Toothpaste (the white paste kind) can clean a surprising number of things. It's a mild abrasive and can work miracles on things like shoes and dirty plastic.
Borax is a good ant killer. Ants crave either sugar or protein depending on the cycle of their colony - mix borax with sugar and put it out for the ants; if they don't go for it try peanut butter and borax. If you have pets, put the mixture into an old candy tin (like Altoids) and tape it securely shut and poke some holes near the bottom with a nail. The mixture works a little slower than a spray would, but I think it's safer around pets and it will eventually wipe out the entire colony since they add it to the colony's food supply.