Because Windex doesn't work as a repellent, it's no more effective at getting rid of the occasional bug than using a broom to shoo the critter outdoors or a paper towel to squish it. You're better off saving the cleaning solution for its rightful use.
Windex, the glass cleaner, is a known insect killer. When you have an ant swarm in your house, spray them all with Windex and they will die nearly instantly. Windex can also eliminate some of the scent trails that ants follow to find food.
White vinegar
White vinegar, available at all grocery stores, is a cheap and effective way to kill and repel ants. It is also a natural cleaning agent. Try using a 1-to-1 vinegar/water mixture to clean hard surfaces, including floors and countertops, wherever ants are likely to travel.
Windex cleans without streaks because it has very low surface tension. water with a higher Surface tension, allows air to be trapped near the bugs body in the tiny hair like objects. So the bug can breath longer sometimes long enough to get out.
You can use a mixture of vinegar and Windex to kill ants. Just combine equal parts of each in a spray bottle, then apply the spray in areas where you've seen ants around the house. The Windex will kill the ants, while the smell of the vinegar will help get rid of and deter ants that remain in the area.
WD-40. Spray any areas where ants are feeding or accessing your house with WD-40. The spray will kill ants and also serve as a deterrent from further access as long as residue from the spray remains.
Diatomaceous Earth is one of the most effective ant-killers out there, and placing them in the ant entryways can solve the problem of “how to get rid of ants permanently”. Diatomaceous Earth is made from remains of diatoms. Basically, by sprinkling them, ants dry and die.
The strong ammonia smell also repels the spiders away from your home. So for an easy, effective, and eco-friendly way to kill spiders that are out of reach, try Windex.
A--According to tests performed by the Agriculture Department, a solution of ammonia and water will only kill limited numbers of ants, temporarily driving away their nests, which eventually return. Ammonia has no long-term effect, said Dr. Clifford Lofgren, a research entomologist with the department.
Ants hate the smell of strong citrus fruits. Save your orange, lemon and grapefruit peels and scatter them around entry points. It's a natural way to deter ants without harming them.
Lemon Juice and Water
Add one part lemon juice to three parts water. Spray directly on ants to kill them and on entry points around your home to repel them. This works for all types of ants.
Natural deterrents.
Salt, baby powder, lemon juice, chalk, vinegar, bay leaves, cinnamon, or peppermint oil are a few items that you have around your home that will stop ants from coming inside. Lay these out in areas where you see ants, and they'll stop using that area as an entrance into your house.
This home remedy is somewhat effective: grabbing a spray bottle of Lysol and dousing a few ants will kill them. Still, using household cleaners as ant control isn't an effective long-term solution. That's because ants live in colonies: where there is one ant, there are hundreds or even thousands of others.
You hit the target when you advised using window cleaner to kill ant trail scents [“Honey, We Have Company,” Aug. 6]. Another great deterrent is mint mouthwash, which will not only kill the scent trail but all ants in the vicinity.
The smell of Vinegar will cause them to stay away from it or permanently leave the house. Ants crawl in a straight line, marching towards the food sources. The Vinegar solution will interfere with these pheromones, and the ants will get lost.
Using Windex to kill bugs is a popular internet hack that falls somewhere in the middle. While it can technically kill small insects like ants, it's not a suitable swap for tested insecticides, says Dr. Angela Tucker, manager of technical services for Terminix.
Due to the presence of solvents and surfactants in Windex, consumption of these products can result in toxicity. The chemicals found in these products can cause stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if swallowed.
Spiders love to hide in the dark, debris-filled cracks away from humans. Be sure to give the space under your bed a lot of attention while you're cleaning. Since it tends to be dark and dusty under beds, they're an ideal place for spiders to hide away. The garbage from your kitchen may also attract spiders.
We use it in our products to help a formula spread across a surface, making cleaning more efficient. Acetic acid is what gives vinegar its pungent smell and sour taste, and has been used in homes for more than 10,000 years.
The reason most glass cleaners on the market are blue is that, during the 1960s, Windex's original recipe used a translucent blue dye to help it stand out from the pack. In response to this product's popularity, many customers began associating the color of light blue spray with glass cleaners.
Spray down the surface liberally, let stand for 10 minutes, and then wipe it up. Be sure to rinse thoroughly with water to eliminate any cleanser residue on food preparation surfaces.
Both cayenne and black pepper repel ants. Ants hate cayenne pepper. Black pepper will work just as well too. Locate the source of the ant infestation problem, sprinkle some pepper around that area and if possible, create a wall that will stop the ants from accessing your household.
Boiling water is an easy, effective way to kill ants immediately. If you see ants emerging from a crack in the concrete or a hole in the ground, pour boiling water into the area. This will kill many of the ants within it.