Many people prefer to use home ingredients to remove ants, as insecticides can be toxic to the environment. Pine-Sol is a cleaning solution that can be used to remove dirt from surfaces, while some people also use it to remove ants due to its strong scent.
Can Pine-Sol Kill Ants? Pine-Sol can kill ants and their eggs because it contains a surfactant that can remove the waxy layer on their exoskeleton when drowning them entirely in this cleaning solution. Spray it directly on ant trails or dilute it into the water to remove them from potted plants.
It can provide satisfactory results regarding ant removal, but you can expect complete removal of insects as it is not an insecticidal solution.
Why does Pine-Sol kill ants?
Pine-Sol manufactures household cleaning products that can help remove dirt and debris from many surfaces, like wood, tiles, concrete, etc.
The main ingredient in Pine-Sol cleaning products is pine oil, as they usually contain 8% to 12% pine oil diluted with other ingredients.
This cleaning solution also contains a small percentage of an alkyl alcohol, isopropanol, sodium petroleum sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and sodium carbonate.
Moreover, it also contains d-limonene, which can potentially kill ants as this acidic oil can interfere with their bodies and disrupt their trails.
It can efficiently control its population and kill eggs when directly exposing these tiny eggs to the solution. A full-strength solution can kill these insects when you avoid dilution.
In addition, it contains surfactants and dehydrating solvents that can extract moisture from their bodies by breaking the outer waxy layer.
They cannot retain moisture after damage to the exoskeleton because this waxy layer prevents water loss. Surfactants make bonds with the hydrophobic molecules and pull them outward.
So, it can help you get rid of ants moving in trails and help get rid of a few insects living in deep mounds if they come in contact with them.
However, the queens are usually present in the deeper compartments, so they cannot kill queen ants. It means it cannot provide a long-term solution for insects but kills only a few insects.
How do you use Pine-Sol to kill ants?
It is better to use Pine-Sol without dilution as the full-strength solution can effectively kill ants. Spray the solution directly on their trails and drown them in the solution entirely.
The D-limonene interferes with their outer skeleton and removes the waxy layer in a few minutes. This removal affects their breathing pores or spiracles, leading to extensive damage to insects.
They cannot survive after losing a protective coating that covers their soft bodies and respiratory organs so that they can die of suffocation.
Moreover, you can remove these insects from potted plants using this solution, but dilute 2 parts of Pine-Sol in 1 part distilled water (2:1). Spray it on the stems and leaves of potted plants.
It is not suitable to pour the concentrated solution into the potting soil because this acidic solution can alter the soil’s pH and increase the acidity level.
So, dilute it properly to avoid choking in the plant and protect it from dying. You can also sprinkle it to control ants in the soil, but dilute it before spraying on the soil.
Its killing effect can help remove the insects from potted plants and make them free of insects in a short time due to the toxicity of the cleaning solution.
Furthermore, you can also wipe floors to deter insects because its repelling odor can prevent ants from attacking indoors.
Mix 2 cups of Pine-Sol in 3 liters of warm water to clean the wooden floors. Squeeze it properly into all the gaps and cracks on the floor to remove insects.
You can pour this full-strength solution into the mounds to kill a large number of ants hidden in the nest and destroy the eggs.
Can you use Pine-Sol to repel ants?
You can use Pine-Sol to repel ants from home as its lemony scent irritates the odor receptors and causes discomfort for the navigating insects.
Moreover, it contains a large content of pine oil, which can act as a deterrent for insects and help keep them away from particular areas of the house.
It can neutralize or dominates the scent of pheromone that keep ants connected in a long trail. These insects cannot recognize their chemical secretions due to the dominating odor of lemon.
Accordingly, you can use this solution to repel ants by wiping the specific areas of the house that can potentially attract insects indoors.
It is also suitable to dip cotton balls into a full-strength solution and let them soak the material. Put these cotton balls at entry spots and stop these unwelcoming pests from entering.
Furthermore, you have to replace these cotton balls after some time to use them as effective repellents because this solution slowly evaporates into the air.
How long does Pine-Sol keep ants away?
It can effectively kill and repel ants within a few seconds to several hours, depending on environmental conditions and species of insects.
It can quickly kill the insects when you soak their tiny bodies in plenty of solution. It takes only a few minutes to break their exoskeleton and suffocate them.
Its repelling scent remains viable for almost 9 to 12 hours, which indicates that it can be a short-term solution to remove ants.
In addition, its pine scent can repel insects for a few hours, but it cannot provide long-term control for these insects.
However, the concentrated solution can retain its effect for longer than the diluted solution, and its scent remains in the air for many hours.
Its scent disappears in only 60 to 120 minutes when environmental conditions are not favorable, causing quick evaporation of solution into the air.
You have to replace cotton balls after some time or wipe the floor again once their odor disappears entirely.
Furthermore, spray more Pine-Sol to maintain its repelling effect on the insects for a long. However, looking for alternatives that permanently remove insects from the home is better.
What type of ants can be killed using Pine-Sol?
You can get rid of many indoor and outdoor ant species using Pine-Sol, as this cleaning solution can be used at different places.
It can help remove indoor pests, like odorous house ants that can get inside the buildings after detecting food crumbs on the floor and sweet residues on the countertop.
Moreover, it can effectively deter pavement and fire ants commonly present in outdoor areas and infest plants for their nectar and ripened fruits.
This cleaning solution can destroy the exoskeleton of pharaohs and ghost ants when you drown their trails in a large amount of solution.
You can also remove other common insects, like carpenter ants and field ants, but they require more solutions due to their strong exoskeleton and larger bodies.
Is it safe to use Pine-Sol to kill ants?
Pine-Sol contains surfactants, cleaning agents, and strong fragrances that can help clean dirty surfaces and remove ants from the house.
It has no toxic effect on people’s health and is considered safe. It does not cause severe harm if it comes in contact with the body, but you should still avoid its direct contact.
Moreover, it can cause toxicity after swallowing the solution because it contains acidic chemicals for removing the tough stains from the floor.
You have to use it after reading the instructions on the label correctly because incorrect handling and accidental swallowing can lead to unwanted circumstances.
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