Storing and disposing of pesticides, and cleaning up spills

Where and how to store pesticides

The original container is made to protect the product and to stand up to the chemicals in it, and it carries the label with the directions for use, ingredients, disposal directions, emergency information and first aid steps. Keep each pesticide in that container with its label.^[5][1][12]

Keep the label readable. The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program suggests keeping an extra copy in case the one on the container gets damaged, and checking containers now and then for damage or leaks.^[12]

Never move a pesticide into a soft drink bottle or any container that could be mistaken for food or drink. Children and others may try to eat or drink it.^[1][3][12]

Child-resistant doesn't mean child-proof. Close the container tightly after every use, and if a phone call or the doorbell interrupts you while you're applying a product, re-close it before you step away.^[1][3][12]

• Pick one spot used only for pesticides, such as a locked or latched cabinet in a well-ventilated utility area or garden shed, where children and pets can't get in.^[5][1][12]
• Not under the kitchen or bathroom sink. The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program says never to store pesticides there.^[12]
• Keep pesticides away from food, animal feed, medical supplies and flames. Store flammable liquids outside the living area and far from anything that could ignite them, such as a furnace, car, grill or lawn mower.^[1][5][12]
• Avoid places that flood or where a leak could run into wells, drains, groundwater, ponds or streams.^[1][5][12]
• Mind the temperature. Extreme heat or cold can change the chemistry of some pesticides and damage their containers. Read the label for storage instructions; NPIC and Penn State Extension both give 40 to 90 °F as the general range. Penn State adds: keep containers out of direct sunlight and don't set them in a window, even for a short time, especially glass or aerosol containers.^[5][11]
• Stand bottles inside a larger container that would hold the liquid if one leaks or spills.^[5]
• Don't leave mixed spray sitting in the sprayer. Mix only what the job needs, and if some is left when you finish, keep applying it as the label directs rather than storing it in the equipment.^[12][13]
• Lock up the household pesticides people forget about too. EPA's list includes bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers (bleach among them), mold and mildew killers, roach sprays and baits, insect repellents, rat and other rodent poisons, weed killers, flea and tick shampoos, powders and dips for pets, and swimming pool chemicals.^[3]
• EPA suggests crawling around on your hands and knees to spot anything you've missed from a small child's point of view.^[3]

Keep the supply small

Don't stockpile. Buy only the amount you'll need soon, mix only what you need today, and get rid of unwanted products properly instead of keeping them.^{[1][5][6][12]}

Penn State Extension suggests writing the purchase date and the date you opened it on any container you don't finish, and using the oldest products first.^[11]

Before buying, identify the pest and make sure the product works against it. Integrated pest management can cut the need for pesticides in the first place.^[6]

If you can't tell what's in a container or how old it is, don't guess: treat it as waste and follow the disposal steps below.^[1][12]

Using up leftovers

The easiest disposal is none at all. Use up small amounts of leftover product or mixed spray by applying them according to the directions on the label.^[2][6][13]

If you can't use it, ask neighbors whether they have a similar pest problem and can use it up.^[2][6][13]

If you give a product away, it has to be in its original container with the full label, and the person taking it needs to be able to read and follow the label directions.^[13]

Getting rid of pesticides and empty containers

Start with the label. Look for its "Storage and Disposal" statement and follow it. State and local disposal laws can be stricter than the federal label, so check with them too.^[6][2][13]

EPA's standard disposal wording for household products says: if the container is empty, don't reuse it, and put it in the trash or offer it for recycling if available. If it's partly filled, call your local solid waste agency for disposal instructions, and never put unused product down any indoor or outdoor drain.^[4]

Aerosol cans add a warning: do not puncture or incinerate them. An empty can goes in the trash or recycling if available; for a partly full one, call your local solid waste agency for instructions.^[4][13]

NPIC says any product still left in a container must be disposed of as household hazardous waste. To find a collection program, contact your local solid waste authority, environmental agency or health department, call 1-800-CLEANUP, or ask your state environmental agency.^[6][2][9]

EPA counts pesticides among the leftover household products that need special care at disposal, and says even empty containers can hold residues that are hazardous. If your area has no year-round collection site, ask whether it holds collection days.^[9][13]

