It’s fresh, piney, and a low-cost solution to soooo many cleaning woes. What is in it, though? And what else is it good for? Read on for more info – from Pine Sol as pregnancy test to wasp killer, the uses for this product will astound you. Of course, they don’t all necessarily work, but more on that later.
What is it?
Do you LOVE Pine Sol? The smell is probably the reason – the feeling of walking through a pine forest every time you clean is thrilling. It’s also a great reward for cleaning. Pine Sol is made with real pine scent, just like the commercials claim. The fragrance used is pine essential oil. Grease cutting surfactants and powerful cleaning agents, water, isopropanol (an alcohol solvent with antibacterial properties) and xantham gum round out the ingredient list.
Read on to see all the unexpected pine sol uses.
1. Homemade Fly Spray
Spring and summer are great – for everything except flies. A few thrifty horse owners have come up with a fly spray that helps keep horses free of flies. How does it work? Simple. Like many fly sprays, Pine Sol contains a stinky plant oil – pine. Flies hate it. Don’t use Pine Sol straight from the bottle, though. To make your Pine Sol fly repellant mix ⅓ water, ⅓ vinegar, and ⅓ Original Scent Pine Sol. You can add a dash of Skin So Soft or Citronella to the mix if you like, too. Spray it on as needed. This mix works almost as well as Neem, but won’t cause a pregnant horse to miscarry.
Wasp Killer
If you have a problem with wasps, hornets, yellow jackets, or bees, Pine Sol can spare you from painful stings. Remember not to use it on honey bees – we need them to help pollinate our food plants – but for other hive insects, spray full strength Pine Sol as an insecticide. You can also use it as a repellent, by mixing an 80% Pine Sol, 20% water solution and spraying areas you want to keep free of these stinging pests.
2. Keep Pests Away
Do you have a raccoon problem? Try mixing a 50-50 solution of Pine Sol and water, and spraying your garbage cans with it. The pine smell is repulsive to most animals. There’s a bonus, too. You get clean cans, and no flies. Insects aren’t fans of pine, either!
3. Pet Pee Deterrent
If you have trouble with your dog or cat peeing in the house, Pine Sol is a good way to stop the behavior in its tracks. Just clean the area that they sprayed with Pine Sol and water. Unlike many household cleaners, it doesn’t contain ammonia. Pets like to pee on ammonia-cleaned surfaces, since urine contains ammonia. They think they are claiming territory. Avoid ammonia, avoid the problem.
4. Stain Remover
Cooking oil can be a hassle for home cooks, and movie popcorn aficionados. If you have a piece of clothing with an unsightly oil stain, use undiluted Pine Sol as a pre-treatment. Wash the garment by hand after letting it soak for 30 minutes, and then check the stain. Re-treat if necessary.
5. Pregnancy Test
Pine Sol inspires a nearly fanatical following. It works, and people love reliable products. Of course, everything has its limitations. I’m not sure where the idea came from, but there’s an internet rumor floating around saying that Pine Sol can be used as a pregnancy test. How do you know you are pregnant if you do that test? Your pee supposedly makes the Pine Sol change colors. Of course, no measurements, or even the final color for pregnant versus non-pregnant are given. Sounds bogus to me, but if you’re bored, why not? The only thing you have to lose is Pine Sol!
Pine Sol has many uses, just don’t get addicted like the people in this forum. And if your Pine Sol pregnancy test is positive, blame it on the fumes. Happy cleaning!
