Between sucking up water, sawdust, scraps, and debris, a shop-vac is a must for any technician on the field. How else are you supposed to drain a clogged washing machine filled with water? Granted there are other ways, but my goodness, a wet/dry shop-vac is a quick and efficient way to go.
Besides saving the day -- perhaps a customer’s floor, your shop-vac can suck up more than just water, it can obliterate a nasty wasp infestation. For the record, I have nothing against wasps. However, I think we can all agree we don’t want to share our home with them.
Lifehacker found a clever YouTube video below from PrerequisiteName who uses a shop-vac setup to get rid of his wasp/yellow jacket problem without the use of chemicals.
To get started, you need to fill up your shop-vac with a few inches of soapy water. Then, grab yourself a broomstick and attach the hose to it and clamp your concoction to a ladder. Then, position the shop-vac hose to your problem area.
PrerequisiteName is pretty darn smart too—he ran the power cord underneath his garage to plug/unplug the shop-vac to turn it on and off (the power button is turned on the unit); this allows him to steer clear from any angry stingers. Allow the shop-vac to run for a good few hours, and you’re good to go. It’s a good idea to intermittently turn off your shop-vac to cool it off.
Make sure, whatever you do, stay away from the wasps and wear protective gear…you bet you’re going to have a mad hive on your hands. When you’re finished with your shenanigans and epic wasp battle, make sure to dump out your vacuum, and as Lifehacker suggests, seal the problem-area with caulk.
No chemicals, no wasps…problem solved.
Photo by: Richo.Fan
