# How to you sterilize your backpack between applications



## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

I intend to use mine to apply fertilizer, soil amendments, micronutrients, herbicides and insecticides.

Since I can't mix my humic acid and RGS with herbicides or fungicides, I want to be sure that my backpack sprayer is properly readied after I apply herbicides or fungicides.

What all do I need to do? Is a simple water rinsing sufficient?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I have multiples to avoid this problem, but I do know plenty of people just use water and rinse the tank 2-3 times. They also sell products for this purpose but I have never used them:

https://www.domyown.com/sprayer-cleaner-c-29_936.html


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

After each use I just add water to the tank, shake it, dump the water, add water again (should be cleaner now), run the sprayer a little to flush the tubes, wand & nozzle, dump the water, let it dry.

I know this does not sanitize the sprayer and there may be traces of whatever products were used (ex. fungicide + pesticide) but when I do my next app of whatever (ex. PGR + iron) there won't be any significant amount of the previous products to make a difference in my opinion! Before each use I run the sprayer for a few seconds in the mulch area as it's probably still sucking left-over clean water as opposed to the new mix (sometimes you can tell by the color of the spray).

I have two tanks for my battery sprayer but I haven't labeled one for some products and the other for other products. I'll eventually do that when I first use that sprayer for herbicides. I also have a couple of hand-held pump sprayers one of which is dedicated for glyphosate in my flower beds but the other I've used for different products including fertilizer, fungicide, herbicides, pesticides, etc. following the simple cleaning/flushing routine.

If someone has good evidence of the need to have separate sprayers, tanks, nozzles, etc. or the need to do more serious cleaning or sanitizing I'm willing to listen.


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## Tmank87 (Feb 13, 2019)

I'm in the same boat as @Awar, if I'm feeling particularly wild, I may mix in some Dawn dish soap.

It's actually my biggest complaint about the 105ex, it's challenging to get all of the water out of the bottom of the tank.


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## ScottieBones (Apr 2, 2020)

I usually just do a good water flush. However, i will not run glyphosate through the same sprayer I use for applying products to the lawn or other plants.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

@Awar can you link an example of the smaller hand held pumps that you use. Perhaps that would be best for glysophate.

I have buckthorn and thistle, so I am looking at getting glysophate and triclopyr, so I am definitely interested if anyone uses their main backpack for those. I am skeptical about it but I wasn't sure.


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## bradleymichael (Jun 3, 2020)

Tmank87 said:


> I'm in the same boat as @Awar, if I'm feeling particularly wild, I may mix in some Dawn dish soap.
> 
> It's actually my biggest complaint about the 105ex, it's challenging to get all of the water out of the bottom of the tank.


Very good sprayer..... horrible to get everything out of though.


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## JeffCar26 (Jun 19, 2019)

100% agree with trying to get all the water out of the 105ex.


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## Awar (Feb 25, 2019)

turfnsurf said:


> @Awar can you link an example of the smaller hand held pumps that you use. Perhaps that would be best for glysophate.
> 
> I have buckthorn and thistle, so I am looking at getting glysophate and triclopyr, so I am definitely interested if anyone uses their main backpack for those. I am skeptical about it but I wasn't sure.


I have a couple of pump sprayers that I picked up from the big bix store years ago. I have the 1 gal. and 2 gal. versions of the Scott's:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Scotts-2-Gal-Multi-Use-Sprayer-190499/300259167


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I'm in the same boat as most of the others here as I only have one 2 gallon sprayer and I just double rinse it after using it and make sure I pump it up with the second rinse water and flush the hose and sprayer out. I do the same thing with my 12 gallon push sprayer and have never had an issue. I don't even worry about glyphosate as it will be so diluted that it won't do anything at all. As long as you are good about rinsing it out you have nothing to worry about.


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## a_chan (May 4, 2020)

Tmank87 said:


> I'm in the same boat as @Awar, if I'm feeling particularly wild, I may mix in some Dawn dish soap.
> 
> It's actually my biggest complaint about the 105ex, it's challenging to get all of the water out of the bottom of the tank.


I definitely agree with that. Trying to figure out what's the best system for getting everything out (besides shaking it like a mad man). Considering some sort of way to vacuum everything out after sterilizing but that sounds like overkill for a backpack sprayer


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## Gibby (Apr 3, 2018)

I just double rinse and run the sprayer a bit. I spray everything with it, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides including glyphosate, MSM, monument, sulfentrazone, etc... Haven't had any adverse issues.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

I'm not sure there's a need to 'sterilize' especially if you're spraying only 1 grass type. Consider that if whatever was in there before was acceptable for your turf type, what's the risk of minuscule traces of it making its way back onto the lawn later on? I don't see the need personally, unless you happen to spray multiple turf types like me (tttf & Bermuda) who aren't always tolerant of the same herbicide. But even then I just rinse a couple times and flush out the pump/lines, & I'm good.

