How to Make Mildew & Pest Sprays in Project Zomboid (Build 42.19)

Build 42.19 · Farming sprays, Cure menu, and 10-use cans (fluid amounts in liters)

Empty Can Craft base

Mildew Spray Milk cure

Pest Flies Spray Tobacco cure

Aphids Spray Alcohol cure

Slug Repellent Loot only

What you can treat

Build 42.19 shows four plant problems in the farming UI: Mildew, Pest Flies, Aphids, and Slugs. Each needs its own cure item. Sprays do not cross-cure, and they do not water crops.

How to unlock the recipes

All three craftable spray recipes must be learned before they appear. They are hand-craft farming recipes—no workbench required.

You do not need one generic “The Farming Magazine.” Magazines 1 and 2 teach different sprays. Magazines 3–7 cover seasons, scarecrows, and jarring—not these cures.

Empty Gardening Spray Can

Every craftable spray starts with one Empty Gardening Spray Can (weight 0.3). The empty can does not store free water, water plants, or hold “10 units of water” on its own.

• The number 10 refers to uses on finished sprays, not empty-can capacity.
• When a spray runs out, it becomes an empty can again—you can refill it with the same craft recipes.
• Common finds: garden / shed / farm loot, junk bins, and closet junk. Hardware stores and residential sheds are good first checks.

Craft recipes (Build 42.19)

Mildew Spray

Empty can ×1

Animal milk 1.0 L fluid

• Craft name: Make Mildew Cure (or similar in the craft menu)
• Inputs: empty can + 1.0 L cow, sheep, or animal milk from any container that holds enough
• Output: Mildew Spray (10 uses)
• Fresh or spoiled milk still works if the fluid is milk—the recipe checks the liquid type, not a single “milk item” quality flag

Pest Flies Spray

Three material options share the same learned recipe. Learn once; craft with whichever tobacco source you have. All need an empty can and 1.0 L Water.

Cigarettes ×5

Loose tobacco ×8

Chewing tobacco ×5

Aphids Spray

Empty can ×1

Rubbing alcohol 0.2 L fluid

• Craft name: Make Aphids Cure (or similar in the craft menu)
• Inputs: empty can + 1.0 L water + 0.2 L rubbing alcohol
• Common alcohol source: Bottle of Disinfectant (holds 0.5 L rubbing alcohol)
• Output: Aphids Spray (10 uses)

How to use sprays on plants

1. Inspect the plant (farming info / context) to see which problem is active: Mildew, Pest Flies, Aphids, or Slugs.
2. Have the matching cure item in inventory with remaining uses.
3. Right-click the plant and open the Cure submenu.
4. Choose the matching disease entry. The game consumes spray uses and lowers that disease level only.

• Each use reduces disease by 10 + Farming skill (skill 0 → 10; skill 5 → 15, and so on).
• Severe infections need multiple applications. One spray can is 10 uses, not a guaranteed full cure in one click.
• Wrong spray type does nothing useful for the wrong disease—match the problem name.
• Empty can does not water plants. Use a real water container for watering.

Slugs: Slug Repellent

Slugs are cured with Slug Repellent, a loot item with 10 uses. There is no craft recipe that turns a gardening spray can into slug cure.

• Use it from the same plant Cure → Slugs path when the item has charges left.
• Look in garden supply and related loot (farm / shed style). Keep spares if you run large outdoor plots.
• Some crops resist or deter slugs by plant type; sprays still do not replace good plant selection.

Practical farm checklist

Common mistakes

FAQ