Yes i find the spray bottles (small handheld one ) that last for a long time are the one's with ' Windex ' glass cleaner in them ,also Yates's ' Rose Gun ' and similar products ,these are easily cleaned and are better quality , might not look pretty but they work and saves you buying the others wich are made somewhere on the outer rings of Saturn at a cost of 2 cents per zillion ,wich explains the qualtity . Jack

Andy,

I had the same problem with spray bottles wearing out, I've found a pump up bottle over hear that works a treat - cheap as well about $3-4.

I can put a picture up if you would like.

Rick

Hello. If you google up "Polyspray P2" you will find a number of sites that carry this product. I have been using one for the past 5 years and I mean using it. I grow orchids and religiously mist them twice a day. No problems with this bottle. Check it out. Play misty for me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Spray Bottle

Thanks guys. Those look like good leads. I was worried about re-using cleaning product bottles, but I guess we clean plastic stuff like that in lab all the time. And the amines in the windex-type products should be pretty easy to get rid of.

Thanks Donald. That looks good. Yours has lasted over 5 years? That is pretty good. The price tag scares me a little, but might be worth it. But then again, those bigger pump sprayers for grass killer stuff are cheaper and also seem to work.

What size is the one that you use Rick? Is it one of those ~2 gallon ones or a smaller version of those?

Hi guys, I just love spray bottles. Mostly.

I have used a couple of 7 litre pump sprayers for the last twenty years - still the same ones, just had the seals replaced once in both of them when they got a bit worn. Each cost thirty bux-ish way back then, but hey, if they last twenty years, who cares. They are great for bigger jobs and have a long spray wand for getting into difficult-to-reach places, but their disadvantage is that they need both hands, one to hold the bottle and one to spray with.

A couple of years ago I bought a few small pump sprayers, single handed bottle types around 1.5 litres, for doing a variety of odd jobs - mainly beacuse they were el cheapos in the discount bin at the hardware store and I just couldn't resist. Not long after, the whole nozzle assembly blew off one of them under pressure and very narrowly missed filling my face with dimethoate pesticide. Seriously, I probably would have been dead if the stream of pesticide had been a couple of centimetres closer.

The el cheapo pump sprayers were introduced to a large hammer then went straight into the bin. Ever since then I have religiously used a full face shield whenever spraying pesticide using any type of device, and I would strongly recommend to everyone that you should NEVER, EVER, EVER even think of using an el cheapo pump sprayer for anything toxic.

Re that Polyspray P2 in donalb's link above, you can find that in trade catalogues around the world, sometimes with additional brand labelling as with the one in the link. I've come across it through work via a bit of involvement with applying window tint films and it is a standard item in that trade. It is a trade-quality tool and the seals are some sort of super-slick, super-chemical-resistant, hi-tech polymer designed specifically to cope with aggressive chemicals. It's not yer basic stuff. So Andy, if you are having problems, I reckon this one would be worth a go. Not cheap, but you would be getting what you pay for.

In my ongoing quest for small pump sprayers to use at home, about 9 months ago the local hardware store finally decided to range some that weren't cheap crap. They are in the middle of the price range between the el cheapos and a Polyspray and although 9 months isn't a long trial period, they have had a fair bit of use and aren't showing any signs of squeaks, sticking or leaking that would indicate wear. I don't know if this particular model is available elswhere, but it suggests that the middle price range might be worth exploring, if you can find it. These are the ones that I have.

{{gwi:453855}}

These little babies are the reason that I just love spray bottles. Actually, there are two reasons.

One: it's just so convenient and satisfying to have a few of them loaded up with different things, so you can just grab one and give an appropriate quick squirt whenever you see the need, without having to go off and make something up.

Two: they leave one hand free most of the time. This is critically important when you consider what might occupy the other hand, particularly if it is a glass of wine, in the evening after work, wandering around admiring the plants while giving them a creative recreational foliar feed. Beer and scotch also work well.

I reckon a good single-handed spray bottle is an essential life-style accessory!

Cheers, Paul

Andy,

My spray bottle is 1Lt, looks similar to the ones in Paul's picture.

Rick

Ha ha, thanks guys. I think you are right Paul, very critical to get a single-hand sprayer! I'll have to keep my eyes open for one (or just break down and buy one or two online). Good to hear that there are quality ones.
-andy

Lowes and Home Depot sell a 51 oz made by Garden Plus,one hand sprayer. Its about 7 dollars. I use them to spray filtered water and liquid feeding the broms in hard to reach places and hanging baskets

For a 5 to 6 litre pump up sprayers i found Yates brand very good ,took 18 -20 years to wear out the top "o" ring .Jack

I use the same bottles as Paul, and have done for at least three years. My husband also uses them for his degreaser, which hasn't eaten its way through one yet!
I did have one that cracked where the handle meets the lid, which caused it to lose the pressure, but out of three bottles in three years, that was the only one. I suggest it had gone brittle, due to being left outdoors in the elements. Each bottle lasts me about 3 days worth of misting (2 litres of spray) so it saves running back and forward to top up with water and alginox.
I get the bottles form the local farm produce store.
BA