Older labels told people to wrap containers in newspaper before putting them in the trash. EPA dropped that instruction because wrapping didn't reliably protect sanitation workers and could lead to accidental exposures.^[4]

Not every source has caught up. Clemson Extension's spill fact sheet still says to wrap contaminated tools and empty pesticide containers in several layers of newspaper before putting them in the trash, while EPA's guidance for household labels dropped the wrap-in-paper instruction.^[7][4]

• Never reuse an empty pesticide container for anything. Residues can contaminate whatever goes in it next and cause serious harm.^[2][6][13]
• Never pour pesticides down a sink, toilet, sewer or street drain. Many municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment systems can't remove all pesticides, and pesticides that reach waterways can harm fish, plants and other living things.^[2][13]
• Recycling: EPA's standard label wording allows an empty container to be offered for recycling if available, but the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program says not to put pesticide containers in household recycling unless the program specifically accepts them, and to follow that program's instructions for preparing them.^[4][13]
• Rinse an emptied container before disposal or recycling, wearing chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection. Apply the rinse water only where the label says the product can be used, and don't pour it into any drain.^[6][13]
• The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program's triple rinse: pour leftover product into the sprayer, fill the container a quarter full of clean water, cap it and shake for 30 seconds, pour the rinse into the sprayer, and repeat two more times. Then apply the rinse as the label directs.^[13]
• Rinsing advice differs. NPIC and the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program say to rinse empty containers, but EPA left rinsing instructions off household product labels because many people poured the rinse water down drains or sewers, and states have found pesticides in drinking water that appear in some cases to be linked to that.^[6][13][4]

Taking pesticides to a collection site

Tips for the drive from NPIC and the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program:^[6][14]

• Leave the pesticides in their original containers with the labels on.^[6]
• Pack the containers so they can't shift or tip, and line the cargo area or set them in a plastic bin to catch a spill if there's an accident.^[6][14]
• Make sure lids are tight. Wrap glass containers in paper so they don't break, since pesticide is nearly impossible to clean out of upholstery.^[14]
• In an open truck bed, secure and cover the load. Never carry pesticides in the passenger compartment.^[6][14]
• Keep them away from groceries and pet food, and go straight to the collection site once the car is loaded.^[6][14]
• Protect them from extreme heat and cold on the way, which can damage containers and make products less effective, and never leave them unattended in an unlocked trunk or open truck bed.^[14]

Cleaning up a spill

Get ready before you open anything. Keep dry absorbent material where you mix and use pesticides: Clemson Extension calls cat litter the best choice, but sawdust, sweeping compound, newspaper or paper towels also work. Keep rubber gloves, rubber boots or plastic foot covers, and eye protection close by so you can put them on quickly.^[7][15]

Write each product's name and the emergency phone number from its label in large print, and keep the list by the phone. In a hurry, the number on the label can be hard to find or read.^[7][15]

Do what you can to prevent spills. Never handle pesticides in a kitchen, where people eat or in high-traffic areas; mix them outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, and keep children and pets away.^[7]

Clemson's rule for a spill is the three C's: control, contain, clean up.^[7][15]

• Control: if a container, sprayer, bag or spreader tips over, set it upright right away without getting pesticide on your clothes. Wear chemical-resistant gloves to handle the spill and the cleanup materials.^[7][15]
• If a small container is leaking, set it inside a larger chemical-resistant container. Keep unprotected people, children and animals out of the area, and call 911 if anyone is in danger.^[15]
• Contain: pour absorbent around the edge of a liquid spill to stop it spreading, and dike it if it could run off. Block access and keep children and pets away. If you have to leave to get help, or a dust has spilled, cover the spill first.^[7][15]
• Spilled dusts, powders or granules: Clemson says to cover them. The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program says to cover them with a plastic sheet or mist them lightly with water, without soaking them, and that a clean, dry spill can be swept up and applied to a site on the label.^[7][15]
• Clean up: cover the spill with absorbent, then sweep or scoop it into a heavy-duty or doubled plastic bag. Clean the spot with heavy-duty detergent or bleach, using as little liquid as possible, then absorb that too, bag it and seal the bag. Don't rinse the area with water or wash anything down a drain.^[7][15]
• Bleach is itself hazardous, and it's a pesticide too, so absorb the spill first and use only enough bleach to cover the spot.^[7]
• Everything used in the cleanup has to be disposed of, broom included. Clemson says small spills of homeowner products and the cleanup materials can go into the household trash in a securely sealed heavy-duty plastic bag; the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program says to put the bag in a garbage can outdoors, not in the house.^[7][15]
• If concentrate or a lot of mixed spray gets on your clothes, take them off and shower right away.^[7][8]
• Afterward, wash exposed skin and hands with soap and plenty of water, and shower if needed. Wash clothing with a little diluted pesticide on it separately from the family laundry, using a heavy-duty detergent; clothing soaked with concentrate may have to be thrown away with the cleanup materials.^[7][15][8]

