Comments on: Most homes in US found to harbor lingering pesticides

By: CommercialAgGuy

CommercialAgGuy — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 21:37:00 +0000

Vinegar is a weak acid and does not have any real value as a cleaning agent for pesticides. In fact, vinegar is used as an organic herbicide. Chlorine bleach works to clean only about 1/2 of the known pesticides. Ammonia is recommended by most state agencies for cleaning pesticide tanks and surfaces. Ammonia is very destructive to other chemicals.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:17:06 +0000

I think you'll be fine with the measures you're taking. Your use of test patches is the right way to go about it.
If there were a young child living in the home, I would consider adding a top coat of the AFM to the child's room.

By: samantha

samantha — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:50:36 +0000

Thank you, Greg, for your further advice and comments. We moved all our stuff out before the whole complex was tented (different from being fogged) since the Vikane penetrates everything and then off gasses for at least 45 days (and much longer if you leave your stuff in your home, and according to and depending on the materials making up all your stuff and the percentage of stuff filling your space because it will adsorb the Sulfuryl fluoride differently and off-gas at diff rates..) and we wanted to be able to move back in sooner rather than later for obvious financial and life reasons….

Thanks for the suggestion re: mild bleach solution. We may test patch that, too, on our walls. Is it actually milder than the vinegar?

We did a bunch of test patches of the vinegar/water solution on our paint/walls (AFM safecoat) and it did fine.

Any other thoughts? Can't tell you how helpful your replies have been.

Regards.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:47:25 +0000

A mild bleach solution will also remove pesticide residues. Mix 1/4 cup bleach with 4 liters of water and use this solution for cleaning.
The vinegar solution is also effective but you shoud take care using this on painted surfaces which may be discolored. Always to a test patch in a spot that is not visible.
I assume you covered your furniture with sheets before the fogging was done. This is a standard precaution when indoor pesticides are applied.

By: samantha

samantha — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:07:17 +0000

Thank you, Greg, for your speedy reply. Please do let us know if you can think of anything better to use to wipe down the ceiling and walls with.

Regards.

By: Greg Seaman

Greg Seaman — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:46:49 +0000

Vinegar is effective at removing agricultural pesticide residue from produce, and therefore should be at least partially affective at cleaning your home. We do not have information describing the effectiveness of vinegar on the specific chemicals which have been used for your home treatment.

By: samantha

samantha — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 20:04:36 +0000

Do you know if vinegar solution (half water/half vinegar) applied to ceilings, walls, floors, etc will break down pesticide residues??

Our early 1980s townhome complex was recently tented with Sulfuryl Fluoride (Vikane) and Chlorpicrin (tear gas, the "warning agent") to treat for drywood termites (against all our best efforts to have them switch to heat instead).

We have stayed out for two months and are trying to clean it before moving back in (apparently Sulfuryl fluoride can offgas up to 45 days or more, depending on the materials you leave in your home while being tented).

Do you reckon vinegar is good at breaking down pesticide residues?