When I go out to do a pest service in the rain I often get a dumbfounded look from the customer and they ask me if I can even spray pesticides in the rain. The general thought is that the rain would just wash the chemical away right? Yes if I sprayed my chemical in the rain it would most definitely wash away and possibly contaminate other water sources or other ecosystems.
So, can I spray in the rain? Yes! Most homes have overhangs and gutters that prevent the foundation from getting wet on most sides of the home. Since the pesticides used are intended to be mixed in the soil and the foundation of the home it would be fine to spray any non-wet areas of the home.
This is just the beginning of what you need to know before doing pest control in the rain. If you are interested in learning more about DIY techniques, legalities, and what to buy, keep reading.
Spray in the Rain
When I say spray in the rain, I don’t literally mean spray into the rain. There are plenty of areas of the home that go untouched by rain when you treat your home while it is raining.
Most overhangs, windows, door frames, foundation and cracks areas that you will treat are dry when it rains and it is completely fine to treat those areas with liquid pesticide.If the spray can you are using has a pin stream option you can do crack and crevice around windows, doors, eaves, soffits, and downspouts.
Treating for bugs in the rain is also a good idea because lots of bugs retreat to higher ground when the soil is loosened by the rain, ants especially will make a line from right up against the foundation then under your siding and into your home.
This leads me to water-soluble granules which depend on rain to work.
Water Soluble Granules: Water-soluble granules are applied as a solution of the active ingredient after diluted in water.
Water Soluble Granules in most cases have a sandy texture and most are made to be used in rainy weather. In fact, the rain is what activates it and once it is wet it mixes with the soil which makes it most effective.
When used in a shaker bottle or hand spreader you can apply these granules in natural areas, lawns, rock gardens and around air conditioning units.
This method is very successful in the rain and is paramount in making a great barrier to protect your home from unwanted pests.
There are also water-soluble granules that can be used in a spray can. i.e. Alpine WSG. Alpine WSG is an indoor way to treat for ants and other pests. Alpine WSG The granules are sandy looking and they dissolve when mixed in with a gallon spray can that is filled with water.
There are many types of WSG so before buying one make sure you read the label and to see what pests it helps with, where to apply it, and what precautions you should take before using it.
DIY Techniques
Let’s service your home in the rain!
- Protective Gear
- Gloves
- Safety Glasses
- Long Sleeve Shirt
- Pants
- Closed Toe Shoes
Mixture: Take a one-gallon spray can and mix your chemical (as listed below) and dilute it as per the directions on the label with a gallon of water.
There is no mixture needed for the granules, you will simply spread them and let moisture or rain do the rest. Once wet these will be active in pest prevention.
Directions:
Spraying – After filling the can replace the lid and tighten it. Don’t pressurize the can yet, shake it to mix the chemical really well, then you can pump up the sprayer.
Granules – You will need either a hand spreader or a shaker bottle to do this service.
If you use a spreader put the feed rate on a low setting (the granules are tiny so that you don’t spew out a too much at one time).
With a shaker bottle, you will be able to control the amount that comes out a lot easier.
Most shaker bottles will hold about 3 lbs of granules. If you are just treating the perimeter of your home you will want to use 1-2 lbs of granules. If you are doing the entire yard you will want to use an entire 25 lb. bag In most cases.
How much you use really depends on the square footage of your yard and the bag will have directions on how much to use.
Now we are ready!
Technique: Ants and Spiders are treated differently the fact of the matter is to treat them both properly it will require two different chemicals.
The two chemicals used to treat for ants and spiders work wonders on most other pests, however, the spider technique doesn’t work well for ants, and the ant technique doesn’t work well for spiders.
Also, the chemical that is used on the ants does not have an immediate knockdown, meaning it is not a contact killer.
The chemical used for spiders is a contact killer which means it will kill spiders and other pests when they come in contact with it. So why is the ant killer not a contact killer?
I am glad you asked. Ants are a very social insect, they communicate and if you use a contact killer to kill them you will only kill maybe a few hundred of them before they notice and tell the rest of the colony by sending off a distress pheromone.
Once ants are in distress they will split their colony and make multiple colonies meaning more ants and more problems.
Each colony of ants if left untreated can become 10,000 ants strong so this is why you would use a non-contact killer.
Depending on the chemical that you are needing to use this will be a factor in the technique used so I will give you the examples.
Ant Technique:
You will take your spray can and spray this chemical 1’ up and 1’ out at the foundation area.
The 1’ up and 1 ‘ out is only used in areas that have grass, dirt, rocks, stones or turf against the foundation of the home.
When you get to the porch or the garage areas that have concrete it is a crack and crevice treatment only.
This means you will want to get your wand really close to where the wall and foundation of the home meet and try to keep the chemical in the just between the cracks.
This chemical is a foundation only chemical and should not be sprayed higher than 1’ above the foundation.
Spider Technique:
Before you spray it is good to inspect the outside and knock down any existing spiderwebs and their egg sacks. you can do this with a broom or a web buster tool. ( I don’t recommend doing this in the rain however because it will smear dirt and it looks bad so wait till it is dry to do this).
