Insects like ants are commonly present in our houses and are considered an essential part of our ecosystem that helps us in many ways. However, many people are looking for ways to get rid of these insects.
Will Hairspray Kill Ants? You can use hairspray to kill ants as it contains alcohol and hydrofluorocarbons. It can block the spiracles and cause breathing problems, and kills them by causing paralysis. Sugar ants and odorous house ants are easy to kill, while pharaoh ants are resistant to hairspray.
Different ant killers are available in the market, but you can also kill these insects using household things, like hairspray, that can instantly kill them.
Why is hairspray poisonous for ants?
Hairsprays are cosmetic products used for hair styling as they contain polymeric substances, making a thin film on the hair threads.
It is also an insect killer, apart from being a styling product. It contains numerous compounds that are poisonous to the ants.
Usually, it contains carboxymethylcellulose, alcohol, hydrofluorocarbons, and gums. In addition, polyvinyl pyrrolidone and other sticking polymer are found in the hairspray.
All these compounds are poisonous to the insects. The sticky chemicals make them immobile, and other chemicals cause poisoning in their bodies.
They cannot resist the chemical substance of a highly potent spray having a high alcohol content in it. Alcohol poisoning in the body can kill them instantly.
Polyvinyl alcohol and Poly pyrrolidone are present in high quantities in them.
The aerosol types of these products contain high hydrofluorocarbon content to turn the compound mixture into fumes.
The hydrofluorocarbons can cause damage to various organs and can make them paralyzed.
How does hairspray kill ants?
It can effectively kill insects by interfering with their respiratory system. As you know, oxygen is essential for all living creatures for a living.
It blocks the air exchange through spiracles and kills them instantly. However, these insects’ respiratory system differs from other living organisms.
It does not have a nose, lungs, or trachea for respiration. Instead, they breathe through spiracles. The spiracles are tiny holes or apertures along the body of these insects.
They exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through these holes. When you apply hairspray on their bodies, the sticky substances can block these apertures.
The blockage makes them unable to breathe and suffocates them to death within a few hours. The sticky substance also sticks to their bodies and makes them immobilized.
They get stuck in the same position and cannot move from one place to another. As a result, the ants are active and workaholic living creatures.
They are in constant search of food in their nearby area. Immobilized insects cannot search for food, and as a result, they will die of starvation.
Alcohol in hairsprays has a strong odor that can repel them. In addition, it can easily make them dehydrated and dissolve their exoskeleton.
What type of ants can be killed by hairspray?
More than 1000 ant species are present in the United States.
Its effectiveness depends upon their type, and you cannot kill all of them using it. In addition, some species are more susceptible than others.
Some strong species of these insects are resistant to hairspray. As a result, they can survive heavy blasts of such chemicals.
Sugar and odorous house ants are highly susceptible to hairsprays which are commonly present in the house and kitchens.
Argentine and fire ants are hard to kill, so you have to choose a product with high alcoholic content to kill them. In contrast, the Pharaoh specie is resistant to the chemicals of such sprays.
Some species of ants are easy to kill with it, but after repeated encounters, they develop resistance to these chemicals.
How do you use hairspray to kill ants?
You can use the hairspray directly on the colony to kill them. However, you cannot mix it with any sweet or other edibles to get rid of them. It becomes ineffective after mixing with other ingredients.
Locate all the colonies of the ants in your house before applying. They are present in the holes in the walls. They are also present in the wooden doors and lawns.
The sugar ants are found in the kitchen cabinets and the food storage compartment. Choose a medium-intensity hairspray to kill all the colonies.
Use a bottle that contains an applicator nozzle with it. It helps in applying the chemical to the targeted area. Hold the can in your hand and position the nozzle on the ants.
Press the button down and direct a stream of spray mist on the ant colony.
Let it work and wait for 12 hours. After this, check the area and redirect the spray stream to kill all the remaining insects.
Clean up the area with water when no one is left alive. You can repeat the procedure after every 5 to 7 days to get rid of these insects.
How long does it take to kill ants using hairspray?
The time required to kill them depends upon the type of ants and the strength of the hairspray. Some types of insects die instantly, while others take a few hours.
It also depends upon the degree of infestation in the house. Killing a few of them takes a few minutes.
It takes 10 to 12 hours to kill the ant nest. The time can also exceed 40 hours in the case of fire ants.
Furthermore, you can increase the amount of spray applied to kill them. However, completely eradicating a nest can take up to weeks or months.
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