Why/how does a mixture of water with a little dish soap kill ants?

Question

I heard about this on a talk show one night and have tried it. Some water with just a tiny bit of dish soap in a spray bottle kills them in their tracks.

One spray kills as effectively as something like Raid, but with no residual poison. What exactly is it that kills them -- and so quickly? I'm curious.

Answer 1

~~I heard it's because the soap makes the water, wetter so it drowns them. It makes sense to my husband, but i still don't get it. Of course I still don't understand how a TV really gets a picture from airwaves either :}~~

Answer 2

the soap gets stuck in their airways so they die instantly