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bruggirlnw

Fels Neptha soap?

bruggirlnw
18 years ago

Hello,

Has anyone used Fels Neptha soap as an insecticide for spider mites or other pesties? Someone suggested it to me the other day. I have tried it, but it is too soon to tell. I think the alcohol/water spray just made them drunk!

Thanks a bunch!

Comments (12)

  • dmullen
    18 years ago

    I have some too but have not used it yet. It is one of only a few pure soaps that I could find.

  • bruggirlnw
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    It seems to be knocking them out a little, but I wonder if I don't just have clean mites now!

  • dmullen
    18 years ago

    I sprayed some Safer soap on some plants with a lot of very small bugs on the leaves. They were so small that they were hard to see. The spray hit them and that was the end of them. They did not even move.

    Got out my bar of Fels Naptha soap and was trying to figure out how to get it in liquid form easily. Figured I could run it over my cheese grater and then soak overnight in water to see if it will dissolve. Then will put in in sprayer and go looking for game.

  • Kimmsr
    18 years ago

    Scrape off some of the soap and put it in a container and then cover the soap shavings with just enough hot water to cover. This will make a gel and once in gel form you need only take out a teaspoonful and mix that in 1 quart of water to make the spray.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    And the reason you don't want to use the commercial soap sprays is.........? I'm curious.

  • dmullen
    18 years ago

    There is nothing wrong with commercial soap sprays and in fact, they are good. The advantage of home made sprays is cost. Much cheaper.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    18 years ago

    I weigh effectiveness and usefulness as part of 'value'. In my experience, the commercial insecticidal soaps are, in the long run, much 'cheaper' to use than the homemade recipes.

  • spankykitty
    11 years ago

    I used Fels Naptha GENEROUSLY yesterday and the spider mites are still happy and alive. I am going to add some Neem oil to the mixture and see if that helps.

  • Kimmsr
    11 years ago

    If you still have Spider Mites around after spraying the Insecticidal Soap you may not have hit those with the spray. I have not found anything form reliable sources that suggests adding Neem Oil products to Insecticidal Soaps which may well produce something that does things you would not want done. Everything I find on these products indicates they should be sprayed seperately, not together.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    11 years ago

    You can absolutely mix neem with insecticidal soaps. I do not recommend that anyone use a dish detergent or even home brewed recipe, however. Start with the amount of water you plan to use, then mix in the exact amounts of insecticidal soap per label directions followed by the proper amount of neem according to its label. You will be putting both products into the one measurement of water.

    Not all products can be mixed and applied together. Indeed, some of them, even the so called organic chemicals, can cause real problems. Always do research before 'inventing ' a tank mix.

    Be sure to read and follow the label directions for each product to avoid any problems.

  • Kimmsr
    11 years ago

    Certainly Neem Oil can be mixed with Insecticidal Soap, but does that make either one more effective, less effective, or does it render both ineffective. I have seen nothing about mixing them except admonitions from many universities to not do that. I do know there are some producers that have mixed them, but still nothing to indicate whether they are effective.
    People that sell those types of products have a vested interest in telling us they are good, but not whether they are effective. I always remember when the pwner of one of out local garden centers, with a degree in Horticulture, sold someone an insecticide to spray on frost damaged plants.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    11 years ago

    Show me ONE admonition against using these particular products together. Or are you spouting against tank mixes, in general?

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