# Insect Bombs vs. Cast Iron Equipment and Tools



## DonBroussard (Mar 27, 2012)

I've got an ant and roach infestation in and around my cramped shop. I bought a couple of insect bombs, intending to set them off in the shop with hopes of a mass insect killing. I have ruled out spray cans and powders, since the shop is so cramped that putting spray and powder down would be hard to do, so I plan on the bombs.

Is there anything I should do to protect the cast iron table tops and tools in the shop? I've covered the tabletops already.

Comments and advice are appreciated. Thanks in advance.


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

I used diazanon around an RV I was staying in for a seriously annoying ant problem. It did the trick. I just scattered it around and under the RV. After a couple of days no more ants. As I recall is was a granulated sort of stuff. If that's any help.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Those things are made to set off in a house, they're not going to hurt your shop.


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

> I used diazanon around an RV I was staying in for a seriously annoying ant problem. It did the trick. I just scattered it around and under the RV. After a couple of days no more ants. As I recall is was a granulated sort of stuff. If that s any help.
> 
> - BurlyBob


Ah, yes…... diazinon. That sh***t really worked. Used it on my own lawn to kill the grubs that the moles were attracted to. Yes, it did kill all sort of pests, but it did that all too well. Diazinon has been outlawed basically anywhere common sense individuals have come to discuss the impact of spraying chemicals all over the place.

There might be a ligitimate reason why the EPA and others have banned a chemical. You can fall back on that old bag of pesticide that your granddad used to kill the bad critters. You might just be poisoning your grandkids who are out using the swimg set.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

i hear DDT works really well.


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

I saw a roach in my home in Houston. I quickly moved to Colorado. Problem solved.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

Bri-dog for the win  can I call you Bree?


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## BroncoBrian (Jan 14, 2013)

Whatever makes you happy Fridge!

If you make me one of those spanking sticks out of alder…


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## DonBroussard (Mar 27, 2012)

Thanks for the comments. I'm not going to use any product not available to consumers over the counter. I'll probably pop off one of the bombs tomorrow.

Brian - We have the large tree roaches here. Most people are really brave around them until they realize the roaches can fly.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

As big as they get this side of Madagascar


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## mel52 (Sep 4, 2017)

I think they make baits for both insects that they take to the nests and share with others and will eventually kill out the colony. I have used them on sugar ants and they do work well.


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## RobHannon (Dec 12, 2016)

My shop space for some reason is loved by wasps and hornets so I have used bug bombs before and not noticed any ill effects to cast iron. Can get pretty humid here so I have to keep wax on anything cast iron anyway.

No experience with getting rid of roach problems but I have had the best luck with Taro ant poison for the tiny little black ants that seem to find there way back to the house each spring.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

A local exterminator uses a non toxic spray around the perimeter of the garage which seem to work!


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## enazle (May 18, 2018)

Diazinon 4e with a IGR in the shop will do the trick. Unless your expecting a flood?


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## ArtMann (Mar 1, 2016)

I had a similar problem in my shop but it was spiders and cobwebs. I set off two cans per the directions for the number of square feet. It worked well … for about 3 weeks. The kill wasn't complete and they started coming back. I had to resort to using a pump up sprayer from Black Flag. I applied the material all the way around the shop walls on the floor and slightly up the walls. It did much better but I still see spiders from time to time.


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

Do you live in a warm enough climate to support lizards? We must have at least a dozen here just on our suburban lot. If a cricket puts up a little noise, it's gone within a day. I don't know what is driving this population explosion; I've never seen this many lizards running around before. They're doing a great job on controlling the bugs.

I'm in southern California.


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## MrRon (Jul 9, 2009)

I've used bug bombs before in my shop; no problem. Bug bomb spray is a mist that settles down onto horizontal surfaces. It doesn't work it's way up into inaccessible spaces. That's why the directions say to open closet doors to allow for some infiltration of the mist.


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## DonBroussard (Mar 27, 2012)

UPDATE: I set off the bomb in the shop/garage a couple of weeks ago, and it did result in a kill of many of the ants, but there were still some crawling around today. I've called in a professional to inspect and treat the shop and the house. I have ants in the house too-bigger issue than ants in the shop. We suspect that they've taken up residence in an exterior wall.

BTW, none of the tools in the shop seem to be worse for wear from the insect bomb.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.


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## RandyinFlorida (Sep 27, 2012)

I bomb my 2-car garage about twice a year; for spiders. I cover my cast iron with a sheet of cardboard or rags. In 15 years never had a problem.


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