Cleaning Enclosures (that are really, really nasty)

[SharkBoy1120]

I'm going to preface this by saying I am fully aware that bleach or other chemicals should not be used to clean an enclosure that I plan to use soon.

My question is: If I have enclosures that I plan to use in the future, can I wash them with bleach now? By future I'm talking at least a month, cause I'd like to use them after a few spiders molt. If I wash with bleach now, how long should I wait before housing spiders in them? Is a month enough time or should it be more? Or am I not able to use bleach/chemicals at all on items intended to be enclosures?

Any other cleaning methods you'd recommend?

Specific scenario here is that my nephew gave me quite a few critter keepers and a few tarantula cribs, but they'd all been sitting outside for months and have grass and water and dirt all that in them. I know they do not use outdoor pesticide, so I feel less concerned about that. I suppose there's also the possibility that I shouldn't use these enclosures at all?

Thank you in advance for any insight/advice/etc

 

[arthurliuyz]

grass and water and dirt all that in them

Those come off with a good rinse, don't they?

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Warm water and dish soap go a long way.
You might be surprised

 

[viper69]

Never used bleach

 

[spideyspinneret78]

Diluted vinegar might be useful.

 

[The Snark]

By using bleach you mean you want to sterilize the tanks? Ordinary bleach will sterilize but only on the surface. It isn't wet and cannot penetrate many materials. Rinse thoroughly is sufficient to remove most toxic residue. Rinse with a solution of baking soda in water followed by clear water to remove chlorine odor and neutralize any acids that remain. Not recommended for use on plastics. The chlorine can attack some plastics.

If you have porous materials BKC is the sterilizer of choice. Must be rinsed off thoroughly and repeatedly and allowed to air dry for a week or two. A respirator is highly recommended when in the presence of BKC. Aerosol and particulates readily attack sinuses, throat and lungs.

 

[darkness975]

No bleach.

 

[The Snark]

Yeah. Best to keep the stuff away from critter sanctuaries. Best bet is just do as others have said, clean it thoroughly. Dishwashing liquid or it you want something stronger, try to find unscented laundry detergent. Leaving the containments out in the sun for a few days can't hurt.

 

[vancwa]

Nothing with chemicals! Warm water and paper towels have always worked for me.

 

[Isopods others]

Can you use vinegar? I think you can use vinegar and water

 

[slocoj91]

I got some faunariums from someone who had housed frogs in them. They had given them a cursory rinse but there was a residue - possibly a fungal film as it was an orange-ish colour and not very visible from all sides. Once I got them separated (thanks to a suggestion on here, I was getting very frustrated xD) I gave them a thorough wipe with paper towels with dish soap, then let them sit with hot soapy water for a bit, and rinsed them all down thoroughly afterwards. Dried them off again with paper towels and there was no remaining crap coming off. The one I'm using of them so far has my A seemanni in it and I've had no signs of anything being wrong - I frequently add water down the sides to moisten the lower levels.

Of course there could be something unseen causing invisible issues. But that could be the case with every enclosure - often things are used that aren't intended for the purpose, ventilation holes are added with heat or cut (which generates heat). Adhesives are used. Fake plants, possibly with heat mats. So I give things time to sit before using them when I've made vent holes and it is thicker material, or if I'm using adhesive. It means I realise I need to think ahead of time of what I'm using as housing. It's the best I can do, as is scrubbing and rinsing potential enclosures. I've got a vet disinfectant that I use on mammalian enclosures for animals I board, but again I rinse everything thoroughly afterwards. If in doubt I rinse again. Maybe none of this is helpful but it's mostly just to show I do my best and there's plenty to stress over.

I'm typically avoidant of bleach as I can't handle the smell and I don't really find it useful - using it on mold for example will make it no longer visible, but it doesn't actually kill off the spores based on what I've been told. In most cases I think the manual scrubbing etc plus soap to encapsulate/act as a surfactant, then rinsing away, does the job. I'll stop rambling now, I overthink everything and had to think about why I don't bother with bleach a great deal!