What does soap do to yellow jackets?

While pesticides and sprays work well against airborne yellow jacket nests, ground nesting yellow jackets require a different kind of approach. The safest way to eradicate the yellow jackets residing in the ground is with a mixture of boiling water and liquid soap solution. Once applied, the hot water will drown the majority of the insects, with the soap disabling motor skills and eventually killing them.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

Step 1

Wait until sunset before creating the water and liquid dish soap solution needed to kill the yellow jackets. At sunset, the entire colony of yellow jackets should retreat back to their nest.

Step 2

Create a mixture of water and 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap. Prepare in a heat-resistant pot with handles for easy pouring.

Advertisement

Step 3

Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove. You can either transfer the boiling solution to a easy-to-pour jug or pour directly from the pot.

Step 4

Locate the entrance ways of the yellow jackets' nest. If there are more than one, it would be safer to have more than one person filling the holes with boiling water.

Advertisement

Step 5

Pour the hot, soapy water into the entrances of the nest. The water should be enough to drown and kill the yellow jackets. The soap is a precautionary backup as the soap will hinder their motor skills and render their ability to sting and defend.

Wasps and hornets provide many benefits from the gardening point of view. But, if they develop their nest near your house or in your garden, then it’s more of a problem.

Does soapy water kill wasps? Dealing with Hornets, commonly known as yellow jackets, and wasps can be a little dangerous because they can sting you.

Therefore, it becomes important to wear protective clothes before using any wasp killing method.

Does Soapy Water Kill Wasps?

Yes, soapy water will kill wasps, hornets, bees and yellow jackets as it clogs up their breathing spores and will cause them to suffocate. 

It’s important to wear clothes that can give you protection from wasp stings, because they can be real angry, and they may attack you.

Did you know you can also use peppermint oil to repeal wasps? Check out the article I wrote about that here.

How to Use Soapy Water to Kill Wasps

For using this home remedy, you will need a combination of hot water and dish soap.

For that, add 2 to 4 tablespoon of liquid dish soap or 30 to 60 ml, to the 2 cups or 500 ml of hot water. Make the solution, and mix them.

Now, put the solution in a spray bottle, and spray directly on the wasps & yellow jackets to kill them instantly.

For the safety, you can use the garden hose having end sprayer for spraying the dish soap solution on their nest.

With the garden hose, you’ll be able to spray the solution a long distance compared to a spray bottle. With that, you can attack their nest directly and easily.

How Fast Does Soapy Water Kill Wasps?

A wasp removal technique that is safe and effective involves using soapy water. You can use a bit of soap and water by mixing about 2 tablespoons of dish soap in a spray bottle filled with water.

The wasps should die right away if you can get this spray right on them. A wasp’s spiracles will fill with soapy water and cause it to stop breathing.

If your dish soap solution is more diluted with water or the soap doesn’t make complete contact with the spiracles on a wasp, it may take up to 10-15 minutes longer for the wasp to die. 

Does Soapy Water Kill Wasps Instantly?

Spiracles on wasps open up and contract to allow them to breathe. Soapy water blocks these spiracles and flood them.

This will stop a wasp’s breathing instantly, if the entire area is covered. If some spiracles continue to vent air through, a wasp will not die instantly.

It will struggle to survive and eventually die in about 10-15 minutes. The effect of soapy water is so great because it can penetrate through the exoskeleton of a wasp and cause it to die.

If you make direct contact and keep spraying, the wasp has no chance to survive. 

Does Dawn Dish Soap Kill Wasps?

Dawn dish soap is the most popular brand of dish soap. This is why it’s worth mentioning that the Dawn brand of dish soaps carry the same powerful attacking method as other types of dish soap to kill wasps. 

Dawn Dish Soap will help to infiltrate into a wasp and cause it to drown internally. The stinging pest will stop breathing when the water in a spray bottle is mixed with two tablespoons of Dawn dish soap.

It’s readily available on your kitchen counter and easy to use without worrying about poisoning your home with chemical insecticides. 

How Does Soapy Water Kill Wasps?

The soap water is able to kill wasps almost instantly.

But, how?

Some experts say that the soap water clogs their breathing spores, and this results in an instant death. Therefore, it’s a humane way to kill them.

I Recommend

When using this home remedy, make sure to wear proper clothes because they can attack you.

Getting the help of exterminators is also a good idea, if you can afford them. But how do you know how much they are going to charge for your house?

Thanks for visiting ThePestManagement.com for the best information to help you to make the pest control process easy, safe & affordable. 

Does soapy water kill yellow jackets?

How fast does soapy water kill yellow jackets?

What kills Yellow Jackets instantly?