The core purpose of this prerequisite is to balance pest control effectiveness and food safety. Sealing the area for 1–2 hours after spraying allows the pesticide to fully disperse and penetrate, ensuring pests are exposed to a sufficient dose for complete elimination. Subsequent ventilation then rapidly volatilizes residual pesticide, preventing inhalation of or contact with harmful components during eating.
Follow these operational steps: Immediately close all doors and windows after spraying, and maintain a sealed state strictly for 1–2 hours—do not enter or open windows during this period. Once the time is up, open all doors and windows to ventilate for over 30 minutes, ensuring full air circulation in the room.
Note: You can turn on exhaust fans during ventilation to accelerate air circulation. If a noticeable pesticide odor persists, extend the ventilation time until the odor completely dissipates. Do not place, handle, or consume any food in the room before ventilation is completed to avoid residual risks.
Two key criteria must be met simultaneously to ensure safe eating conditions:
No residual pesticide odor in the room: The absence of pesticide odor is a core safety signal, indicating that residual pesticides have fully volatilized and will not affect health through inhalation or skin contact. After ventilation, judge intuitively by smell—if a pungent odor remains, continue ventilating until it dissipates completely.
Food and tableware not directly exposed to pesticide: Ensuring food and tableware are unexposed is the foundation of safe eating. Before spraying, seal or remove ingredients and tableware. If they are accidentally exposed, they must be thoroughly cleaned or discarded directly to avoid accidental ingestion risks from pesticide residues.
If only one criterion is met (e.g., no odor but potential food exposure, or unexposed food but lingering odor), potential safety hazards remain. Only proceed to eat after both requirements are fully satisfied.
As the core area for food processing and storage, kitchens carry a higher risk of pesticide residue on contact surfaces compared to other areas. Since food and tableware frequently touch these surfaces, indirect contamination by pesticide residues is more likely. Therefore, additional wiping is necessary after ventilation to eliminate potential risks—this step must not be skipped.
Key Wiping Steps:
Focus on high-frequency contact points: stovetops, countertops, dish racks, cabinet interiors, and door handles.
Prepare a cloth soaked in clean water mixed with neutral detergent, then wipe the surfaces repeatedly 2–3 times.
Wipe away any leftover detergent residue with a clean damp cloth.
For tableware and kitchen utensils: Soak them in clean water for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly, and air-dry, or clean them directly in a dishwasher.
After wiping, confirm the absence of residue through "visual and olfactory checks": Ensure surfaces are free of stains and pesticide sheen, and there is no pungent odor. This step is crucial to avoid indirect food contamination and maximize food safety.
Discard contaminated food immediately: If food is left unsealed, directly exposed, or accidentally contaminated with pesticide during spraying, discard it immediately—do not consume it under any circumstances. Pesticide residues can penetrate the interior of food ingredients, which are difficult to completely remove through cleaning alone. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness, or other health issues. Both raw and cooked foods should be disposed of—never take chances.
Do not eat before full ventilation: Eating or placing food in the room is strictly prohibited before ventilation is fully completed. At this stage, pesticide droplets may still be floating in the air, which can affect health through inhalation and adhere to food surfaces, causing contamination. Even if ventilation is nearly 30 minutes, if a pungent odor persists, continue ventilating until the odor completely dissipates. Only after confirming safety should you perform food-related activities to avoid potential risks from residual pesticides.