Spray Bottle Procedure for Cleaning Wading Gear

(Note: This procedure has only been tested successfully using a copper sulfate sanitizing solution, Formula 409 products failed this procedure)

The Following procedure for cleaning NZMS infested wading gear can be followed upon exiting NZMS infested waters.  Wading gear should be cleaned prior to leaving the site.  If this is not possible then wading gear should be completely sealed inside of a large plastic bag and cleaned before it is used in any other waters.

A) Remove wading gear upon exiting NZMS infested waters.  Avoid allowing infested wading gear to come in contact with interior surfaces of vehicles or camping gear such as tents or trailers. NZMS can be transferred to any surface they come in contact with and they could later be transferred back to cleaned wading gear.  Turn waders right side out and remove insoles from wading boots. Using a stiff brush remove dirt, mud and other debris from boots/soles, waders and net.

B) Place waders, wading boots, boot insoles and the stream bed contact end of a wading stick, if used, in a container of sufficient size to allow the gear to be easily accessed.

C) Using a standard 1-liter squeeze-trigger type spray bottle containing the cleaning solution, spray the wading gear to the point of saturation and runoff with the cleaning solution.  Be sure to treat the inside of the wading boots as well as the outside.  Be sure to treat both top and under side of gravel guards if they are permanently attached to the waders.

D) Using the wading gear to set for at least 5 minutes with the cleaning solution on it.  Remove the wading gear one piece at a time and inspect it to make sure that all debris that could harbor NZMS has been removed from the gear as well as any NZMS that could be lodged in cracks or crevices.  If necessary, use a stiff plastic bristled brush such as a kitchen brush to remove any remaining debris and mud.

E) Rinse Wading in clean water.  DO NOT USE WATER FROM THE NZMS INFESTED SOURCE.  This may reintroduce NZMS to the wading gear.

F) Return cleaned wading gear to its appropriate storage container.

G) Dispose of rinse water in a Building drain that eventually goes to a water treatment plant. Do not dump into a waterway, river, pond, lake, or storm drain. Cleaning solution are toxic to aquatic invertebrates (scuds, nymphs, crayfish) and fish.

Copper Sulfate Solution:  Dissolve 3.785 grams of copper sulfate pentahydrate crystals (99.1% purity) for each gallon of solution you want to make.  This will achieve a concentration of 252 mg/L of copper in the cleaning solution.