Looking into killing some fungus gnats I came across this review on neem oil. I like the use of a surfactant (MOAP) used to keep the oil on the surface longer. I’ve used surfactants for years on weed killers but this is more natural. I’ll try this and if effective will try it with my weed killers out on the property.
Please Note: I have edited the original review for better flow and removed repeated information. The recipes were re-worked to fit the marks on the sprayer listed.
Dyna-Gro Neem Oil Treatment
Kill fungus gnats and other insects
Jeanine S
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great oil! Recipe on how to use. How long mixture stays good. BEST Neem Oil on Amazon!
Size: 8 Ounce Verified Purchase
This is now the BEST Neem oil to be found on Amazon!! Dyna-Gro is STILL maintaining their high standards.
I included pictures [click link in blue above] of what you get when you order Dyna-Gro Neem oil. The first picture is what you WANT to see in a high quality oil. You CAN see the fatty acids in it that WILL melt easily upon touching your skin OR with GENTLE heat. (heating Neem oil over 90 F will denature it, while if it gets too cold it will just solidify) Poorer or stripped oils will be clear. SO, when you see a chunky and strong smelling oil, REJOICE!
Basic Recipes
MOAP Substitute Recipe
Moap was an emulsifier from RoT Organics that is made from castille soap and molasses. It not only helps the product stick to whatever your applying it to, but the molasses part serves as food for the microbes in the soil (healthy microbes means healthy roots). I haven't been able to find the product for a while, so I've been making my own.
Mix these ingredients together
1 Tbsp Organic Blackstrap Molasses (unsulphured)
1 Tbsp Dr. Bronners Unscented Castile Soap
Add a tiny bit of warm water (under 90F) and mix well
Insect Killer Recipes
Neem oil breaks down in water in up to 8 hrs. So when you make your mixture, be sure to use it right away. Neem oil sometimes arrives in a solid state, that is fine. Use lukewarm water when making your mixtures.
DO NOT use water over 95F or you will degrade the oils and lose the wonderful properties you wanted in the first place!
Mix in the order given!!!
Measurements MUST be exact!!!
Update 12/29/2020
The above sprayer has marks at 16 oz. (2 cups), 32 oz. (4 cups) and nearly to the top at 48 oz. (6 cups)
16 oz. (2 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
1/4 Teaspoon Neem Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to equal the 16 oz. mark.
32 oz. (4 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
1/2 Teaspoon Neem Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to the 32 oz. mark.
48 oz. (6 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
3/4 Teaspoon Neem Oil
3/4 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to the 48 oz. mark.
1 Gallon - Mix together in 1 gallon container
1 Tablespoon Neem Oil
1 Tablespoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to equal 1 gallon
Add mixture to sprayer or other applicator.
Review
Neem oil is made of many components.
Azadirachtin is the most active. It reduces insect feeding and acts as a repellent. It also interferes with insect hormone systems, making it harder for insects to grow and lay eggs. It can repel and reduce the feeding of nematodes.
Other components of neem oil kill insects by hindering their ability to feed. However, the exact role of every component is not known.
Dyna-Gro Neem Oil is a GREAT product that gives you a neem oil that has NOT been stripped of its essential fatty acids, or its azadirachtin, giving you ALL of your oil, NOT just a stripped down version.
It can be used for gardening and it is safe for the beneficial insects (as long as it is NOT used while they are active, like bees).
Use for skin balms or directly as it absorbs quickly into the skin and is a great scar remover! It should NOT be taken internally, without knowledge of how to use it. It soothes and moisturizes dry and cracked skin,and if the skin problem is due to some infection, fungus or parasite, neem deals with that as well. You need to use ONLY Neem oil, preferably cold pressed if you are going to put it on your skin. Pregnant women, infants, and small children will still need to put it on their clothes because it is too strong.
CAUTION!
