Red ladybug on a leaf with rain drops and the text: Can you spray pest control in the rain

Can You Spray Pest Control In The Rain?

A friend of mine was going to spray his house so he had prepared everything for the next day. When he woke up to the sound of the rain, he really didn’t know if the rain would affect his pest control procedures. Just like him, you might have concerns. You just want to know whether the rain would wash away the pesticides used or if it’ll still be effective to spray while it’s raining.

Can you spray pest control in the rain? Yes, you can spray the interior of your house during wet weather. However, spraying the outside of your property may be different depending on the severity of the rain. 

Pest control treatments are usually not affected by light rain because most homes usually have overhangs and gutters that prevent the walls from getting wet. There are several instances where rainfall could be even beneficial to pest control. 

My friend called me that morning, so we had to do a little research together. I even called a pest control professional and we discovered a lot. In this article, I’ve shared all of it with you.

Does rain wash pesticides away?

Many homeowners cancel their appointments with exterminators believing that the rain would wash the pesticides away. Some others panic when it begins to rain after the pest control procedure. That’s what we did, too!

But you really don’t have to worry. Most of the pesticides that are used for pest control are insoluble. So they won’t be washed away by rainfall. However, pest control might not be so effective if it’s been raining heavily for days. 

While rain might not wash pesticides away, pesticides dilute to some extent when exposed to rain. However, some pesticides act immediately when they are sprayed and some might leave residuals behind. 

Most times, a small amount of rain won’t wash pesticides away. If it rains heavily immediately when you get your home sprayed, then there might be a problem. 

In areas that are covered, the rain would not wash away the pesticides. For an area exposed to heavy rainfall, the pesticides might be washed into the soil.

Does rain affect pest control?

It depends! How? Some specific pest control applications are completely unaffected by the change in weather. Some examples include spider webs removal and wasps nests removal. So pest control involving these procedures can be done regardless of the weather condition. 

Obviously, pest control treatment done in your patios, weep holes, inside your home, and in entryways will not be affected by the rain. 

In a case where you just got the exterior of your property sprayed and it rains after a long time, the treatment will be affected in no way. 

This is due to the fact that most homes have eaves and gutters that overhang walls. So, it would be dry around the windows, door frames, and cracks which would be sealed up and sprayed.

However, if the rain comes with 80mph wind gusts and blows directly against the walls, it’s a totally different story.

Another point to consider is this: some products need to bind to the treated area. In a situation when it’s been raining heavily, the pesticides might not bind with the surface for it to work well. So in this situation rainfall would affect your pest control procedures.

Generally, spraying a wet wall or surface would automatically make the pest control procedure ineffective. So, if it’s been raining heavily for hours, you might need to reschedule since it’s not really a good time for it. 

A fly lying on a wet leaf

Do professionals spray in the rain?

Yes, professionals spray in the rain but certain companies insist that their products are not effective in rainy weather. Most pest control companies spray both the interior and exterior of properties in the rain. You may not need to reschedule your appointment if it begins to rain lightly. 

If you are only performing pest control on the inside of your property you won’t need to reschedule at all. Here are some factors you need to consider if you intend to get your exterior sprayed while it is raining:

  • What kind of treatment do you intend to perform?
  • How heavy is the rainfall?
  • Are they carrying out the treatment on surfaces? Does your building have overhangs? 

Certain pest control companies do not spray in the rain. They insist that their products don’t work effectively in the rain and spraying might be a waste of time and resources. They’ll mostly sort out another time that is more convenient. 

In some instances, pest control companies agree that the rain might actually be beneficial to the pest control procedures. 

Why rainfall might be beneficial to pest control?

When it’s raining and the ground is soft, this is the time most pests, especially ants come out in order to escape the moisture in their nests. This, in turn, would make the treatment a lot more effective. Since you’ll be able to get the pests directly.

Another reason why rain can be beneficial to pest control is that certain treatments need a wet ground so that the toxins would be released.

Specially formulated granular pellets are usually placed on the lawn during pest control treatments. These kinds of treatments actually need water to help activate them. Now, the rain helps to carry these granular insecticides deep into the soil where they’ll be dissolved and function effectively. 

This would even kill off more pests beneath the surface. Normally, most pest control companies would advise their customers to water their yard within the first week to activate the pesticides especially if it’s been dry. 

So you see, certain treatments are more effective on wet grounds. If they are treating the outside of your property, especially when spraying for spiders, most companies apply a thin film of insecticide spray against a drywall surface. This kind of product dries very quickly. So if it rains later, it won’t affect the treatment.

Final thoughts on: can you spray pest control in the rain?

So generally, you see that it depends on the type of treatment you intend to perform and the amount of rainfall. 

If you are having professionals come spray your property, then they’ll be in the position to tell you what they can do. However, a reputable pest control company would not apply pesticides against wet surfaces. As this would be a total waste of time and resources. 

If it’s raining heavily they might come and put a few places under control while they reschedule for another pest control treatment when it’s dry.

For garden pests, rain is a win situation because the treatment will work better.

It is important that you get your pest issues fixed as soon as possible so you might want to take caution before setting a date. You can check the weather forecast and fix a suitable date for pest control.

My friend got to spray his home (inside and outside) despite the rain. It was the best decision for him. Since the rain wasn’t that heavy and he didn’t want to let his pest issue get too complicated.

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