Suggestions on best way to clean sprayers? I used my 4 gallon sprayer with Imidan on peaches. Want to make sure i get rid of any residue before I spray my apple trees, some of which are still in bloom.
If you have a tractor supply type store inI. The area, they will have a dry powder called nutrisol that cleans and neutralizes most sprays. Otherwise a soap and water mix flushed through followed by a household ammonia followed by a water rinse. For your specific chemical, a triple rinse with water should be eniugh.
I use plain old Dawn. Works on everything.
Except 2,4-d and dicamba products
So I bought a backpack sprayer for herbicides (2-4d, roundup etc) and one for insecticides after doing some damage to my grapes a few years ago. Got mixed up and used herbicide in my insecticide tank this spring. Is there a way to clean it so that there isnt enough residue in my tank to damage sensitive plants or is that one also a herbicide tank now? Anyone have experience with this?
Spray tank cleaner and rinsing agent. I buy it at TSC
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AI suggestion:
To neutralize 24D chemical residue in a tank, you can follow these steps:
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Empty the Tank: Start by removing as much of the remaining chemical solution as possible from the tank. You can do this by spraying the solution out in the field you’ve just treated.
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Rinse with Water: After removing the remaining solution, fill the tank with clean water and circulate it through the entire system, including the boom and hoses. This will help to dilute and remove any residual chemical.
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Use Ammonia (Optional): If you’re dealing with particularly stubborn residues, you can add a small amount of ammonia to the water. Ammonia can help to neutralize and remove certain types of chemical residues. Be sure to follow safety guidelines when handling ammonia and rinse the system thoroughly after use.
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Scrubbing: Use a bucket and brush to manually clean screens, filters, and other hard-to-reach areas. This will help to remove any residue that may be stuck in these areas.
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Final Rinse: After scrubbing, fill the tank with clean water again and circulate it through the system. This will help to remove any remaining residue and ensure that the system is thoroughly cleaned.
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Dry and Inspect: After the final rinse, allow the tank to dry completely. Once dry, inspect the tank and system for any remaining residue. If necessary, repeat the cleaning process until all residue is removed.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to consult the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning your specific spray tank model. They may have specific recommendations or warnings for certain types of chemicals or cleaning agents.
^^^ or ask a human at the local co-op what they use.
Spray tank cleaner and rinse agent.
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I regularly use my spray tank for both herbicides and pesticides. I use the cleaner sold by Tractor Supply as @smsmith does. No issues at all.
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spray tank cleaner is a good product. After you use it, I recommend rinsing the inside of the tank and inside of all hoses with straight household ammonia, Then force all fluids from inside tank and hose. Ammonia neutralizes 2-4,d specifically.and 2_4,d can hide in cracks on inside of hose unless neutralized.±
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along the same discussion, how do you all store your sprayers? i ran RV anti-freeze through mine, since they are stored outside. seem to be ok. I keep two sets of sprayers 1 gallon sprayers for a) gly 2) 24d 3) tricployr/diesel. 4 gallon sprayers 1) herbicide - gly and clethodim 2) foliar and fertilizer. The 24 gallon pull behind is used for everything and gets a 6 gallon flush water dawn flush followed by ammonia. They all get stored (except for 1 gal tricolpyr) with RV anti-freeze. Maybe excessive but one time getting them mixed up is painful.
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We use windshield washer fluid on all pump sprayers.
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I have a 50 gallon pump sprayer I bought last year that was empty over winter but evidently had some water in the spray wand handle so when I powered it up this spring it was leaking bad where it had cracked… Kinda a bummer, I patched it with epoxy and its not leaking anymore but not sure how long that will last. Ill have to remember to winterize better going forward.
I use RV anti freeze to winterize my sprayers. Good to -50
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