Some plants can be killed by neem oil, especially if it is applied heavily. Before spraying a an entire plant, test a small area on the plant and wait 24 hours to check to see if the leaf has any damage. If there is no damage, then the plant will not be harmed by the neem oil.
Apply neem oil only in indirect light or in the evening to avoid the product burning foliage and allow the preparation to seep into the plant. Also, do not use neem oil in extreme temperatures, either too hot or too cold. Avoid application to plants that are stressed due to drought or over watering.
Using neem oil insecticide about once a week will help kill pests and fungal issues as bay. Apply as you would other oil-based sprays, making sure the leaves are completely coated, especially where the pest or fungal problem is the worst.
Insect Killer
It is a useful repellent for mites and used to manage over 200 other species of chewing or sucking insects according to product information, including:
Aphids
Fungus Gnats
Mealybugs
Scale
Whiteflies
As Foliar Spray
Most useful when applied to young plant growth. The oil has a half life of 3 to 22 days in soil, but only 45 minutes to 4 days in water. It is nearly non-toxic to birds, fish, bees and wildlife, and studies have shown no cancer or other disease causing results from its use. This makes neem oil very safe to use if applied properly.
As Soil Drench
Neem oil insecticide works as a systemic in many plants when applied as a soil drench. Once the product is in the plant’s vascular system, insects intake it during feeding. The compound causes insects to reduce or cease feeding, can prevent larvae from maturing, reduces or interrupts mating behavior and, in some cases, the oil coats the breathing holes of insects and kills them.
As Repellent
Neem oil is also great for repeling mosquitoes and ticks! I use it when hiking or camping just for that reason, even on my dog! Right on my skin, it is safe for most people.
Neem oil breaks down in water in up to 8 hrs so if you are wearing Neem oil for mosquito protection, and then go swimming, you will need to reapply when you are done swimming.
Other Treatment
Neem oil is useful against fungi, mildews and rusts when applied in a 1% solution. It is also deemed helpful for other kinds of issues such as:
Root rot
Black spot
Sooty mold
Safety and Health
The EPA says the product is generally recognized as safe, so any residual amount left on food is acceptable; however, always wash your produce in clean, potable water before consumption.
There has been concern about the use of neem oil and bees.
Most studies specify that if neem oil is used inappropriately, and in massive quantities, it can cause harm to small hives, but has no effect on medium to large hives. Additionally, since neem oil insecticide does not target bugs that do not chew on leaves, most beneficial insects, like butterflies and ladybugs, are considered safe.
Is neem oil likely to contribute to the development of cancer?
No. People have been exposed to neem oil in many ways for hundreds of years. During this time no association with increased cancer risk has been found. Studies showed that neem oil did not alter or damage genes. In laboratory tests, animals were fed neem oil for 90 days. They did not have increased cancer rates.
Further, one study found that certain components of neem oil caused cancer cells in hamsters to stop growing or die. Another study looked at prostate cancer cells from humans. Researchers found that neem leaf extract was able to slow their growth.
Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to neem oil?
In rat studies, no effects were reported when the rats were fed either azadirachtin or clarified hydrophobic neem oil throughout their lives.
Beware of Inferior Products
If you get lesser grade Neem oils, they strip the azadirachtin out of them to sell to bigger and more expensive companies.
DO NOT use garden center Neem products because they ADD OTHER THINGS to their Neem oils.
Sal Suds is a WONDERFUL product for CLEANING, but NOT to put on your PLANTS!! it contains: Water, sodium lauryl sulfate, coco-betaine, lauryl glucoside, fir needle oil, spruce oil.
SLS and SLES
Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants. SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid - SLS is also known as "Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt", however there are over 150 different names by which it is known -In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen. Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting.
A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation
So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?
The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines. In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin. Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.
The AJT report staes that "Other studies have indicated that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain from skin contact. This poses question of it being a serious potential health threat to its use in shampoos, cleansers, and tooth pastes."
