Yates White Oil 400g Aerosol – Ready to Use Spray for Scale, Aphids & Mites

Yates White Oil 400g Aerosol: Ready-to-Use Spray for Sap-Sucking Pests

Yates White Oil is a horticultural oil spray that controls scale, aphids, mites, mealybugs and whitefly on citrus, ornamentals and indoor plants. This 400g pack is a ready-to-use aerosol, so there's no mixing or measuring; you spray it straight onto the plant. It's a good fit for the pests that cling to leaves and stems, particularly scale on citrus, which is one of the most common reasons gardeners reach for white oil.

White oil works physically rather than chemically. Instead of poisoning pests, the oil coats them and blocks the pores they breathe through, so they suffocate. That mode of action is why it's effective on soft-bodied and armoured sucking pests that sit still on the plant, and why thorough coverage, including the undersides of leaves where these pests hide, matters more than with a conventional insecticide.

Pests and Plants It Suits

• Controls scale, aphids, mites, mealybugs and whitefly

• Well suited to citrus, ornamentals and many hard-leafed indoor plants

• Can double as a leaf gloss on hard-leafed indoor plants when applied lightly to clean, dry leaves

• Works by smothering pests, so it's useful where sucking pests sit on leaves and stems

How to Apply It

Spray lightly and evenly over affected plants, covering all surfaces including the undersides of the foliage where pests shelter. Hold the can around 15cm from the plant and move in a sweeping motion, roughly a metre every five seconds, rather than soaking one spot. Spraying too close can chill and damage the leaf, so keep your distance and keep moving.

When Not to Spray

White oil is safe on edibles when used as directed, but timing and conditions matter to avoid leaf damage:

• Don't use it on citrus trees in late autumn or winter

• Don't apply within four weeks of a sulphur spray

• Avoid spraying directly onto flowers, bromeliads or palms

• Don't spray in hot or windy conditions, or when the soil is dry and plants are moisture-stressed

• If harvesting, don't pick edible crops for one day after spraying

Because it's an aerosol, it's also flammable and pressurised: keep it away from heat, flames and sparks, don't spray near an open flame, don't pierce or burn the can, and store it below 50°C out of direct sun and out of reach of children. It's harmful to fish, so keep it away from ponds and waterways. Always read and follow the label.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pests does Yates White Oil control?
It controls scale, aphids, mites, mealybugs and whitefly, the sap-sucking pests that cling to leaves and stems.

Do I need to mix it with water?
No. The 400g aerosol is ready to use, so you spray it directly onto the plant with no mixing.

How does white oil actually kill pests?
It smothers them. The oil blocks the pores insects breathe through, so good coverage, including under the leaves, is what makes it work.

Can I use it on my citrus tree?
Yes, citrus scale is one of its main uses, but not on citrus in late autumn or winter, and not within four weeks of a sulphur spray.

Is it safe on edible plants?
Yes, when used as directed. Don't pick edible crops for one day after spraying.

Can I use it to shine indoor plant leaves?
Yes. On hard-leafed indoor plants, clean the leaves with a damp cloth first, then apply lightly and evenly to the upper surface.

Where can I buy Yates White Oil 400g in Australia?
It's available from BPG Supplies (Bonnyrigg Produce & Garden Supplies), with local pickup in Bonnyrigg NSW and delivery across Australia.