years ago, we lived in an apartment that suddenly got infected with those little tan roaches. We had never seen them there before, and assumed that someone had moved in and brought them, or had bombed and dispersed them.
The management company sent this wonderful young man around, who just had a tiny pen-like thing; and all he did was squirt a little spot of something into corners of drawers, cabinets, etc. We didn’t have to clear out all of our cabinets or lock our cats up, it was completely non-invasive to the household.
Within a week or so, all those roaches were gone! We never had that problem again. But does anyone know what that stuff was??? I'd really like to know, in case we ever encounter those roaches again.
2. TracFone issue
Is there anyone here who uses TracFone?
We’ve used it for many years. We don’t use cellphones much at all; They’ve been very useful sometimes, and worth the small price; but I normally use mine just to listen to the radio :-)
We got a message tonight indicating that TracFone had somehow collaborated with Verizon to provide information sharing (?) and if we wanted to opt-out of having our ‘information’ shared, we needed to opt out by texting something or going to a website.
This is the second time this year that a service provider that we use has signed us up for something that we didn’t want or ask for, and required that WE opt out. Shouldn’t they be asking us if we want what they’re offering in the first place? The only recent thing I’ve found about this was on Reddit:
https://www.reddit.com/r/TracFone/comments/15akaha/just_received_a_message_that_tracfone_is_now/
Thanks, and apologies again for the length of this.
https://www.thespruce.com/silverfish-prevention-and-removal-5191321
Desiccant is a drying agent - the stuff in small bags and plastic containers, used to keep computer drives and parts dry - for storage.
Use an air squirt bulb to place the agent into a few cracks / very narrow gaps at the corners of walls (where baseboard material meets), and in some areas where critters / pets cannot go.
In just a few places, a conservative amount, will help reduce the silver-fish traffic. IOW, applied where you can in good judgement.
If not comfortable with using the stuff, then do not.
Verizon bought TracFone and almost immediately ended triple minutes except in older plans
They will be gone in a couple months.
Also, check if you have drain flies. They are very similar in size to fruit flies. Do you have any flies in your sink? If you do, pour a big pot (or two) of boiling water down the drain. That will do the trick.
Time flies like an arrow, and
Fruit Flies like a banana.
I use to get fruit flies when I bought bananas. Learned bananas are really not good for you, high in sugar etc, stopped buying them and voila, no more fruit flies. I get my potassium from a supplement now per dr’s orders.
Apparently, Verizon acquiring it started a couple of years ago - and I do remember that a while back we could no longer buy 3 month plans for what we now pay for only 2 months.
Yes, that’s what I kept telling my husband. But they really drive him nuts.
Well, everything happens at once - our kitchen sink has a problem; we can’t use it or the dishwasher until they fix it tomorrow.
But we don’t really seem to have them around the sink. The trap that caught so many of them is quite a distance from the sink drain.
Fruit fly problem — pour 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup water into a small bowl; add a few drops of dish washing liquid (I use Dawn). Place the bowl in the area where the fruit flies are the worse (my kitchen counter—no matter how clean I keep it and the sink).
After a few hours the bottom of the bowl was covered in dead fruit flies. I replaced the mixture daily for the first three days. I now replace it about every third day and am only seeing a dozen or so per day. It works like a charm.
LOL! I haven’t bought bananas in ages; when I have, I’ve peeled and frozen them for smoothies. I really think it was the potatoes.
We tried that first, and we did catch some. Also used red wine. But nothing worked like these did, with a little Guinness in the bottom:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/raid-fly-stick-pack-of-2
I had never heard it before. Never having seen these critters (or didn’t know what they were if I had) I probably wouldn’t have understood :-)
Yeah it’s been awhile
I just get the $20 unlimited per month but limited data
Still by using mostly WiFi I have over 13 gig of data
My other phone I buy 3 months limited for $20 as emergency backup
What is your other phone, if I may ask?
Yeah
Both are TracFone
One on 90 day plan for $19.99 - only 60 minutes no longer triples, thanks Verizon
If I want extra data I have to buy a $10 data card
The other $20 monthly unlimited minutes and talk - 2 gig data but it carries over
Sometimes you have to hunt a bit to find the right card
I think when we started more than 10 years ago, we got three months and so many minutes and texts we never even used them. It cost 25.00 for the three months, back then. But that was buying the card in the store, and then our local stores didn’t seem to carry them anymore We had to renew online, then; and they didn’t have the same deal; it was more money for less longevity.
I have one other question: do some of the smaller companies, especially those for older people, or the Conservative one, allow you to download apps, etc.? the only one I us
We’re looking for other companies in case Verizon raises it. I don’t need ‘unlimited’ - we have no use for it. I don’t mind paying a little more, but I want the same plan, want to keep the many thousands of minutes/texts I’ve saved, etc.
I have one other question: do some of the smaller companies, especially those for older people, or the Conservative one, allow you to download apps, etc.? the only one I use is for radio/podcasts, but I’m kind of addicted to it.
Thanks for your and everyone else’s help.
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