General Pest Treatments - Spray like a Professional!

When you buy a pest control product do you ever consider the pest control equipment or sprayer? Most people focus on the brand, what’s in the product (the type of insecticide) and the size of the container. However, the spray equipment attached to the product should be an important part of the purchase decision as well, in fact the sprayer attached to the bottle can be one of the biggest sources of consumer disappointment when using products.

For example, if you are looking at spraying the whole house and you choose the wrong sprayer, it may end up taking longer than expected, fingers and arms can get tired, product may end up on your hands or body and most importantly (but harder to detect) – product may not be evenly applied, giving you poor results. 

So what are the pest control spray technology options and which one should you choose? Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of the different spray systems on the market.

Pest Control Spray Technology:

Pest Control Aerosols

Pros:

• Easy to use – just shake and spray
• Some products have an extendable nozzle to spray into cracks and crevices
• If the product also has a 360º valve (most don’t), this means it can be sprayed upside down, which can be useful for spraying under cupboards and appliances.

Cons:

• Only really useful for spot treatments as your finger gets tired pressing the button
• Fingers are close to the spray, so there is the risk of accidental contact
• When spraying outside there is the risk of spray being blown onto your face and clothes.

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Trigger Spray Bottle

Trigger packs generally come in two types; a bottle with the trigger attached directly to the top of the bottle or a larger container with the trigger connected to the container with a length of hose.

Pros:

• Easy to use – just shake and spray
• Generally the cheapest packaging option for larger containers.
• Normally have a basic adjustable nozzle; off, spray, jet

Cons:

• Only really useful for spot treatments, as if you try and do a whole house with a trigger, you will end up with arm cramps within minutes (unless you’re Popeye!).
• As there is no pressure in the container, the spray that is generated comes out as a pulse and the droplets are of variable size. This means you will get uneven application and drips / increased mess.

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Battery operated sprayers

Pros:

• Easy to apply (no tired fingers from triggers, no need to pump)
• Continuous adjustable nozzle: spray through to jet
• Have longer spray wands than trigger packs or aerosols, so you can get the product where you want and minimise the chances of getting spray on yourself
• Re-useable

Cons:

• Tend to be the most expensive sprayers (by a long way)
• Spray coverage often poor
• Need to remember to charge the night before spraying

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Pump Sprayer

Pump sprayers are a common, low cost sprayer option and can be used anywhere, anytime without need to be charged up.

Pros:

• Relatively easy to apply. 
• Have longer spray wands than trigger packs or aerosols, so you can get the product where you want and minimise the chances of getting spray on yourself.
• Continuous adjustable nozzle: spray through to jet
• Re-useable

Cons:

Although you will not get tired fingers using a pump pack, you do need to stop periodically to pump and pressurize.

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Discussion – So which is the best pest control sprayer?

In terms of making a recommendation it really depends on what you need the product for and how often you intend to use the equipment. Assuming you are looking for the best insecticide sprayer that can be used as a surface spray for long lasting performance, for most homeowners the best recommendation would be to have an aerosol (with extendable nozzle) for indoor treatments (especially for smaller areas) and a pump pack for outdoor pest treatments and larger areas indoors. Try and get a pump sprayer with a long spray wand or one with a variety of spray wands and maybe different nozzles.

Still not sure whether a trigger pack or pump pack is best bet for spraying the exterior of the home? It may cost a bit more than a trigger pack but a good pump spray has a 3 key advantages:

1. Quicker and easier to apply – saving you time
2. Application is more accurate – better performance and improved safety
3. The pack is re-useable – saving money

So take a closer look at the container and sprayer when you make your next purchase and see the results with better application and improved performance.

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PestXpert spray options for general pest treatments

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  PestXpert Pro-Spray Outdoor Perimeter

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  PestXpert Pro-Spray Crawling

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  PestXpert Pro-Spray Flying