Most worryingly, irritation has been shown to occur at concentrations of 0.5%, which is 1/60th the concentration found in some hand soaps.
Carcinogenicity
Quite apart from it's potential to cause pre-cancerous conditions by denaturing proteins, the oestrogen mimicking effects of SLS also offers massive potential to cause cancer. It is known that many cancers, not least breast and ovarian cancer are directly related to oestrogen levels, in fact some cancer cells actually secrete their own oestrogen, which contributes to the growth of the tumour.
Clearly, by disrupting normal oestrogen levels AND by causing similar effects at a cellular level as endogenous oestrogen, SLS exhibits MASSIVE potential to both cause and worsen cancerous states. The incidence of breast cancer has increased several-fold in the last 50 years, both in women and in men. Currently, according to the American Cancer Society, men account for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases. This subject is discussed in more detail in our womens health section.
There is also a third way by which SLS can potentially cause cancer. Carcinogenic nitrates can form in the manufacturing of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient (many shampoos contain nitrate compounds). A single shampooing can produce more cancer-causing nitrates in the body than eating a pound of bacon, which is VERY high in nitrates!
Whether it is by these means or not, SLS in a known mutagen - it is capable of damaging the genetic material found every cell in your body. As mutagenicity has been strongly linked to cancer, this is a major concern.
Please Note: I have edited the original review for better flow and removed repeated information. The recipes were re-worked to fit the marks on the sprayer listed.
Dyna-Gro Neem Oil Treatment
Kill fungus gnats and other insects
Jeanine S
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great oil! Recipe on how to use. How long mixture stays good. BEST Neem Oil on Amazon!
Size: 8 Ounce Verified Purchase
This is now the BEST Neem oil to be found on Amazon!! Dyna-Gro is STILL maintaining their high standards.
I included pictures [click link in blue above] of what you get when you order Dyna-Gro Neem oil. The first picture is what you WANT to see in a high quality oil. You CAN see the fatty acids in it that WILL melt easily upon touching your skin OR with GENTLE heat. (heating Neem oil over 90 F will denature it, while if it gets too cold it will just solidify) Poorer or stripped oils will be clear. SO, when you see a chunky and strong smelling oil, REJOICE!
Basic Recipes
MOAP Substitute Recipe
Moap was an emulsifier from RoT Organics that is made from castille soap and molasses. It not only helps the product stick to whatever your applying it to, but the molasses part serves as food for the microbes in the soil (healthy microbes means healthy roots). I haven't been able to find the product for a while, so I've been making my own.
Mix these ingredients together
1 Tbsp Organic Blackstrap Molasses (unsulphured)
1 Tbsp Dr. Bronners Unscented Castile Soap
Add a tiny bit of warm water (under 90F) and mix well
Insect Killer Recipes
Neem oil breaks down in water in up to 8 hrs. So when you make your mixture, be sure to use it right away. Neem oil sometimes arrives in a solid state, that is fine. Use lukewarm water when making your mixtures.
DO NOT use water over 95F or you will degrade the oils and lose the wonderful properties you wanted in the first place!
Mix in the order given!!!
Measurements MUST be exact!!!
Update 12/29/2020
The above sprayer has marks at 16 oz. (2 cups), 32 oz. (4 cups) and nearly to the top at 48 oz. (6 cups)
16 oz. (2 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
1/4 Teaspoon Neem Oil
1/4 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to equal the 16 oz. mark.
32 oz. (4 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
1/2 Teaspoon Neem Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to the 32 oz. mark.
48 oz. (6 Cups) Mix together in sprayer
3/4 Teaspoon Neem Oil
3/4 Teaspoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to the 48 oz. mark.
1 Gallon - Mix together in 1 gallon container
1 Tablespoon Neem Oil
1 Tablespoon Moap
Add a little warm water and blend combination together.
Add water to equal 1 gallon
Add mixture to sprayer or other applicator.
Review
Neem oil is made of many components.
