Termite tenting chemicals and how long before moving back in

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
Sign up Log in
20 replies · 5K views
Math Is Hard
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
4,663
Reaction score
37
They're coming to termite tent my apt. building Wednesday A.M. What the heck are those chemicals they use for this anyway? Anyone know? I think they will finish Thurs. afternoon and I'll be able start airing out the place Thursday night and move back in Friday evening. Anyone been through this before? How long before you could go back? Was the food you left in the refrigerator safe to eat afterwards or did you throw it out?
 
Biology news on Phys.org

Discussion

Sounds like you got a fun day ahead of you, there. I've never had it happen to me...yet. I don't really see why the food in the refrigerator would be contaminated by the chemicals.
 
I've had my old apt fumigated. The refrigerator contents should be fine, but I'd give all washable surfaces a good wipe, including the contents of the cupboards. They should give you directions on how to handle things... good luck :bugeye:
 
Math Is Hard said:
Was the food you left in the refrigerator safe to eat afterwards or did you throw it out?

If you fill every cubic inch of vacant space in your refrigerator with freshly opened cans of soda, the continual outgassing of carbon dioxide will keep your refrigerator at a positive pressure relative to outside it, for some time. That way, poisonous chemicals in the air won't get into the fridge. How long this works, depends on how many crates of soda you can cram into it. :approve: :rolleyes: :biggrin: :-p

My first idea involved sodium pellets in hydrochloric acid, but I decided against that...the reaction rate would be too fast ! :wink: :smile: :biggrin:
 
Last edited:
thanks, y'all. Yeah, we're totally not looking forward to this. Of course it had to happen on the same days when I have two tests and a project due. During the tenting, the cat and I are staying with a friend who has two yappy little dogs so I am not sure how that's going to work.

Gokul: cans of soda? really?
 
The soda (if it does anything) will make the fridge leaky: it will cancel out the negative pressure that is sucking the door tightly closed.
 
Math Is Hard said:
Gokul: cans of soda? really?

No way ! :eek: I was just kidding. didn't you see all the smilies ?
 
I thought for a minute you might be setting me up for a prank, Gokul. :devil: I had this strange feeling I might come home to an exploded refrigerator. I envisioned myself mopping up a terrible sticky mess, shaking my fist and shouting, "Darn You, Gokul!" :cry: :mad:

but you wouldn't do that, would you? You're too nice. And you know I'd run and tell my sisters.
:devil: :devil: :devil: :devil: :devil: :wink:
 
Math Is Hard said:
I thought for a minute you might be setting me up for a prank, Gokul. :devil: I had this strange feeling I might come home to an exploded refrigerator. I envisioned myself mopping up a terrible sticky mess, shaking my fist and shouting, "Darn You, Gokul!" :cry: :mad:

It's ok. I thought he was serious for a minute there, too.
 
Math Is Hard said:
And you know I'd run and tell my sisters.
:devil: :devil: :devil: :devil: :devil: :wink:

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: Yes, yes...I'm too nice to do something like that. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
As much as it should be okay in the fridge, how certain are you of the seal on your fridge door? You might want to double seal anything inside into plastic bags or containers or something, just to be safe. Remember to clean off the handle/outside of the fridge before you open it so you don't have any pesticides on your hands to transfer inside. You will probably be told any food in your cabinets should be removed before or thrown out after. Canned goods would remain okay, just wash the outsides of the cans (and beware of labels falling off...unless you don't mind cans of mystery vegetables for dinner). I would wash all the plates/cups/pots/utensils/surfaces/etc. in the kitchen before using anything.

Everyone always thinks of the kitchen after something like that, but remember to clean down the rest of the surfaces in your apt afterward too, like bathroom countertops (where you might set a toothbrush, for example), or the coffee table, or desk where you might be working and eating at the same time.
 
Thanks for the tips. actually, I am NOT confident in the seal of my frig door. During the great ant invasion this summer, the little suckers had no problem getting in my freezer. Gosh that was weird. I would open up the freezer and find a pile of frozen ants. They could never quite make it to the popsicles!
 
Math Is Hard said:
They could never quite make it to the popsicles!
:smile: poor anties..
 
Monique said:
:smile: poor anties..
Don't worry, Monique. I don't think they were really dead - just frozen in a cryogenic sleep. I am sure most of them reanimated as soon as I swept them out into the trash can. :smile: :biggrin:

I should have sent the ones that didn't survive to humanino. I have heard rumors that French people eat chocolate covered ants - some kind of a delicacy or something!
 
Math Is Hard said:
I should have sent the ones that didn't survive to humanino. I have heard rumors that French people eat chocolate covered ants - some kind of a delicacy or something!

You're making me hungry. :-p
 
Math Is Hard said:
I would open up the freezer and find a pile of frozen ants.

:bugeye: I think I'd flip if I found piles of ants in the freezer! Hopefully the termite treatment will get rid of the source of ants too!

If ants can get into a closed freezer, then the pesticide can too. You might want to bring your food with you to your friend's place rather than leave it in the fridge.
 
I am going through the bagging process right now. They left me a bunch of clear plastic bags to wrap up anything that is "ingestible" and not in a can. But I am paranoid so I am bagging everything I can.
I bagged the food, bagged the medicines, bagged the dishes, bagged the towels, bagged the cosmetics, bagged the cat - oh wait - not supposed to bag the cat - cat is coming with me - <unbags angry cat> bagged the pots and pans, will bag the bedding in the morning. Wondering about bagging the computer.. hmmm... and yes, I agree with you about bringing some of the food with me.
I have taken a bunch of it down to the car. aghh! what an ordeal this all is! Even the food in the fridge is supposed to be bagged if I leave it. I am supposed to bag the ice trays but I am taking them with me.
That would be cool if it got rid of the ant problem, though! If not, I will send all the ants to Chrono to snack on! :smile:
 
Math Is Hard said:
If not, I will send all the ants to Chrono to snack on! :smile:

I can't wait! Crap, I still got to supply my own chocolate. Oh, well.
 
Math Is Hard said:
I should have sent the ones that didn't survive to humanino. I have heard rumors that French people eat chocolate covered ants - some kind of a delicacy or something!
:smile:
I wonder who told you this !

As a matter of fact, we like to eat strange things. Yet, Fauchon is still not serving any kind of bug. I will tell them, the american taste evolves faster than here, so they might send you a trial box. :-p
 
humanino said:
:smile:
I wonder who told you this !

As a matter of fact, we like to eat strange things. Yet, Fauchon is still not serving any kind of bug. I will tell them, the american taste evolves faster than here, so they might send you a trial box. :-p

I'll be happy to try anything that comes from Fauchon! :smile: Tell them to call me when they do U.S. marketing research. I will test their products and give them feedback on what appeals to the American palate. :approve: