Ministry of Agriculture
Pesticide Application Equipment
Maintenance
Sprayer Cleaning
Immediately after use, drain and collect any excess spray mixture. This excess material can be very difficult to dispose of properly, therefore sprayers should be properly calibrated to avoid any excess. Then flush the sprayer out with soapy water and rinse with clean water. Talk to the equipment dealer to have a new drain installed if the current drain is hard to use. Select a cleaning area where water will not contaminate wells, streams or crops.
Separate equipment is recommended for applying 2,4-D, MCPA or similar hormone-type herbicides. If this is not possible, use separate sprayer hoses when using these chemicals as they cannot be properly washed out of the hose lines. To thoroughly clean equipment after applying 2,4-D, MCPA, etc., follow these steps:
- Drain and collect any excess spray mixture from the tank.
- Rinse tank, lines, screens, pumps and nozzles thoroughly with warm water.
- Remove pressure chamber and line strainer and drain.
- Fill tank with 100L of warm water and then add one of the
following:
- 1 L household ammonia or Agri-Kleen; or
- 500 g washing soda, lye or Nutrasol.
- Spray out a small amount of solution and leave remainder in tank overnight.
- Drain and rinse the equipment several times with warm soapy water. Rinse out the soapy water with clean water.
Even stainless steel nozzles will rust if left in the sprayer. After a spray application the nozzles should be cleaned and coated with a light coat of oil to prevent corrosion. Ceramic nozzles are not subject to corrosion.
Winter Storage
Before winter storage, remember to drain the pump, boom and all lines to prevent frost damage. Add light oil or antifreeze during the last rinsing to leave a protective coating on all parts.
Nozzles and nozzle screens should be removed and cleaned each fall. Store nozzles in a can of light oil for the winter.
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