Follow these instructions for best performance.
1. Your Sideswipe or Sideswipe Pro may come fully assembled or partially assembled. Review the illustrated parts list of the Sideswipe and note all parts.
2. Unscrew the handle from the clear 450 elbow. Note the washer inside the handle’s opening. Be certain the washer is properly placed inside the handles opening.
3. Unscrew the clear 450elbow from the pad to expose the washer and the small hole in the end of the pad. Be sure the washer is properly secured inside the pad end. The small hole in the end of the pad meters the herbicide into the pad. The inner surface of the pad is perforated to allow fluids to seep through to the outside nap.
4. To use the shield with the Sideswipe (to protect desirable vegetation as you wipe beneath it), assemble the clear 450 elbow to the drip ring, and then to the pad. Hand tighten. DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN. Insert the pad, elbow first and pointing toward the solid back wall of the shield, through one end of the shield until the drip ring fits snugly into the opposite end of the shield. The shield is properly installed when it covers the top area of the pad when assembled to the handle.
5. Using a funnel and plastic gloves, fill the handle with the herbicide (natural weed killer) of your choice. Also see #11 and #12.
6. Screw the pad assembly into the filled handle and lower the pad. Using a slow swaying motion, allow a few minutes to wet the bottom area of the pad. Your Sideswipe is now ready to use.
7. Use a swaying motion to wipe the herbicide onto the weed, wiping the top and bottom of the weed leaves. Do not rub the pad in the soil.
8. Carry the Sideswipe with the pad elevated above the handle to stop wetting the pad.
9. Hose-threaded shut-off valves are available at garden centers, and can be installed between the handle and the clear elbow for use in storage, or carrying the Sideswipe from one location to another.
10. To get a new wiping area on the pad, unscrew the elbow, reverse it end for end, and reattach to the pad. This rotates the pad 180 degrees.
11. The Sideswipe was designed for use with systemic herbicides such as Monsanto’s Roundup, using a concentrated formula. Do not use ready-mixed herbicides, as the solution is generally too weak for wipe-on application. Read and follow your herbicide’s label for wipe-on application. If there is no labeled direction for wipe-on application, contact your herbicide’s customer service department, or your local county extension agent or weed and pest control agency.
12. If you intend to use more than one kind of herbicide with your Sideswipe, we recommend that you purchase an extra pad, and dedicate one pad for use with each different herbicide. This helps prevent accidental damage to desirable vegetation when switching from non-selective herbicides (such as-Roundup) to selective herbicides (such as 2-4,D). Always thoroughly rinse handle before using a different herbicide, following the label directions for your particular herbicide.
KEEP OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
CARE AND CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Take care when filling the Sideswipe to prevent any debris from gaining access to the handle/reservoir. Should the metering hole in the pad end become clogged, being careful not to enlarge the hole, use a pin or air to reopen the hole.
2. Do not over tighten the handle to the elbow, nor the elbow to the pad. Over tightening will shorten the life of the elbow threads, and can result in breakage.
3. After each use, wash the pad thoroughly in warm sudsy water, allow to dry, and store.
ALWAYS FOLLOW HERBICIDE MANUFACTURER’S LABELED INSTRUCTIONS!