On a different note, why is it that you mention not being able to tank mix Humic Acid & RGS with other products? Is it a clumping concern? Or a chemical reaction one. If this is your reason for sterilizing I don't think you need to be concerned ... we're not using such volatile chemicals where trace remnants of one kind will react with another in spectacular fashion.

As a side note, I did use Clorox spray out of my wife's Arsenal of cleaning supplies together with a dishwashing scrub pad to totally scrub down my sprayer a few weeks back, but only because these Humic products can really stain up the sprayer. I was surprised how well it removes everything, including along the cap threads. I may consider doing that regularly for upkeep purposes. Hate a dirty-looking sprayer.. looks sloppy.


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

+1, I have a separate hand can that I sometimes use for non-selectives, but I don't spray anything where trace amounts of residual product would have a negative impact on my lawn. I just rinse good with water and make sure to flush out the lines when I'm finished spraying.


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## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

I have heard unofficial claims Air-8 is actually good at cleaning tanks.

Another cheap option for multiples would be the harbor freight backpack at $20 with coupon or sale. I find them better than the 2.5 Hudson.


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## ScottW (Sep 16, 2019)

I just have one 4-gal backpack and one 1-gal sprayer, but I don't have a huge property.
For cleaning I do a partial fill with water, shake & dump, do that again, then a third bit of water and run it through the sprayer to flush, then dump & allow to dry.

I don't keep a separate tank for glypho, and have never had any issues with residual carry-over. Common gly concentrates are ~41% and you use it at 2 to 6 oz per gallon (not small amounts) to kill stuff. By the time you've emptied the tank and rinsed 3x (3 serial dilutions of hundreds-fold each = a _million_-fold dilution of your original spray mix), any remaining trace is going to be so infinitesimal that it's not going to do anything.


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## FedDawg555 (Mar 19, 2020)

ScottieBones said:


> I usually just do a good water flush. However, i will not run glyphosate through the same sprayer I use for applying products to the lawn or other plants.


This right here solves 99% of issues! Separate sprayer for any glyphosate or non selective product.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

corneliani said:


> I'm not sure there's a need to 'sterilize' especially if you're spraying only 1 grass type. Consider that if whatever was in there before was acceptable for your turf type, what's the risk of minuscule traces of it making its way back onto the lawn later on? I don't see the need personally, unless you happen to spray multiple turf types like me (tttf & Bermuda) who aren't always tolerant of the same herbicide. But even then I just rinse a couple times and flush out the pump/lines, & I'm good.
> 
> On a different note, why is it that you mention not being able to tank mix Humic Acid & RGS with other products? Is it a clumping concern? Or a chemical reaction one. If this is your reason for sterilizing I don't think you need to be concerned ... we're not using such volatile chemicals where trace remnants of one kind will react with another in spectacular fashion.
> 
> As a side note, I did use Clorox spray out of my wife's Arsenal of cleaning supplies together with a dishwashing scrub pad to totally scrub down my sprayer a few weeks back, but only because these Humic products can really stain up the sprayer. I was surprised how well it removes everything, including along the cap threads. I may consider doing that regularly for upkeep purposes. Hate a dirty-looking sprayer.. looks sloppy.


I am only spraying one type of grass - well a bluegrass/fescue mix, but that's not special.

Allow me to clarify - I was told in another thread that I should not mix any fungicides or herbicides with humic acid. I was told that humic acid can absorb the active ingredient and render it less effective. It was with this in mind that I created the thread since I intend to use my backpack sprayer for multiple types of apps.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

@turfnsurf I can understand your concern, though I've never personally seen any such issue being raised before. There are plenty of products out there that use the Humic & Fulvic acids as chelators .. in the sense that they can aid in the adsorption of nutrients by the plant. There could be pH concerns between products but nothing more than normal.. this should always be on your mind when tank mixing. 
Either way, no matter the philosophy you adhere to regarding the efficacy or impact of HA, there should be minimal if any 'contamination' from one application to the next with just basic rinsing involved.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

Ok @corneliani I just wanted to ask because I am trying to make sure I think through any potential issues as I try to determine best practices.


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## SWB (Sep 22, 2018)

Like some here , I have several hand held and back pack sprayers. I also have a 60 gallon boom sprayer and a 15 gallon spot sprayer. I use a sterilizer in all of them even though I don't think it's absolutely necessary with a good water rinse.
Some of my sprayers are dedicated (round-up)sprayers.


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## corneliani (Apr 2, 2019)

turfnsurf said:


> Ok @corneliani I just wanted to ask because I am trying to make sure I think through any potential issues as I try to determine best practices.


Completely understand. Frankly it's better to be cautious and get the info up front vs trying it on your own and learning the hard way. That's why this forum is so awesome, IMO. 
Happy 4th!


