I believe Dawn is antibacterial which is not good for microbes in the soil from what others have stated. I've been using generic baby wash with tnex in dead heat with no ill effects. You can't do that with NIS when temp is over 90.

 

I used Regular Dawn Dish Soap as a surfactant for years with no problems. Here is a quote about Dawn: Regular Dawn soaps are just as effective as your average hand soaps. That means it doesn’t have any added ingredients that are specifically labeled for antibacterial purposes. So, if you’re thinking about the Dawn original soap, then you should know it’s not antibacterial.

 

I didn't realize that. All I thought is that you add it just so what ever your spraying will stick to the leaf/grass blade. I've used dawn for years, no issues.

 

I believe Dawn is antibacterial which is not good for microbes in the soil from what others have stated. I've been using generic baby wash with tnex in dead heat with no ill effects. You can't do that with NIS when temp is over 90.

I add NIS to every t-nex application, even into the 100+ range and have never had any discoloration or other undesirable effects.

 

I believe Dawn is antibacterial which is not good for microbes in the soil from what others have stated. I've been using generic baby wash with tnex in dead heat with no ill effects. You can't do that with NIS when temp is over 90.

I add NIS to every t-nex application, even into the 100+ range and have never had any discoloration or other undesirable effects.

+1 same

 

+1 same

At the risk of sounding stupid; what is NIS? Sorry

 

So, looks like a no on the Dawn, eh?
Damn. Was hoping it worked.

 

So, looks like a no on the Dawn, eh?
Damn. Was hoping it worked.

It does work as a surfactant if that's what you are wondering. Baby shampoo does too. I don't know about the antibacterial thing though.

 

@FlaDave, thanks man.

Well, the whole antimicrobial thing makes sense. But I assume no one knows for sure.

So any info on what a "legit" surfactant offers that a soap wouldn't?

 

Less suds:
With that said, you can always find regular dawn dish soap in my area cheap except that the cheap stores in my area that’s Ocean State job lot.
Once I started spraying a lot more.
I just bought a gallon of the 8020 surfactant from tractor supply. It is night and day less suddzy . And my little test of spraying some large waxy leaf vines. It definitely wet the leaf better

I’m always interested in what’s in stuff so I’ll often check out the MDS on any product since it’s so easy to find online now.

 

So, looks like a no on the Dawn, eh?
Damn. Was hoping it worked.

Obviously buying it not for lawn, but it's not overly expensive.

 

Southern AG Nis is $32 a gallon on amazon. A gallon goes a very long way. I would use the actual NIS. Even if you could save a few bucks here I don't feel like the unknowns are truly worth it.

 

Your local Tractor Supply has a NIS and defoamer in one and it works great. I think it's about $30 per gallon too.

 

If I'm going to spend $75-$400 for a bottle of X herbicide/fungicide/pesticide...etc, I'm not going to skip the $30-$40/gal surfactant they recommend to make it most effective. $.02

 

@FlaDave, that's a good way of putting it.

@Spammage, I actually need to go to TS tomorrow. Will check it out.

 

Use dawn and dont listen to ignorant people on the internet. Opinions non solicited are from very ignorant people. If you have propylene glycol the so called bio friendly non poisonous antifreeze, that works great too.

 

😶
🤔 waaaiiitttt for it . . . 🤔
🤣😂🤣😂🤣
.... oh and probably 🤖

 

This format change is absolutely trash when it comes to bumping old threads and the amount of bots now. I don’t recall any bots before the change

 

I spoke with a rep at Syngenta about their recommendation using a NIS when applying Fusillade II and Recognition. They said that 1 tsp Dawn per gallon works just fine.,

 

I've used flea and tick shampoo to get insecticidal benefits.

 

Go for it you’ll be okay. Ideally, yeah you want non-ionic. Soaps are generally ionic surfactants which can interfere with uptake and efficacy of the herbicide. This matters with stuff like Tenacity since mesotrione has a pKa of 3.12 which means it exists in a (partially) ionized state in an aqueous solution. This applies to a lot of other herbicides too (mainly cool-season), so generally it’s better to go with non-ionic surfactants. But I’ve used Dawn several times for various herbicides and as a wetting agent, and it has always done just fine.

 

Dawn for decades now. Also, I'm a pharmacist and chemist, so these are things I know about. All soaps are "antibacterial" in a basic marketing sense, but in the sense that they knock bacteria off of your skin through a physical mechanism. Alcohol is an excellent defoaming agent. I also use laundry detergent with excellent results, but it just takes more and doesn't foam up as bad.

 

One 🤖 to another?

 

I always use Dawn in my non selective mix. I have great success spraying Celcius and Certainty with out any surfactant, so I will continue not including any.

 

Setting the record straight on Dawn being "anti-bacterial" and therefore not a recommended soap. This, from Google AI:

"No, most Dawn dish soaps are not antibacterial. They are designed to remove grease and grime from dishes, but they do not contain ingredients that kill bacteria. However, there is an exception: Dawn Ultra Antibacterial Dish Soap does contain an antibacterial agent, chloroxylenol. This soap is specifically formulated to kill bacteria on dishes and hands."

 

Old post but to add to the comments. Manufacturers almost always specify non-ionic surfactant Because that is what works best to improve efficacy of the herbicide.

Most dish soaps are ionic surfactants. Ionic surfactants can potentially interfere with the herbicide's active ingredients and reduce its effectiveness.

A quart of NIS is less than $20, so saving a few nickels compared to the hundreds spend on chemicals doesn’t make sense.

 

IT works fine! I've used it to treat NFL, MLB, USTA, and National Croquet courts. Never had a problem, never had any issues! Never had any yellowing issues~! That being written, there were mixes I did not use it with, such as FAS applications.

 

What is a safe and effective dose of Dawn for use on Turfgass?

 

IT works fine!
I've used it to treat NFL, MLB, USTA, and National Croquet courts.
Never had a problem, never had any issues! Never had any yellowing issues~!
That being written, there were mixes I did not use it with, such as FAS applications.

 

Based upon the following information one can conclude that not all pesticides can be used with Dawn. Experimentation will allow you to determine what works for you. Also it’s stated that Dawn will not work well as a surfactant with hard water. Also Dawn can cause foaming.

Here is a list of Dawn ingredients —

Here is an article explaining what type of surfactant the two main ingredients are —-

From Grease to Gleaming: Understanding the Active Ingredients in Dishwashing Liquid -

Discover the active ingredients in dishwashing liquid and their functions. Learn about anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants for spotless dishes.

yeserchem.com

And here is an article from FBN anout using different surfactants —-

Surfactants 101: Understanding the Extras in Your Tank Mix

Learn what a surfactant is, how it works, when to use it for agriculture sprays, and how to choose the right one for your needs.

www.fbn.com