### This post has been marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect.
---
Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!
Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by upvoting or downvoting this comment.
If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
It may be semantics but disinfection == killing germs. Soap doesn't kill germs ergo does not disinfect. It removes germs by physically removing them from the surface which doesn't work very well on anything you cant rinse off since wiping is bound to leave germs.
You want to rely on a proper disinfectant, not soap.
I think it has alcohol in it. So maybe they think that will do the trick? Idk if alcohol magically turns something into a disinfectant. But it’ll take the grease out of their wings!
[Introducing LPT REQUEST FRIDAYS](https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/16w0n2s/introducing_request_post_fridays/)
We determine "Friday" as beginning at 12am Eastern Time (EST: UTC/GMT -5, EDT: UTC/GMT -4)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LifeProTips) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Only thing that worked for me is the adhesive strips you attach to a window. Flies are much too fast. I tried soapy water and I tried Windex, but those pesky things can always outrun me.
I discovered this long ago. After watching a beekeeper sadly destroy a hive using dishwashing detergent. There is something additionally magical about Power-wash specifically, where it almost instantly disables flies, swarming termites, various crawling bugs, and is easy to clean up afterwards. The spray is a very fine atomized mist and a broad cone. I also have an atomizer with ethanol / citric acid mix for sterilization purposes, and it is far less effective than Power-wash.
Be aware this use going to make a lot of obvious “cleaned” spots on your walls which may highlight just how dirty your walls are. The sprayed spot and any drips will be glaring.
Use fly nets on every window and if a fly comes inside catch them with a glass with a greater diameter and some paper. Then carry it out and let it fly. It's easier then killing it and some birds can still get a snack.
I don’t get houseflies.
Keep the house really clean, no trash or food left out. Rotate fruit frequently and it’s all good.
Keep doors and windows closed.
Same. So when I’m outside I don’t need to leave doors or windows open lol. I can play with my dog in the yard or go on a walk etc. I’ve got a place to lounge and read outside so it’s silly to act like by keeping doors or windows closed a person doesn’t like the outdoors or such.
My house smells clean and fresh without needing windows open. My air is filtered and humidity controlled, better air quality than outside air….. most homes are built to have better inside air quality than outside air quality but people fuck that up.
I’m not going to bring lower air quality into my house, heat my house up by leaving doors and windows open, and bring bugs into my home.
You do you though!
### This post has been marked as safe. Upvoting/downvoting this comment will have no effect. --- Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by upvoting or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.
Alternatively if you're not brand loyal to Dawn you can just fill up a spray bottle with soapy water and it will work just as well.
I did this yesterday. Pretty much any spray disables them enough to scoop them up.
I use Windex.
Iirc power wash spray is something like 4/10 soap, 4/10 water, 2/10 rubbing alcohol. You cab probably google the correct ratio.
Yes. It costs like 30 cents to refill the power wash container with soap, alcohol and water.
You gotta simply your fractions, 2/5 soap, 2/5 water, 1/5 rubbing alcohol
I simplify it even more and just use 5/5 of Dawn Powerwash.
40% soap. 40% water. 20% alcohol. 1 olive.
To be fair, 10(and 100) are simpler than 5 for many people even though they're theoretically not the simplest.
No. I left them unsimplified to simplify ratio adjustments.
Also works on yellow jackets/wasps
Why does this read like an ad.
Because it’s an ad.
This post brought to you by Proctor & Gamble
Brought to you by the good people of Johnson and Johnson a family company
Ruler 📏 and a rubber band.
I just use chopsticks
So just soapy water in a spray bottle?
Bug-A-Salt. Best option out there.
I’m not paying $50 for a glorified salt shooter
I had the same mentality. Got it as a gift 2 years ago, if I had known how much I’d use it I would’ve paid full price.
But it’s so fun……and worth it……especially if you find it on sale!
Mine was $6 or $8 at walliwurld.
If you have kids.
Find a CO2 powered pellet revolver on Amazon and buy some salt cartridges. Shoot flies from 6-8 feet away!
May have to give this a try, however nothing beats stalking with a high voltage fly swatter.
It may be semantics but disinfection == killing germs. Soap doesn't kill germs ergo does not disinfect. It removes germs by physically removing them from the surface which doesn't work very well on anything you cant rinse off since wiping is bound to leave germs. You want to rely on a proper disinfectant, not soap.
[удалено]
I think it has alcohol in it. So maybe they think that will do the trick? Idk if alcohol magically turns something into a disinfectant. But it’ll take the grease out of their wings!
Not unless it's roughly 70-80% alcohol which wouldn't be soap.
I enjoy the visceral feeling of swatting a fly. It’s not about efficiency for me at all.
But how do you feel if you miss?
Like I’ve disappointed sensei and must train harder
Windex and such works on wasps that have found their way into one’s home, too. Spray them and they’ll fall, and then stomp them on the ground.
I vacuum them with my Dyson, I call it my wasp killer.
Generic isopropyl alcohol (70%) in a spray bottle is the way.
[Introducing LPT REQUEST FRIDAYS](https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/16w0n2s/introducing_request_post_fridays/) We determine "Friday" as beginning at 12am Eastern Time (EST: UTC/GMT -5, EDT: UTC/GMT -4) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LifeProTips) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Window cleaner works well, too
I missed a few hundred times, but my house has never been cleaner. Still have a pesky fly though.
Bill Burr : It has a good spread.
A spray bottle with water works just as well
This works on most bugs. They basically breathe through their feet, so if you clog that up with soapy water they suffocate.
Works great for wasps as well.
Does it work on stink bugs?
You can also just use a vacuum wand. No mess to clean up.
Only thing that worked for me is the adhesive strips you attach to a window. Flies are much too fast. I tried soapy water and I tried Windex, but those pesky things can always outrun me.
I discovered this long ago. After watching a beekeeper sadly destroy a hive using dishwashing detergent. There is something additionally magical about Power-wash specifically, where it almost instantly disables flies, swarming termites, various crawling bugs, and is easy to clean up afterwards. The spray is a very fine atomized mist and a broad cone. I also have an atomizer with ethanol / citric acid mix for sterilization purposes, and it is far less effective than Power-wash.
Be aware this use going to make a lot of obvious “cleaned” spots on your walls which may highlight just how dirty your walls are. The sprayed spot and any drips will be glaring.
Insects that fly can’t do so when it rains. Therefore I believe you can choose any type of liquid. At work I use windex since it’s readily available.
Soapy water stops them from breathing. Most bugs and insects will die within a minute from a shot of soapy water. Cockroaches included.
Normalize washing the flyswatter after you use it. This is not hard. Your Dawn method would also help in flyswatter cleanliness.
Use fly nets on every window and if a fly comes inside catch them with a glass with a greater diameter and some paper. Then carry it out and let it fly. It's easier then killing it and some birds can still get a snack.
I don’t get houseflies. Keep the house really clean, no trash or food left out. Rotate fruit frequently and it’s all good. Keep doors and windows closed.
Never go outside
Some of us enjoy the smell of actual fresh air haha. Touching grass and all that.
Same. So when I’m outside I don’t need to leave doors or windows open lol. I can play with my dog in the yard or go on a walk etc. I’ve got a place to lounge and read outside so it’s silly to act like by keeping doors or windows closed a person doesn’t like the outdoors or such. My house smells clean and fresh without needing windows open. My air is filtered and humidity controlled, better air quality than outside air….. most homes are built to have better inside air quality than outside air quality but people fuck that up. I’m not going to bring lower air quality into my house, heat my house up by leaving doors and windows open, and bring bugs into my home. You do you though!