Does Gasoline Kill Wasps?

There’s a TikTok trend going on right now showing people covering small wasp nests with containers of gasoline. In a matter of seconds, dozens of wasps fall from the nest into the liquid—instantly dead. It’s essentially a quick and mess-free way to fumigate a wasp nest, and makes it easy to scrape away the empty nest from your home once the wasps are gone. But, why is it so effective? More importantly, is this hack safe?

There are plenty of ways to get rid of pests like wasps, and while this might seem like an easy one, there are a few precautions you should take.

Let’s be honest, playing with gasoline is probably never a good idea.

You can check out an example of this popular wasp-killing hack in the TikTok below. It’s simple enough, and as a homeowner, it’s easy to get excited about a quick way to get rid of wasps and their nests.

@gashi

Gasoline takes out wasps

♬ Sleeping On My Left - GASHI

Does the hack work? Yes. It’s actually the fumes from the gasoline that kills the wasps in seconds, essentially suffocating them with toxins. When the gas is in a cup, the wasps fall in, and it makes for easy clean-up all around.

But, that’s really where the benefits end. And, in this situation, the risk outweighs the reward.

First, gasoline should never be kept in anything other than an approved container. It can melt certain types of plastic. If you’ve seen people using styrofoam or Solo cups to perform this hack, they’re putting themselves in danger as the gasoline could potentially eat through those materials.

Next, think about the reason why gasoline is so effective at killing wasps quickly—the fumes. While you might be able to handle more of the smell than a tiny wasp, it’s also not good for humans to breathe in those fumes. If you’re going to be exposed to gasoline, it’s a good rule of thumb to wear protective gear like gloves, and a mask or respirator, as well as safety goggles.

Finally, there’s the dilemma of what to do once you have a cup of wasps and gasoline.

You can’t just pour gasoline down the drain and you certainly shouldn’t throw it in the garbage. It’s highly flammable and could cause a fire or release toxins into the air. You might need to call a local hazardous waste program in your area to properly dispose of it, and that kind of defeats the purpose of this “quick and easy” hack.

There are plenty of other ways to get rid of wasps and their nests this summer, including using approved store-bought sprays. While this hack might seem cool, it’s not safe for anyone.