Spider egg sacks look like a piece of cotton and each one can contain anywhere from 150-200 spider eggs inside of it.
The webbing around the protective sack will be really sticky, you will want to brush it down with a broom or a web buster.
Brushing in basements and garages is huge, these are major areas that spiders can be found.
Take your spray can with the chemical used to treat for spiders and you will want to spray this chemical around all the edges of the windows, doors, eaves, soffits, downspouts, cracks and crevices where spiders are mostly found.
Spray vent wells and around outdoor dryer vents as well.
If you don’t have an ant problem you can also use this spray as a foundation spray and spraying 3’ up and 3’ out all the way around the foundation.
it works on a variety of pests, it just doesn’t do much for ants.
This chemical can also be used as an indoor treatment for pest protection.
When spraying indoors you will want to only spray next to the baseboards. Once the chemical is dry it is fine to go on with life as normal. It takes 20-30 minutes for the chemical to dry.
If you have children or pets be sure to avoid food bowls, toys or anything that either would put in their mouth.
The chemical I will recommend below will be safe to use inside your home unless you have fish or pet birds.
Legalities
- Keep in mind that the chemicals recommended in this article may or may not be legal for personal use in your state or country.
- You can check with your local Department of Agriculture to see what types of treatments or chemicals may be possible in your area.
- Disposal of pesticides is important too. The label should specify how to dispose of each particular one. In most cases with a chemical, you can triple rinse it and puncture a hole in the bottom of the container then throw it in the trash.
- Do not pour a pesticide down a sink.
- Fill the empty pesticide bottle with water put the lid back on shake it up and pour it into your gallon spray can.
- Repeat
- Repeat
- Once you have done this you can throw the container in a normal trash can.
- It is a violation of federal law to use a pesticide in any manner that is not consistent with its labeling.
- Do not mix multiple chemicals together in a chemical container. You can mix some chemicals together for certain services like roaches and bed bugs into your gallon can but not the actual container the chemical came in. This is a big No No.
If ever in doubt just read the label, everything you need to know from proper storage to disposal of the chemical will be included in the label. If the label gets damaged or lost you can look up the label information online.
What To Buy
When you get ready to treat your own home for the first time you want to be outfitted with the correct safety essentials and products.
Here are the products that I recommend for treating in the rain:
Talstar PL: is a lawn and perimeter granule. It works well in landscaped areas and gardens.
Demand CS: This is for the windows, doors, eaves, soffits, downspouts, weep holes, and vents.
Termidor SC: This is an outside only chemical and should be used on the foundation for the ants.
(I would only use this in dry areas of your foundation during rainy weather)
The Secret Weapon for Ants
Termidor is by far the most superior chemical on the market that helps destroy ant colonies, but if you want to add the old 1-2 punch here is this superheroes sidekick.
Optiguard: This is an ant gel bait that is very effective in controlling ants. Optiguard can be used indoors or outdoors.
How Do I Apply Optiguard?
You will need a pair of gloves when you are ready to use Optiguard. Insert the plunger and when you see ants around your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, windows, electrical sockets, vents or other entryways simply squeeze the syringe near the opening the ants are coming in from, be careful not to block the entryway. You don’t want to block the ants from getting to the bait.
Let Them Eat:
This is a sugar bait that they take back to the colony and it backs a devastating blow to the ants.
Optiguard is a very effective way to keep ants from entering your home on the outside of it as well.
If you find a line of ants on the outside of your home crawling up the brick or siding you can simply squeeze out some more Optiguard in those areas to keep them from getting inside.
This is a great way to minimize the number of ants that can make it inside your home and cause mayhem.
Note for Optiguard: Optiguard is very sticky, make sure you wear gloves when you apply it. Once the bait dries out it will no longer work. You should only use this bait when ants are present so that you will get the best results.
Warnings:
Make sure to store all pesticides in a place where children and pets can not get to it.
Try to lock chemicals up in a climate controlled environment if you have the ability.
Call Poison Control if swallowed and if any pesticide comes in contact with your skin make sure to wash your hands.
Flush your eyes for 15 minutes if you get chemical in there.
Do not spray around pet bowls, small children’s toys, or bird baths.
Safety:
Wear the proper equipment when applying pesticides, these aren’t just some guidelines you can be seriously hurt if you don’t follow the directions.
Store the chemicals away from children and pets, I know I already mentioned this but I felt it deserved another honorable mention.
Applying Chemical yourself is a great responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Please adhere to all laws and label instructions for your safety and the safety of others around you and in your community.
Now that I’ve covered all the Warnings and Safety lets sum this all up.
Summary
You can spray in the rain if you can apply the spray on a dry area of your home. Water-soluble granules are a great way to get a large barrier on your lawn natural areas or garden areas. Read my DIY Techniques so that you apply the chemicals properly. Make sure it is legal where you live to use Professional grade chemicals. This list above is what I personally use and recommend to help you manage pests issues.
Keep in mind that pest eradication is impossible, that is why it is called pest control. You can minimize issues you have and keep most pests out of your home. If you have any other pest-related questions feel free to comment here and I can help you approach whatever your pest issues may be.
