Kill a Wasp Inside Your Home

A NEW way to Safely and Easily Kill a Wasp that's inside Your Home

I just hate that sound - Buzzing and tapping on a window! A quick peek and I see it's one of my worst fears...a wasp trapped inside the house!... HELLLP!

If I try to whack it I might miss and it's likely to get mad - watch out!...

I hope I don't get stung during the extermination process...

If I use a poison spray what will it do to the surface behind the wasp that gets sprayed?

Will the poison overspray get onto food or counter tops?

What about the toxic cloud let loose inside the house?

Was that spray for outdoor use only?

Yikes!

Well here is a method that is fairly simple; uses no insecticide, takes down a wasp quickly, kills easily and leaves no residue behind.

I freeze wasps with cold spray!

You might ask, "And where does one get such a fancy 'cold spray'?" and, "Does it cost an arm and a leg?"

The type of 'cold spray' found on the market is usually a super cold spray refrigerant used by electronics technicians to cool and troubleshoot hot semiconductors. It's a Freon-like, expensive specialty item.

But why use that stuff when most 'Canned Air' or 'Electronics Duster' products will do? You can buy a can of 'Electronics Duster' at Big Box, Electronics or Office Supply stores.

You can even get a small can of it at the Dollar Tree store; and yes, for just a dollar!

Now that's an inexpensive 'waspinator'.

P.S. If you find the Instructables I post interesting please click the "Follow" button above. Thanks!

Can of 'Electronics Duster' or 'Canned Air' spray

CAUTION:

Don't spray at people. Don't spray on clothing. Don't spray at skin. Don't get liquid spray on skin as it can cause instant frostbite. Spray may be flammable.

Follow the safety cautions on the can of spray.

In the 'normal' right-side-up orientation the 'Electronics Duster' spray can contains liquified gas under pressure with gas under pressure sitting on top of the liquid. You want to use liquid on the wasp. To dispense the liquid you turn the can upside down.

You don't want to botch the extermination of the wasp so practice ahead of time to get the spray technique right. You want to spray the liquid (actually gently dripple/spritz liquid) on the wasp.

The can of 'Electronics Duster' ('Canned Air') MUST BE USED UPSIDE DOWN or it won't spray liquid. You want liquid to come out as it's super cold and should immobilize the wasp. If you use the spray right side up it will just blow the wasp around.

Holding the can upside down, practice pulling the trigger just enough to have a spray of small droplets come out. You don't want a blast of white spray like a CO2 fire extinguisher or a rocket engine!

Tip: Shooting a quick short half-burst of spray pointed away from the wasp can cool the plastic extension tube and make it easier to get droplets out on subsequent 'little squirts'. Be careful. Practice.

CAUTION: The spray, and especially the liquid, is extremely cold and can cause frostbite instantly. The spray can also cause glass to shatter if the glass is hot and too much liquid spray hits the glass. The spray may be flammable. Use Caution.

[If you happen to have a can of electronic component cooler, it can be used right side up as it is designed to spray liquid out when upright in order to cool those hot electronic semiconductors. Conversely, an upside down can of electronics duster can be used as an electronics component cooler - Who knew!]

You obviously want a clean shot at the wasp. Sometimes this may be difficult, but be patient. Patience will keep you from getting stung.

Ideally you want to apply spray parallel to any glass to concentrate the liquid on the wasp and not the glass (to avoid any glass shattering from the cold).

Grab the can of spray - UPSIDE DOWN.

Remember, the can of 'Electronics Duster' ('Canned Air') MUST BE USED UPSIDE DOWN or it won't spray liquid.

You want liquid to come out as it's super cold and should immobilize the wasp. If you use the spray right side up it will just blow the wasp around and possibly get it mad.

Get the tip of the spray tube as close as possible to the wasp. You may want to consider swapping out the plastic spray tube for a longer one from another product if you have one, to get the spray closer while keeping you farther away (Does it sound like I am paranoid of wasps?).

Squirt the wasp with droplets. Remember, keep the can upside down.

Hitting the wasp with droplets should immediately impair it and it should drop to the floor.

Don't squeeze the trigger too much and blast the wasp away. Previously practicing the right spray technique helps here.

A big blast can sometimes cool the wasp enough to slow it down, but better to hit it with droplets.

With the wasp down, and while keeping the can UPSIDE DOWN (Did I mention that enough times?), zero in on the wasp and spray more liquid on it. A couple of seconds of liquid (not blasting) should do it.

This will freeze the wasp solid and definitely kill it. No life returning from cryogenic storage here!

The wasp will stop, drop, and roll...over dead!

Drenching the wasp with liquid may create a white ring around the wasp. This is frost and will disappear as the surface around the wasp returns to room temperature.

Brrr, I feel cold already.

The wasp gets so cold that wisps of condensation fog can often be seen coming off of it.

It's really, really, REALLY frozen.

After a liquid 'bath' moisture will start to condense and freeze on the super cold wasp. The first photo (on the left) shows the wasp's wings have ice crystals on them. The second photo (a few seconds later) shows the wasp's wings thawing out (they are very thin) and the face frosting over. Brrr!

What's frozen is DEAD!

Congratulations, No more wasp. No poison spray. No residue.

Enjoy your newfound wasp extermination method!

.

P.S. Just a reminder: Avoid spraying liquid onto hot glass or other hot surfaces - the thermal shock of going from very hot to very cold may shatter the item. Don't spray people, on skin or on clothing. Liquid can cause instant frostbite (Duh, it killed the wasp.) Spray may be flammable. Keep away from ignition sources. Follow the safety instructions on the spray can (Oh, except for the part about not using the can upside down). Thanks and ENJOY!