What you'll need

Safer 5118-6 Insect Killing Soap Concentrate. Amazon

VIVOSUN 1.35-Gallon Pump Sprayer. Amazon

 
 

How to apply

  • Fill the pump spare with one gallon of 

  • Read the instructions to add the correct amount of concentrate for your plant type.

  • Screw the lid on the sprayer and pump it up 

  • Spray onto the plant surfaces and onto soil and felt surfaces 

  • Spray under the leaves and saturate all parts of the plants

  • Repeat this weekly to stop the cycle 

  • To prevent future infestation, use the soap spray at every maintenance visit 

Why it works

Weekly Applications Stop the Hatching Cycle

The 7-day application cycle is designed to specifically target the most vulnerable stage—the crawlers—and break the cycle.  

Insecticidal Soap Efficacy: Insecticidal soap works by contact. It kills the nymphs (crawlers) and adults by disrupting their cell membranes and suffocating them. 

The Immunity of the Egg Sac: Critically, the soap generally does not kill the eggs because they are protected inside the waxy, cottony egg sac.

Provide full coverage: Spray the top and bottom of leaves, stems, felt and soil with the insecticidal soap mixture.

The 7-Day Strategy

Day 1 (1st Application): You kill all the visible adults and exposed nymphs. The eggs remain protected.  

Day 7 (2nd Application): This is applied within the 5-14 day window when any surviving eggs from the first application are likely to have hatched into crawlers. These new crawlers are small, mobile, and have not yet developed their protective waxy coating, making them highly susceptible to the soap.  

Day 14 (3rd Application)

This application ensures you catch any late-hatching eggs or nymphs that may have survived the first two rounds.

Continue the weekly application (every 7 days) for at least 4-6 weeks to ensure complete eradication. This consistent treatment is what guarantees you eliminate multiple overlapping generations and newly hatched pests.