Heloise

Dear Heloise: When I moved into an apartment that had recently become nonsmoking, I quickly learned that the odor from previous tenants can linger for far longer than expected. Even after maintenance aired out the apartment with a fan, the tobacco smell was so strong that I woke up my first night coughing and uncomfortable.

The next day, I visited a hardware store and asked for advice. I was told to try activated charcoal, which comes in a small plastic container about the size of an onion-dip tub. I removed the lids and placed one container in each room. The results were amazing! Within a short time, the heavy smoke odor disappeared completely.

Activated charcoal absorbs smells rather than just covering them up, making it an easy and inexpensive solution for stale tobacco odors or other lingering household smells. — Patricia Murphy, in St. Louis

OUTSMARTING ANTS

Dear Heloise: Here in Florida, we have extremely tiny ants that seem determined to find their way into my cat’s food bowls. Even though I move the dishes every day and have the house treated for bugs yearly, the ants always show up. Then I discovered a solution that really works: I placed my cat’s food and water dishes on an old cookie baking sheet and poured about a cup of water onto it.

The water creates a moat that ants simply can’t cross to reach the food. To make mealtime more comfortable for my cats, I set the baking sheet on sturdy cardboard cartons that are about 4-6 inches tall. This raises the dishes to a better height while keeping them ant-free. It’s inexpensive, easy to set up, and has completely solved my ant problem. — Patricia Baker, via email

ODOR-FREE LITTER BOXES

Dear Heloise: I’ve seen several tips about dealing with smelly litter boxes, so I wanted to share what has worked extremely well for me: I use low-dust litter with lightweight 21-day odor control, and it has made a huge difference. I’ve been using this litter for about four years, and it consistently keeps odors under control.

I use standard plastic litter boxes, fill them with litter, and scoop out the waste as needed. Occasionally, I just top off the litter rather than replacing it entirely. Even after three weeks of regular use, there is still no unpleasant smell.

Of course, every household and cat is different, but this litter has been reliable, easy to maintain, and very effective for me. I hope this helps other readers who are struggling with litter box odors. — Christine Hollar, in Orangeburg, South Carolina

PET PAL

Dear Heloise: Quinn the cat loves the dishwasher and jumps up on it often. — Morag Brown, via email

Readers, to see Quinn the cat and our other Pet Pals, go to Heloise.com and click on “Pet of the Week.”

Do you have a furry friend to share with our readers? Send a photo and a brief description to Heloise@Heloise.com. — Heloise

Send a money-saving or time-saving hint to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.