There is a distinct difference between a wettable powder and a soluble powder. A soluble powder dissolves when mixed with water, in the same manner as dissolving sugar in water. Wettable powders do not dissolve. When mixed with water a wettable powder forms a suspension. That is, the particles that make up the material float throughout the solution. The main advantages of wettable powder insecticides: initial knock-down of targeted pests, extended residual effects and (in most cases) odorless. A WP product has a longer residual than micro encapsulated concentrates.
When an emulsifiable concentrate insecticide (for instance) is mixed and sprayed on a wood surface, much of the active ingredient is absorbed into the wood or evaporates. When a wettable powder solution is sprayed on the same surface, 100% of the active ingredients are left on the surface of the wood. This feature provides a faster knock-down of insects and other pests. When dealing with infestations of spiders, centipedes, millipedes, German cockroaches, the extra knock-down of wettable powders (and a few microencapsulated products) is desirable. This insecticide formulation also gives a 90 day (or better) residual; emulsifiable concentrated products give 28 to 31 days residual.
The main disadvantage of a wettable powder: the finished solution can leave a visible residue on dark surfaces. (Visible residue is not to be confused with staining. Most professional indoor pesticides are water-safe for fabrics.) Saga WP is an insecticide that requires only .1 to .2 ounces of concentrate per gallon of water, which leaves very little visible residue. Wettable powder insecticide concentrates usually cost slightly more (per gallon of solution mixed) than liquid concentrates but are well worth the extra cost. When Cypermethrin products (Demon WP, Cynoff WP) were introduced to the professional pest control market, most pest control companies began their now popular quarterly pest control accounts. The super long residual of wettable powders meant that monthly spraying of homes was no longer necessary.

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