Do you rinse after you treat with your dawn home made insect soap? Or do you leave it?

ahudnub. I always wash off the homemade insecticidal soap about 30 minutes of application and always spray it on my plants early in the morning, before the sun is strong and when the temperature is milder.

Same here. 30 minutes or so.

ahudnub said:Do you rinse after you treat with your dawn home made insect soap? Or do you leave it?

Dawn is not soap. it is detergent.

Dawn will damage your plants.

Use a fatted soap, like Dr Bonner's liquid, or Ivory liquid soap.

One teaspoon per quart of water. There is no need to rinse soapy solution.

I have used liquid detergents for decades Tom, even on hundreds of orchids, and I have never seen a damaged plant in all those years. I am sure I have used Ivory as well. I just use whatever is handy.

Thank you everyone who replied. I have read that you should rinse I have read that you could leave on I have read that you can use the regular dawn not the ultra , seems like everyone has opinion , that is why I value all imput and experience

Right, you do not want strong sun on the leaves while they are wet with the soapy water. So, good to spray on a cloudy day or in morning before the sun hits. Otherwise rinse it off with the hose.

Soap kills on contact so not really necessary to leave it on as long as you spray all surfaces of the plant really well.

My red tip photiniia are in direct sun all day long ! Just figured out I have serious aphid problem husband has been treating for mold the last 3 years!!i will have to do it around 6 am to not be in direct sun!

dyzzypyxxy said:Right, you do not want strong sun on the leaves while they are wet with the soapy water. So, good to spray on a cloudy day or in morning before the sun hits. Otherwise rinse it off with the hose.

Soap kills on contact so not really necessary to leave it on as long as you spray all surfaces of the plant really well.

Early morning sun is no problem. Just to be safe, I wouldn't spray it after 10:00 AM and then not until perhaps 6:00 PM.