Common questions

Can I throw old pesticides in the trash?

An empty household container can go in the trash, or in recycling where available, according to EPA's standard label wording. A partly full container should go to household hazardous waste collection: call your local solid waste agency, and follow any stricter state or local rules.^{[4][6][2][13]}

Can I pour leftover pesticide down the drain?

No. Many drinking water and wastewater treatment systems can't remove all pesticides, and pesticides that reach waterways can harm fish and plants. Use leftovers up as the label directs or take them to a collection program.^[2][6][13]

What temperature should pesticides be stored at?

Follow the label's storage instructions. As a general rule, NPIC and Penn State Extension say pesticides are best stored between 40 and 90 °F, because extreme heat or cold can change the chemistry of some products and damage containers.^[5][11]

Can I keep pesticide in a different bottle?

No. Keep it in the original container, which is made to hold that chemical and carries the label's directions and first aid steps. A pesticide in a drink bottle can be mistaken for something to drink.^[5][1][12]

Can I recycle an empty pesticide container?

Only where a program accepts it. EPA's standard label wording says to offer an empty container for recycling if available; the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship program says not to put pesticide containers in household recycling unless that program specifically takes them. Never reuse one.^[4][13][2]

What should I do if pesticide gets on my skin or in my eyes?

Rinse with lots of water for at least 15 minutes, take off contaminated clothing and wash skin with soap and water, then call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and have the label handy. Call 911 for trouble breathing, convulsions or unconsciousness.^[8][10]

Sources

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Storing Pesticides Safely.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/storing-pesticides-safely (accessed 2026-11-10)
2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Safe Disposal of Pesticides.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/safe-disposal-pesticides (accessed 2026-11-10)
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Reduce Your Child's Chances of Pesticide Poisoning.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/reduce-your-childs-chances-pesticide-poisoning (accessed 2026-11-10)
4. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “PRN 2007-1: Disposal Instructions on Non-Antimicrobial Residential or Household Use Pesticide Product Labels.” www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/prn-2007-1-disposal-instructions-non-antimicrobial-residential-or-household (accessed 2026-11-10)
5. National Pesticide Information Center, “Storage of Pesticides.” npic.orst.edu/health/storage.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. National Pesticide Information Center, “Disposal of Pesticides.” npic.orst.edu/health/disposal.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center, “Pesticide Spill: Safe Management and Cleanup Guidelines (HGIC 2753).” hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/pesticide-spill-safe-management-cleanup-guidelines/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “First Aid in Case of Pesticide Exposure (updated December 22, 2025).” www.epa.gov/pesticide-incidents/first-aid-case-pesticide-exposure (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Household Hazardous Waste (HHW).” www.epa.gov/hw/household-hazardous-waste-hhw (accessed 2026-11-10)
10. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Insecticide poisoning (Medical Encyclopedia).” medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002832.htm (accessed 2026-11-10)
11. Penn State Extension, “Pesticide Storage and Security (updated June 30, 2022).” extension.psu.edu/pesticide-storage-and-security (accessed 2026-11-10)
12. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (coordinated by North Carolina State University), “Store Pesticides Safely.” pesticidestewardship.org/homeowner/store-pesticides-safely/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
13. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (coordinated by North Carolina State University), “Pesticide and Container Disposal.” pesticidestewardship.org/homeowner/pesticide-and-container-disposal/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
14. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (coordinated by North Carolina State University), “Transporting Pesticides.” pesticidestewardship.org/homeowner/transporting-pesticides/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
15. Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (coordinated by North Carolina State University), “Handling Spills.” pesticidestewardship.org/homeowner/handling-spills/ (accessed 2026-11-10)