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## NycHorn (May 13, 2020)

I spend more time cleaning my 2 gallon sprayer than I do spraying 2000 sq ft. I don't mind the spraying and mixing, it's the cleaning I dread.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

I have 2 backpacks now, but only had one for ~6 years until this year. I have found that dedicated cleaning products aren't needed, but you do want to rinse out the tank and wand well immediately after use. Many products will create a buildup/film if left in the tank/hoses. My process is to turn it upside down and spray water into the tank for ~30-60 seconds to rinse out any product in the tank. I then leave ~200cc in the bottom. I run that almost dry and then add clean water back and repeat ~3-4 times. Lastly, I will pull the filter from the wand and rinse that. I have found that it is best to clean the filter every time I spray or it starts to get gummed up enough to affect spray pressure. I use a 50 mesh filter. If I am spraying Humic, I use a coarser nozzle and no filter as it tends to gum up too fast with a 50 mesh filter. Both my backpacks are battery powered.

I don't spray glyphosate in my backpack, though if I was renovating I would be OK running it in the backpack, but would then clean it twice as long. I also have a dedicated 1 gallon sprayer for my roses as they can be sensitive to some lawn chemicals.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

bernstem said:


> I have 2 backpacks now, but only had one for ~6 years until this year. I have found that dedicated cleaning products aren't needed, but you do want to rinse out the tank and wand well immediately after use. Many products will create a buildup/film if left in the tank/hoses. My process is to turn it upside down and spray water into the tank for ~30-60 seconds to rinse out any product in the tank. I then leave ~200cc in the bottom. I run that almost dry and then add clean water back and repeat ~3-4 times. Lastly, I will pull the filter from the wand and rinse that. I have found that it is best to clean the filter every time I spray or it starts to get gummed up enough to affect spray pressure. I use a 50 mesh filter. If I am spraying Humic, I use a coarser nozzle and no filter as it tends to gum up too fast with a 50 mesh filter. Both my backpacks are battery powered.
> 
> I don't spray glyphosate in my backpack, though if I was renovating I would be OK running it in the backpack, but would then clean it twice as long. I also have a dedicated 1 gallon sprayer for my roses as they can be sensitive to some lawn chemicals.


So you replaced your filter at the top of the tank? Thanks for sharing that. I like those ideas.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

turfnsurf said:


> So you replaced your filter at the top of the tank? Thanks for sharing that. I like those ideas.


I actually replaced the sprayer wand. The new wand has a 50 mesh filter in it. Both my backpacks, a Chapin and a Sprayers Plus, have a filter in the fill opening and a filter in the tank just before the pump. I rinse the pre-pump filter every 2-3 uses. The 50 mesh filter is in the spray wand before the spray nozzle. It is much finer than the pre-pump filter.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

Okay so I did my first humic acid and RGS app the other day. There was a bit of user error going on because I had some issues picking up the full backpack. I ended up getting my back wet and had some minor spillage from trying to get it on my back.

Rinsing it out wasn't too bad. I decided that I don't want to use glyphosate in there. It's not that it's an arduous task, but I decided that I prefer the simplicity of having a 1 gallon tank just for that...that way the 4 gallon can be for ferts, micros, and soil amendments...and whatever insecticides that I use won't be an issue either.

_With that said,_ I bought a 1 gallon Chapin. Does anyone know how to change the nozzle? The stock one sprays out in this weird "X" pattern, and I definitely want to take it off and put my teeject nozzle on there.

I am mostly concerned because I would have difficulty keeping glyphosate off of the grass because it sprays the water out in the cross X pattern.

This looks like the one I have.


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## ScottieBones (Apr 2, 2020)

turfnsurf said:


> Okay so I did my first humic acid and RGS app the other day. There was a bit of user error going on because I had some issues picking up the full backpack. I ended up getting my back wet and had some minor spillage from trying to get it on my back.
> 
> Rinsing it out wasn't too bad. I decided that I don't want to use glyphosate in there. It's not that it's an arduous task, but I decided that I prefer the simplicity of having a 1 gallon tank just for that...that way the 4 gallon can be for ferts, micros, and soil amendments...and whatever insecticides that I use won't be an issue either.
> 
> ...


 did it come with any other nozzles? My Chapin backpack came with a red fan tip held down by a black ring, which can be swapped out for teejet.


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## turfnsurf (Apr 29, 2020)

ScottieBones said:


> turfnsurf said:
> 
> 
> > Okay so I did my first humic acid and RGS app the other day. There was a bit of user error going on because I had some issues picking up the full backpack. I ended up getting my back wet and had some minor spillage from trying to get it on my back.
> ...


No. It actually had a scuff around the handle too. I couldn't really twist the nozzle off either. I was irritated at the whole situation so I took it back. I ended up grabbing the 2 gallon one, so I am about to see right now what that one's looking like.


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