Azadirachtin is the most active. It reduces insect feeding and acts as a repellent. It also interferes with insect hormone systems, making it harder for insects to grow and lay eggs. It can repel and reduce the feeding of nematodes.
Other components of neem oil kill insects by hindering their ability to feed. However, the exact role of every component is not known.
Dyna-Gro Neem Oil is a GREAT product that gives you a neem oil that has NOT been stripped of its essential fatty acids, or its azadirachtin, giving you ALL of your oil, NOT just a stripped down version.
It can be used for gardening and it is safe for the beneficial insects (as long as it is NOT used while they are active, like bees).
Use for skin balms or directly as it absorbs quickly into the skin and is a great scar remover! It should NOT be taken internally, without knowledge of how to use it. It soothes and moisturizes dry and cracked skin,and if the skin problem is due to some infection, fungus or parasite, neem deals with that as well. You need to use ONLY Neem oil, preferably cold pressed if you are going to put it on your skin. Pregnant women, infants, and small children will still need to put it on their clothes because it is too strong.
CAUTION!
Some plants can be killed by neem oil, especially if it is applied heavily. Before spraying a an entire plant, test a small area on the plant and wait 24 hours to check to see if the leaf has any damage. If there is no damage, then the plant will not be harmed by the neem oil.
Apply neem oil only in indirect light or in the evening to avoid the product burning foliage and allow the preparation to seep into the plant. Also, do not use neem oil in extreme temperatures, either too hot or too cold. Avoid application to plants that are stressed due to drought or over watering.
Using neem oil insecticide about once a week will help kill pests and fungal issues as bay. Apply as you would other oil-based sprays, making sure the leaves are completely coated, especially where the pest or fungal problem is the worst.
Insect Killer
It is a useful repellent for mites and used to manage over 200 other species of chewing or sucking insects according to product information, including:
Aphids
Fungus Gnats
Mealybugs
Scale
Whiteflies
As Foliar Spray
Most useful when applied to young plant growth. The oil has a half life of 3 to 22 days in soil, but only 45 minutes to 4 days in water. It is nearly non-toxic to birds, fish, bees and wildlife, and studies have shown no cancer or other disease causing results from its use. This makes neem oil very safe to use if applied properly.
As Soil Drench
Neem oil insecticide works as a systemic in many plants when applied as a soil drench. Once the product is in the plant’s vascular system, insects intake it during feeding. The compound causes insects to reduce or cease feeding, can prevent larvae from maturing, reduces or interrupts mating behavior and, in some cases, the oil coats the breathing holes of insects and kills them.
As Repellent
Neem oil is also great for repeling mosquitoes and ticks! I use it when hiking or camping just for that reason, even on my dog! Right on my skin, it is safe for most people.
Neem oil breaks down in water in up to 8 hrs so if you are wearing Neem oil for mosquito protection, and then go swimming, you will need to reapply when you are done swimming.
Other Treatment
Neem oil is useful against fungi, mildews and rusts when applied in a 1% solution. It is also deemed helpful for other kinds of issues such as:
Root rot
Black spot
Sooty mold
Safety and Health
The EPA says the product is generally recognized as safe, so any residual amount left on food is acceptable; however, always wash your produce in clean, potable water before consumption.
There has been concern about the use of neem oil and bees.
Most studies specify that if neem oil is used inappropriately, and in massive quantities, it can cause harm to small hives, but has no effect on medium to large hives. Additionally, since neem oil insecticide does not target bugs that do not chew on leaves, most beneficial insects, like butterflies and ladybugs, are considered safe.
Is neem oil likely to contribute to the development of cancer?
No. People have been exposed to neem oil in many ways for hundreds of years. During this time no association with increased cancer risk has been found. Studies showed that neem oil did not alter or damage genes. In laboratory tests, animals were fed neem oil for 90 days. They did not have increased cancer rates.
