What should you do before eating, drinking, or using the restroom after applying pesticides?

Washing your hands before eating, drinking, or using the restroom after applying pesticides is essential for ensuring your safety and preventing any potential transfer of harmful chemicals. Pesticides, depending on their formulation and type, can leave residues on your skin, and these residues may be inadvertently ingested if you handle food or touch your mouth after application.

By washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water, you effectively remove any pesticide residues, significantly reducing the risk of contamination. This is a key practice in maintaining personal hygiene and reducing exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, and it is emphasized in safety guidelines and training for pesticide applicators.

Other actions such as changing clothes or taking a shower might also contribute to safety, but the immediate and practical measure is to ensure hand hygiene. Putting on gloves, while important during the application process, does not help once the gloves are removed if proper handwashing is not conducted afterward.