Greenhill

Not that I'm recommending doing this to a bug bite (so please don't!)...

...However, last week, something, perhaps a mosquito or a flea, bit me on the underside of my right forearm and, I suppose, the bite was infected and I got a lovely volcano-like swelling as a result.

Yesterday afternoon I accidentally scratched said volcano and, as you know, when you scratch a bug bite it becomes painful and very, very itchy.

I couldn't find any "Afterbite". Then, on remembering that Afterbite is just ammonia, I recalled that Windex has ammonia in it.

So I sprayed some Windex on the bite.

It stopped itching after a couple of minutes and I just noticed that the volcano has now gone and there's just a small red spot left where it was. It's not itchy at all, either

Auld Yin

You must have watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Dave n Ailsa

Yeah, I definately seen that on a film. The mother or father in law was armed at all times with a bottle, and used it as a miracle cure for everything, lol.

Novocastrian

Welcome to the wonderful world of chemistry.

Most bugs, e.g ants, secrete acids in their saliva (not sure that's that right word). In the case of ants it's formic acid. Ants are called "fourmis" in French for a reason.

Ammonia will turn the acid into a salt (e.g. ammonium formate in the case of ants). The acid doesn't care how much you paid for the ammonia.

Greenhill

No, but I wish I had watched it now.

Looks like I was last to get the memo on this one

Greenhill

You know the reason (and I'm sure you do), that I failed my chemistry O level was because the kids I sat next to, kept filling the sink with whatever chemicals they were given by the teacher.

Then one of them would throw the fully-flaming bunsen burner in, each time proving their new chemical concoction was extremely flammable.

(The last time I spoke to them, one had just quit his Phd and another was working as a school teacher )

Novocastrian

Ah, that brings back memories. I think the main reason I ended up as a chemistry student (and all that followed) was one time in sixth form when my lab partner and I were making gun powder in class. We were a bit short of carbon for the recipe, so my mate (now a very senior surgeon in the UK) came up with the idea of burning a wooden ruler to make up the difference.

Great idea: but it would have been sensible to wait until the embers had died out before mixing it with the rest.

We actually melted a sink and scorched the ceiling. But the teacher (Mr. McDonald, bless his heart), just raised his eyebrow and said " Could you please use smaller quantities in future?" I was sold.

Howefamily

so , is it safe to use windex on ones skin on a bug bite then?

mandymoochops

wouldn't Windex have some other stuff in it that probably isn't good for the skin?

Alberta_Rose

I found a new use for windex too last week.

A client of mine wanted a new wheeled "walker". It turns out the main problem with hers ( that tightening a few screws couldn't fix) was that the hand grips had fallen apart.

So I got her some replacements, but I had to get the old ones off. Her neighbour had tried to fix it for her by wrapping the worn grips with some several feet of insulating tape, which when I removed it resulted in a horrid black sticky mess.

Enter WINDEX, which luckily she had in her cleaning supplies.
It successfully cleaned all the residue off the handles, and lubricated sufficiently to slide the new grips on, then I used it to clean all the black stickiness off my hands, washing them afterwards with plain soap and water.

Good old Windex!!!!! ...

Edit: I'm thinking of trying it on my ceramic hob next!

Novocastrian

I have a bottle in the laundry room, the ingredients are listed as "Water, Carriers, Cleaning agents, Wetting agent, Fragrance and Dye #14*14153".

Sounds pretty harmless to me. I wouldn't be taking a bath in it though.

caretaker

Sorry ‘bout the hijack but similar happened to me. At about 13 years old I made a tobacco can full on the kitchen table while my parents sat in the living room. I lit a tiny pinch in an ashtray to make sure it worked and a bit sputtered up and into the can. Burnt circle on table, through placemat, scorched ceiling, house full of acrid smoke and more trouble than I‘d bargained for. Failed chemistry several years later regardless..
Some types of mud will stop swelling and pain from bites, it must have some of the right chemicals in it.

Greenhill

The Windex (original glass cleaner) MSDS states:

Immediate Concerns : Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing

Potential Health Effects
Exposure routes : Eye, Skin, Inhalation, Ingestion.
Eyes : None known.
Skin : None known.
Inhalation : None known.
Ingestion : None known.
Aggravated Medical Condition : None known

Eye contact : Rinse with plenty of water. Get medical attention if irritation
develops and persists.
Skin contact : Rinse with plenty of water.
Inhalation : Remove to fresh air.
Ingestion : No special requirements

Advice on safe handling : KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN AND PETS.
Use only as directed.
Advice on protection against fire and explosion : Keep away from heat and sources of ignition


I've cleaned enough windows with the stuff to know that my skin isn't affected by it. So I'll try it this year as a remedy (just on me, though) and let you know how it goes.

Novocastrian

What if it kills you?

Greenhill

I'm pretty sure my foolish experiments with electricity will kill me before the Windex does.

(However, if I do go missing from here, check the local newspaper (ngnews) for bizarre accidental death reports of a middle-aged immigrant man in the Greenhill area.)