[Gibby]

When you are done spraying herbicides, insecticides and/or fertilizer, what is your routine for cleaning out the sprayer?

Probably doing this wrong, but right now I fill mine up and run empty twice, then rinse and shake it a few times. I do this in a part of the back yard that no one hardly ever sees. Then I water that part of the yard for 5-10 minutes.

 

[Greendoc]

Sounds right to me.

 

[Mightyquinn]

What you are doing will work just fine.

I just usually fill mine, dump it out, fill it again, pressurize it, put the trigger lock on and walk away and do something else when I come back and it's done spraying, I dump the rest of the water out and hang it back on the wall.

Why don't you just wash it out in the driveway where you don't have to worry about the lawn and watering it afterwards?

 

[Gibby]

What you are doing will work just fine.

I just usually fill mine, dump it out, fill it again, pressurize it, put the trigger lock on and walk away and do something else when I come back and it's done spraying, I dump the rest of the water out and hang it back on the wall.

Why don't you just wash it out in the driveway where you don't have to worry about the lawn and watering it afterwards?

My driveway is sloped towards my back yard.

 

[pennstater2005]

I have an area that is not really grass and it's away from any drainage that would get into water pathways. I usually just fill with water and spray or as MQ above.

 

[GrassDaddy]

I do the same triple rinse and dump into a non important area. I spray the want every rinse until you see the clearer water. I don't dump onto driveway because the storm drains lead to the ocean. While you can argue it would be negligible how much product makes it there I figure safe than sorry.

 

[440mag]

Pretty much the same (partially fill, pick it up, shake A LOT and pour water out do this at least twice, more depending upon what I just applied; THEN partially fill, pressurize and spray)
EXCEPT, I remove the sprayer tip AND the plastic piece underneath (with 2 or 3 holes in it) until whatever chemical was left in the hose and wand is flushed out, entirely. Then I'll run pressurized rinse water though just that 2- or 4-hole orifice followed by the complete end nozzle assembly. Kinda OCD but, I've found this step to really, really lengthen the life of that small but critical part and totally prevent eventual clogging that critical piece under the end nozzle.
Occasionally or, depending upon what I just applied, (I.e., certain "sand-like" water dissolvable granules, aka- WDG's) I will add a couple drops of dishwashing liquid and repeat the process to flush all suds out.
THEN, once done washing, I hold the wand up and depress the trigger several times, allowing any remaining water "trapped" in the hose and wand to drain back down into the tank, which I turn over to empty.
Finally, a finger tip of silicone on any "O"-rings or plastic parts at the nozzle end and a spritz or two of aersol silicone spray in between any plastic moving parts and Fluid Film in between any parts involving metal and hang her upside down til next use.
WHAT I HAVENT FUGURED OUT IS HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO TO ALL THE WASHING AND RINSING ALL OF IS DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY POWERED, ELECTRIC BACKPACK SPRAYERS ... (or is that a question for a different thread?)

 

[Gibby]

Pretty much the same (partially fill, pick it up, shake A LOT and pour water out do this at least twice, more depending upon what I just applied; THEN partially fill, pressurize and spray)
EXCEPT, I remove the sprayer tip AND the plastic piece underneath (with 2 or 3 holes in it) until whatever chemical was left in the hose and wand is flushed out, entirely. Then I'll run pressurized rinse water though just that 2- or 4-hole orifice followed by the complete end nozzle assembly. Kinda OCD but, I've found this step to really, really lengthen the life of that small but critical part and totally prevent eventual clogging that critical piece under the end nozzle.
Occasionally or, depending upon what I just applied, (I.e., certain "sand-like" water dissolvable granules, aka- WDG's) I will add a couple drops of dishwashing liquid and repeat the process to flush all suds out.
THEN, once done washing, I hold the wand up and depress the trigger several times, allowing any remaining water "trapped" in the hose and wand to drain back down into the tank, which I turn over to empty.
Finally, a finger tip of silicone on any "O"-rings or plastic parts at the nozzle end and a spritz or two of aersol silicone spray in between any plastic moving parts and Fluid Film in between any parts involving metal and hang her upside down til next use.
WHAT I HAVENT FUGURED OUT IS HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO TO ALL THE WASHING AND RINSING ALL OF IS DO WITH THE NEW BATTERY POWERED, ELECTRIC BACKPACK SPRAYERS ... (or is that a question for a different thread?)

Mine is a 2 gal battery sprayer from sprayers plus and I do the same steps as with a hand pump sprayer.