The label is the law. Read your product's label before you mix or apply; the rates here come from the labels listed under Sources.
- Active ingredient
- Cyfluthrin (as beta-cyfluthrin) (CAS 68359-37-5)
- Chemical class
- Pyrethroid; IRAC Group 3A sodium channel modulators.[2]
- Mode of action
- IRAC Group 3A: Sodium channel modulators: pyrethrins and pyrethroids[2]
- Signal word
- Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide: Caution[1]
Cyfluthrin and beta-cyfluthrin
Tempo SC Ultra lists its active ingredient as beta-cyfluthrin, at 1 pound per gallon. It belongs to the same IRAC Group 3A as permethrin, bifenthrin and other pyrethroids, so rotating to a different group helps slow resistance.[1][2]
Where it is used
Indoors, treat where pests feed, hide and travel: floor-wall junctions, corners, around pipes and under appliances. Spot-treat floors under furniture but don't treat entire floors or floor coverings.[1]
Don't apply as a space spray, to furniture or upholstery where people have prolonged contact, or in occupied classrooms, hospital rooms or nursing home rooms.[1]
Outdoors, applications are limited to spot or crack-and-crevice treatments, except on soil and vegetation around structures and on lawns; don't spray during rain or water to the point of runoff.[1]
Reapply every 7 to 10 days if needed. It isn't for golf courses, sod farms or any food crop.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide[1] | Environmental Science U.S., LLC | 432-1363 | 11.8% | suspension concentrate | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide | Indoors: baseboards, cracks and crevices, under appliances, around pipes and entry points | Cockroaches, ants, spiders, silverfish, crickets, stored-product beetles and moths, flies and many others | 8–16 mL per gallon of water[1] 8 mL (0.27 fl oz) per gallon makes a 0.025% spray; 16 mL (0.54 fl oz) makes 0.05%. On lawns the rate is 4 to 8 mL per 1,000 sq ft, no more than 6 times a year. |
How to apply it, step by step
1. Protective gear
- The label requires no specific gear for general use, but it is harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin: avoid breathing the spray mist and keep it off your skin and clothes.[1]
- When spraying overhead, wear eye protection (safety glasses, goggles or a face shield) and a dust/mist mask or respirator. Wash with soap and water afterward.[1]
2. Before you spray
- Take pets out until treated surfaces are dry, and remove or tightly cover fish tanks and disconnect aerators: it is extremely toxic to fish and highly toxic to bees.[1]
- In the home, cover or remove food, and cover food-preparation surfaces and utensils (or wash them afterward). For pantry pests, empty the cupboards before spraying.[1]
- Outdoors, don't spray during rain, in winds over 15 mph, on waterlogged turf, onto food crops, or anywhere it can reach drains, gutters or water; don't spray blooming plants while bees are visiting.[1]
- Keep water-based sprays out of electrical boxes, conduits and motor housings.[1]
3. Mixing
- Shake the bottle well, then add 8 mL (0.27 fl oz) per gallon of water for a 0.025% spray, or 16 mL (0.54 fl oz) for 0.05%, the higher rate for severe infestations and longer residual.[1]
- Add it while filling the sprayer with water and shake or agitate the mix; leftover mix can be kept overnight if you agitate it again before use.[1]
4. Applying
- Indoors, use a coarse, low-pressure spray (50 psi or less) on baseboards, corners, cracks and crevices, around pipes and under appliances, cabinets and sinks; spot-treat floors under furniture but never the whole floor, and don't spray furniture people sit on or use it as a space spray.[1]
- Hold the nozzle about 8 inches from pests and surfaces. For ants (not fire, harvester or pharaoh ants), spray trails, entry points and the outdoor perimeter.[1]
- Outdoors, treat the foundation up to 2 to 3 feet high and a band of soil or lawn next to it at 1 gallon of spray per 1,000 sq ft without runoff; on hard surfaces limit it to spot or crack-and-crevice treatment, plus a 1-inch band around doors and windows and sheltered eaves and soffits.[1]
- Repeat every 7 to 10 days if needed; on turf, no more than 6 times a year.[1]
5. After you spray
- Keep people and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry.[1]
- Put food and utensils back only after shelves have dried, and throw away any food that the spray reached.[1]
First aid
- On skin, take off contaminated clothing and rinse for 15 to 20 minutes; in the eyes, rinse gently for 15 to 20 minutes, removing contact lenses after the first 5; if inhaled, move the person to fresh air and call 911 if they aren't breathing.[1]
- If swallowed, call a poison control center or doctor right away, have the person sip water if they can swallow, and don't induce vomiting unless told to. The label's 24-hour line is 1-800-334-7577.[1]
Storage, spills and disposal
- Store it in its original container in a cool, dry place, protected from freezing, away from other pesticides, fertilizers, food and feed, preferably locked and out of children's reach.[1]
- Don't reuse the empty container: rinse it three times (¼ full of water, shaken 10 seconds, rinse water added to the sprayer), then recycle it if you can.[1]
From the safety data sheet
- The concentrate is a white to beige liquid with a chalk-like odor and a flash point above 200 degrees Fahrenheit.[3]
- Store it in the original container in a cool, dry place, protected from freezing, away from other pesticides, fertilizers, food and feed and out of children's reach, preferably locked up.[3]
- Soak up spills with an inert absorbent such as sand or silica gel, and keep the product off plants.[3]
- It is harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin and moderately irritates eyes.[3]
- Beta-cyfluthrin is highly toxic to bees and extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates.[3]
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin, and causes moderate eye irritation. Avoid breathing spray mist; wear eye protection and a dust/mist mask when spraying overhead.[1]
Pets
Remove pets during application and keep people and pets off treated surfaces and lawns until they have dried.[1]
Bees and pollinators
Highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues; don't apply or let it drift onto plants or weeds where bees are foraging.[1]
Fish and water
Extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates. Remove or tightly cover fish tanks and disconnect aerators when treating indoors, and keep it out of drains and gutters.[1]
Common questions
- How much Tempo SC Ultra per gallon?
- 8 mL (0.27 fl oz) per gallon for a 0.025% spray or 16 mL (0.54 fl oz) for 0.05%.[1]
- When can pets go back in after spraying cyfluthrin?
- When treated surfaces are completely dry; the label says to remove pets during application and until then.[1]
- Can I spray Tempo on my mattress or couch?
- No. The label prohibits applying it to parts of furniture or upholstery where people have prolonged contact.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide label, EPA Reg. No. 432-1363 (EPA-stamped, Sept. 22, 2020).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/000432-01363-20200922.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, “IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme, Version 11.5 (Feb. 2026).” irac-online.org/documents/moa-classification/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Bayer Environmental Science, “Tempo SC Ultra Insecticide Material Safety Data Sheet (Bayer Environmental Science, revised August 29, 2008; copy hosted by distributor DoMyOwn).” www.domyown.com/msds/Tempo%20SC%20Ultra%20Insecticide%20MSDS.pdf (accessed 2026-10-16)