This Wasp-Killing TikTok Hack Is A Bad Idea: Here's Why You Should Never Try It

There's a lot of misinformation on TikTok, and much of it has gone viral. Some are popular cleaning trends to avoid, while others (like non-medical professionals telling you to stick garlic up your nose to heal a sinus infection) are potentially dangerous. One such TikTok trend involves using a cup of gasoline to kill wasps. This trend caught on like wild fire (pun intended) because it is actually very effective. In the videos, someone holds a cup of gasoline under a wasp nest, and wasps instantly fall out of the nest into the cup — stone dead. The fumes asphyxiate the wasps, killing them within seconds. It's a seemingly quick and easy solution to a wasp nest lurking in the eaves of your home. 

But the truth is, this wasp-killing TikTok hack is dangerous for a variety of reasons. For one, it forces you to get very close to the nest, which is never a good idea. For another, it's an extreme fire hazard. There's also the environmental impact of the gas cup's disposal. There are plenty of easy hacks that work to get rid of wasps you can try that aren't dangerous, but it's best to find these on the sites of pest control companies and not on social media. Of course, if you have a wasp allergy, the safest option is to call a professional.

Wasp-killing sprays allow you to stand a good distance from the nest, but the gas-cup hack forces you to get dangerously close. Even if you aren't stung, it would be easy to get startled by a wasp, and whether you spill only a small drop of gas or the whole cup, it's still an incredible fire hazard. Direct sunlight on a hot day could be all that's needed to start a fire and burn your home to the ground. 

The gasoline instantly kills wasps, but its vapors are also toxic to you and your family. If even a small amount is accidentally ingested, it can be lethal, and will cause damage to your skin and eyes if in direct contact. Gasoline can also dissolve a plastic cup, spilling gas all over your hands and surrounding area before you even make it to the wasp nest. If spilled on the ground, gasoline will contaminate your soil and kill surrounding vegetation. 

Gas should never be tossed in the trash or poured down the drain. The best way to dispose of old gasoline is to pour it into an approved container and transport it to a facility that accepts hazardous waste (like a fire station or recycling center). This effort negates the quick and easy nature of the hack that made it so popular in the first place.