Month: August 2007

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Have you ever wanted to try powdered chemicals?

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Well, I have always wanted to try powder but never have.  I purchased JBS Industries Hydro White Powered Tire & Engine Cleaner (BN 07257).  I purchased it from KR (JBBX5401 $47.57 for 50 pounds).  The label says to add 1/2 to 1 pound per gallon of water then dilute up to 25 to 1.  So I gathered up all my supplies to make some tire cleaner.

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I purchased a 5-gallon paint mixer from Finish Factor and some measuring cups from the Dollar Tree.  I forgot to bring my scale to weigh the powder so I decided that 2 cups equaled a pound.

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Steps:  1) Add water to bucket,  2) Open powder,  3) Add 10 cups of powder to water, 4) Stir with paint stirrer (Optional: you can also put the top back on to avoid some spilling.), 5) Done, 6) Test

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The tire cleaner looks really nice and was very foamy.  But it was not very green.  Maybe I will change the tip in the hydrominder or add more powder next time?  Next time I will also try using a 15 gallon drum instead of a 5 gallon bucket, and then I could stir the cleaner faster.

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Yellow jacket drowning update

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The random beer bottle drowned around 3 and the Mountain Drew, acid, sugar trapped all the rest.  It did a very good job, but I think they just are drowning and not being poisoned?  Whatever the case, the Sprite bottle did better then the Mountain Dew bottle.

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Since the majority of the yellow jacket were drowned I decided to hang my Sterling Rescue Fly Trap with the solution (I have picture so you can follow along).

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1) 1/2 cup sugar, 2) 1/4 cup boric acid, 3) 1/4 cup Mountain Dew (with backwash from garbage can), 4) stir until most of the lumps are gone, 5) install

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The first arrow is the Yellow Jacket Trap and the second arrow it the Fly Trap.  Just a side note:  Greg said that the solution should be heated to combine the solution together.  I just put it in the sun to heat and combine together. 

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A little Boric Acid in the eye never hurt anyone?

(Boric Acid is an inactive ingredient in Visine.)

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Well hopefully boric acid in yellow jacket’s mouths and eyes with kill them (or at least work better then the catch and release program).  Greg recommended using boric acid, sugar and water.  I used some sugar, boric acid and Mountain Dew.  I thought since the yellow jackets love Mountain Dew that it would be a good substitute.  I know what you are thinking:  Where do I purchase boric acid?  The answer is at CVS ($9.19 for 12oz.) or a pharmacy and ask the pharmacist because it is on the other side of the counter, but it is over the counter, if you know what I mean.  The second picture is the amount of Mountain Dew and sugar I used.  I just added about a tablespoon of boric acid.

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 The first picture shows Sterling Rescue Yellow Jacket Trap it trapped one yellow jacket, good job!  So I decided to put the bottles in the garbage cans that were yellow jacket infested.  It only took a minute before the first yellow jacket started to taste death (I hope).

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The first 2 pictures are minutes after I installed the Mountain Dew mix.  The last 2 pictures are when I left the car wash.  The yellow jacket population really calmed down (not really sure if they died or they just where too full and sleeping).  Some stupid yellow jackets drowned at the bottom of the bottles.