Demand CS has three standard mix rates per gallon of water: 0.2 fl oz (6 mL) for a low rate, 0.4 fl oz (12 mL) for a mid rate, and 0.8 fl oz (24 mL) for the maximum rate. Which one you use depends on the pest you’re targeting and how severe the problem is. One gallon of finished solution covers roughly 1,000 square feet.
The Three Label Rates Per Gallon
The Demand CS label lists three concentration levels for hand application equipment like pump sprayers:
- 0.015% (low rate): 0.2 fl oz (6 mL) per gallon of water
- 0.03% (mid rate): 0.4 fl oz (12 mL) per gallon of water
- 0.06% (high rate): 0.8 fl oz (24 mL) per gallon of water
The low rate works well for ongoing maintenance when pest pressure is light. The mid rate at 0.4 fl oz per gallon is the most commonly used mix for general cleanout of common household pests. The high rate is reserved for severe infestations or specific pests that need the extra concentration.
Which Rate to Use for Your Pest
Most household pests fall into the low-to-mid rate range (0.2 to 0.4 fl oz per gallon). This covers ants, cockroaches, spiders, fleas, crickets, silverfish, earwigs, centipedes, millipedes, wasps, carpenter bees, boxelder bugs, carpet beetles, bed bugs (adults), mosquitoes, ticks, and termites (above ground only). If you’re dealing with a routine ant or spider problem, start at the low rate and move up to the mid rate if you’re not getting results.
The high rate of 0.8 fl oz per gallon is labeled for tougher targets or heavier infestations. Scorpions, pillbugs, litter beetles, and spider mites call for this concentration. Cockroaches, mosquitoes, ticks, spiders, crickets, and flies also appear on the high-rate list. The label specifically notes that severe tick infestations and residual mosquito control benefit from the 0.06% concentration.
Special Mix Rates
Two situations call for a different ratio than the standard three rates. For spot treatments of cracks, crevices, and small areas, mix 0.5 fl oz of Demand CS per 1 to 2.5 gallons of water. Fire ant mound drenches use the same product amount: 0.5 fl oz per 2.5 gallons of water, applied directly to the mound.
Outdoor Lawn and Yard Applications
If you’re spraying turf, landscaping, or yard areas for mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas, the label uses a different measurement system based on area rather than gallons. The rate is 3.4 to 7 mL per 1,000 square feet (or 5 to 10 fl oz per acre). For mosquito control on turf, Syngenta recommends applying the product in 2 to 5 gallons of water per 1,000 square feet for best coverage.
For tick control in yards, spray vegetation, brush, branches, rock walls, and other areas near your home where ticks shelter. Treat the entire area rather than making spot applications. You can begin treatments in spring and continue until frost to target both larvae and adults. Keep people and pets off treated areas until the spray has fully dried.
How to Mix a Tank
Fill your sprayer about halfway with water, add the measured amount of Demand CS, then top off with the remaining water. Give the tank a good shake or agitation before spraying. The “CS” stands for capsule suspension, meaning the active ingredient is enclosed in tiny microcapsules that stay suspended in solution. These capsules stick to surfaces and release their contents slowly over time, which is what gives the product its long residual.
That residual effect lasts up to 90 days on treated surfaces. A Purdue University trial confirmed 90-day control of German cockroaches on hard surfaces at both the mid and high rates. This extended activity means you typically only need to reapply every three months for ongoing control.
Coverage and Practical Math
One gallon of mixed solution covers approximately 1,000 square feet when applied as a perimeter or crack-and-crevice treatment. So for a standard home perimeter spray, one or two gallons of finished solution is usually enough. If you’re treating a 2,000-square-foot area at the mid rate, you’d mix 0.8 fl oz (24 mL) of Demand CS into 2 gallons of water.
A quick reference for the mid rate, which is the most popular for general pest control:
- 1 gallon: 0.4 fl oz (12 mL)
- 2 gallons: 0.8 fl oz (24 mL)
- 5 gallons: 2.0 fl oz (60 mL)
Since the amounts are small, a measuring syringe or the measuring device included with the product gives you much better accuracy than eyeballing it with a standard measuring cup. Precision matters here because the difference between the low rate and the high rate is less than one fluid ounce per gallon.