With winter on its way, proper preparation of pesticide sprayers prior to storage will increase their life and decrease the need for repairs.

According to Erdal Ozkan, an Ohio State University agricultural engineer, chemical sprayers are among the most delicate of farm equipment and require special prestorage treatment. "Cleaning a sprayer before storing not only increases its life but also reduces the chance of cross-contamination of chemicals next spring and prevents crop injury. Once it's clean, it is important to protect the sprayer from the harmful effects of snow, rain, sun, and strong winds:

Which pesticide has been used will determine proper cleaning materials. Most residue can be removed with a solution of 2 pounds of detergent for every 3040 gallons of water. Among other care tips Ozkan recommends:

• Taking appropriate safety precaut ions and wearing the same kind of protective clothing when cleaning equipment as you would when applying the pesticide:
• Following all safety instructions in vour sprayer's operator's manual:
• Using a bristle brush to clean chemical residues off the outside of the entire sprayer:
• Flushing the sprayer with clean water:
• Adding the proper proportion of detergent and water to the tank and agitating the cleanine solution to circulate it throughout the system for several minutes: and
• Adding 1-5 gallons of light-weight oil to the rinse water used for the final flushing to form a protective coating inside the tank, pump. and other parts.