Guidance for the public
How to use household insecticide products more safely, and how to keep pests down.
Eight rules for using insecticide products more safely
1. Buy a product with a registration number
Buy only products with a Vietnamese label, a registration number and a clear origin. Avoid goods of unknown source.
2. Read the label
Read the instructions, dose, target pest, warnings and first aid before use.
3. The right dose, in the right place
Do not raise the dose or mix products on your own. Treat where the pest hides, rather than spraying everywhere.
4. Protect yourself
Wear a mask and gloves. Do not eat, drink or smoke while spraying. Wash afterwards.
5. Keep children and pets away
Move children, older people, pregnant women and pets out of the treated area. Put away food, dishes and fish tanks.
6. Air the room afterwards
Keep the room closed for the time on the label, then open it and air it before anyone uses it again.
7. Store it properly
Keep the original pack, in a dry cool locked place, away from children and food. Do not pour it into a drinks bottle.
8. Dispose of it safely
Do not pour leftover product into a drain, pond or lake. Do not reuse the bottle. Follow the label.
If someone is poisoned or exposed
Move the person into fresh air. Remove contaminated clothes and rinse skin or eyes with plenty of clean water. Do not make the person vomit unless a health worker says to. Call emergency 115 or go to the nearest health facility, and take the pack or the label.
Pests people meet most often
Cleaning the surroundings is the first, safest and most lasting step.
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Mosquitoes
They can transmit dengue, malaria, Zika and other diseases.
- Remove standing water: turn containers over, and change water in flower vases every week.
- Cover tanks and jars. Sleep under a net and fit mosquito screens.
- During an outbreak, work with the local health service on spraying.
Cockroaches
They can carry germs that cause stomach illness, and they can trigger allergy.
- Keep the kitchen dry and do not leave food out overnight.
- Seal cracks and drain pipes.
- Prefer gel baits and sticky traps to wide spraying.
Termites
They damage wood and the structure of a building.
- Check furniture, door frames and the base of walls on a schedule.
- Do not leave damp wood or paper against the soil.
- For a new building, treat the foundations against termites.
Rodents
They can transmit disease and gnaw wiring and goods.
- Keep food and waste in closed containers.
- Seal gaps around doors and pipes.
- Place bait or traps in a locked box, away from children and pets.
Flies
They can transmit diseases of the gut.
- Collect waste every day and clean the waste area.
- Cover food. Use screens.
- Use light traps and sticky traps in restaurants and kitchens.
Ants, bed bugs and fleas
They cause discomfort, bites and allergy.
- Clean sleeping places and wash bedding in hot water.
- Treat pets for parasites.
- Use ant bait rather than spraying a whole room.
When should you call a professional?
When pests keep returning, when termites are in the building, or when a restaurant, hotel, factory or warehouse needs regular control, use a professional service with a clear process:
Survey
Identify the species, the level, and where it is coming from.
Choose
Pick a method and a product that fit, and that can be used safely.
Treat
Baits, traps, residual spray or ULV, done correctly.
Follow up
Watch the result, and honour any warranty.
Questions to ask a service company
- Does the business have a licence to operate, and does it meet the conditions the law sets? The Association should confirm the exact legal test.
- Do the products have a registration number in Vietnam that is still valid?
- Have the technicians been trained, with the owner’s confirmation or an Association certificate of course completion?
- Is there a contract, a treatment report, and a clear warranty?
- Is the business a member of the Vietnam Pest Management Association?