Why does dish soap repel insects?
Question:I need facts not opinions please. Also, give me the wbsite where u found it.
Answers:
I don't have any other facts than this--
My dad- a very bright, clean-freak, frugal man (and an old Italian-they seem to have all of the old gardening tricks)- would wash his dishes and when he was done with the soapy water, throw it out in his garden. He always had the largest, healthiest plants with the most fruits and flowers.
He told me about the insect repellant qualities but could never say why, other than it was his experience and that another old Italian gardener passed on the tip to him.
He had all of the neighbors doing it too, because they all grow fruits and veggies every summer.
He was frugal with the water in the way that he would fill a dish basin with the soapy water, soak then wash the dishes putting them to the side of the sink, and rinse them all at once to save on water and not have to turn it on and off.
He dumped the soapy basin into the garden, onto the plants.
Good luck- his favorite was Dawn- he said it also had the best grease cutting action of all of them since he did alot of cooking with olive oil.
The dish detergent does a couple of things. First, water has a kinda barrier on top and the dish detergent breaks that barrier, thus allowing the water to spread out and cover the plant leaf.
Second, the detergent doesn't actually repel the insect. What is does is cover their wings rendering them unable to fly. Because they cannot fly, they die.
I learned this in school (horticulture) many years ago and didn't find it on a website.
Hope this helps.
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