Household shipping and fumigation
 

Hi all

My household gets shipped out on 12 December, and I have busied myself preparing gardening equipment, and "soft-wood" items, by painting or varnishing. My son, who has lived in NZ since 2004, says this is pointless, as during inspection they will always choose to fumigate. (I wouldn't mind that, if they charge me to fumigate a whole carton rather than individual items).

I got several removal quotes, and had varying answers to my questions about customs and how they decide what is ok, and what is treated. The average response went something like 'it depends upon who does the inspection' and 'if you place certain items together for inspection, they will fumigate that whole container'.

For example:
Garden spade and trowels (I cleaned and metal-painted them).
Musical instrument made of bamboo which I don't want to have to look out for all over again once in NZ (I cleaned and varnished it into its deepest recesses).

Last question - might it help to label these items within their container, to clarify what action I took?

Myrna

Re: Household shipping and fumigation
 

I'm not sure on the bamboo stuff but marking and providing evidence won't do any harm. as for garden tools if they look and smell clean, use loads of jeyes liquid on them, there is a disinfectant our shipper recommended but can't remember its name now. But as already said to you it does all depend on who inspects it and how jobs worth they are.
we had a tent and the guy just said "tent" I said used it twice and he said "ok" and ticked it off. when we opened it up there was lots of grass seeds and dead spiders in it. not sure what he would of done if he had opened it and saw that as all our stuff was inspected at our rental

Re: Household shipping and fumigation
 

we have just brought over 3 tents, garden tools, wicker, garden furniture, garden pots and ornaments all cleaned and sprayed with Jeys yes they were inspected no they did not need further cleaning. They will inspect what they want to including hoovers and xmas decotartions as wel as shoes so its good to put all shoes in one box (Particuarly clean sports shoes!).
The UK is not so bad having ping ponged but still our container was xrayed by customs so tbh its the luck of the draw!

Re: Household shipping and fumigation
 

pine cones be very aware pine cones in any shape or form, plastic/real will be disposed of, if they are stuck to a Christmas tree the whole lot will go

Re: Household shipping and fumigation
 

We brought, bikes and garden tools, kayaks and power tools. No inspection this end. We cleaned with Jeyes fluid and apparently the packers sprayed something else around liberally too. We metal painted the garden tools aswell.