Further, one study found that certain components of neem oil caused cancer cells in hamsters to stop growing or die. Another study looked at prostate cancer cells from humans. Researchers found that neem leaf extract was able to slow their growth.
Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to neem oil?
In rat studies, no effects were reported when the rats were fed either azadirachtin or clarified hydrophobic neem oil throughout their lives.
Beware of Inferior Products
If you get lesser grade Neem oils, they strip the azadirachtin out of them to sell to bigger and more expensive companies.
DO NOT use garden center Neem products because they ADD OTHER THINGS to their Neem oils.
Sal Suds is a WONDERFUL product for CLEANING, but NOT to put on your PLANTS!! it contains: Water, sodium lauryl sulfate, coco-betaine, lauryl glucoside, fir needle oil, spruce oil.
SLS and SLES
Both Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and its close relative Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) are commonly used in many soaps, shampoos, detergents, toothpastes and other products that we expect to "foam up". Both chemicals are very effective foaming agents, chemically known as surfactants. SLS and SLES are esters of Sulphuric acid - SLS is also known as "Sulfuric acid monododecyl ester sodium salt", however there are over 150 different names by which it is known -In fact, SLES is commonly contaminated with dioxane, a known carcinogen. Although SLES is somewhat less irritating than Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, it cannot be metabolised by the liver and its effects are therefore much longer-lasting.
A report published in the Journal of The American College of Toxicology in 1983 showed that concentrations as low as 0.5% could cause irritation and concentrations of 10-30% caused skin corrosion and severe irritation
So why is a dangerous chemical like sodium lauryl sulfate used in our soaps and shampoos?
The answer is simple - it is cheap. The sodium lauryl sulfate found in our soaps is exactly the same as you would find in a car wash or even a garage, where it is used to degrease car engines. In the same way as it dissolves the grease on car engines, sodium lauryl sulfate also dissolves the oils on your skin, which can cause a drying effect. It is also well documented that it denatures skin proteins, which causes not only irritation, but also allows environmental contaminants easier access to the lower, sensitive layers of the skin. Perhaps most worryingly, SLS is also absorbed into the body from skin application. Once it has been absorbed, one of the main effects of sodium lauryl sulfate is to mimic the activity of the hormone Oestrogen. This has many health implications and may be responsible for a variety of health problems from PMS and Menopausal symptoms to dropping male fertility and increasing female cancers such as breast cancer, where oestrogen levels are known to be involved.
The AJT report staes that "Other studies have indicated that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain from skin contact. This poses question of it being a serious potential health threat to its use in shampoos, cleansers, and tooth pastes."
Most worryingly, irritation has been shown to occur at concentrations of 0.5%, which is 1/60th the concentration found in some hand soaps.
Carcinogenicity
Quite apart from it's potential to cause pre-cancerous conditions by denaturing proteins, the oestrogen mimicking effects of SLS also offers massive potential to cause cancer. It is known that many cancers, not least breast and ovarian cancer are directly related to oestrogen levels, in fact some cancer cells actually secrete their own oestrogen, which contributes to the growth of the tumour.
Clearly, by disrupting normal oestrogen levels AND by causing similar effects at a cellular level as endogenous oestrogen, SLS exhibits MASSIVE potential to both cause and worsen cancerous states. The incidence of breast cancer has increased several-fold in the last 50 years, both in women and in men. Currently, according to the American Cancer Society, men account for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases. This subject is discussed in more detail in our womens health section.
There is also a third way by which SLS can potentially cause cancer. Carcinogenic nitrates can form in the manufacturing of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or by its inter-reaction with other nitrogen bearing ingredients within a formulation utilizing this ingredient (many shampoos contain nitrate compounds). A single shampooing can produce more cancer-causing nitrates in the body than eating a pound of bacon, which is VERY high in nitrates!
Whether it is by these means or not, SLS in a known mutagen - it is capable of damaging the genetic material found every cell in your body. As mutagenicity has been strongly linked to cancer, this is a major concern.
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