Using bleach for plastic terrariums and decorations

[Simland]

I'm about to embark on a disinfecting "binge". I have a bunch of used terrariums and equipment to sterilized before welcoming in new arrivals, but I'm waiting on answers to the following questions.

I was wondering if bleach can be used to disinfect plastic terrariums (the small "transport" type terrariums) and regular small plastic storage containers (I use the latter for quarantine) or if there's any danger associated with that. If it's ok, is there anything to keep in mind?

I'm wondering the same thing about the decorations. Especially fake plants (both plastic and silk) and stuff made out of resin.

Also, what's the safest way to treat gravel (both aquarium and regular type). I heard that boiling rocks can be dangerous because they can explode with significant damage to the surrounding area and unlucky humans if there's trapped air inside. Is it the same for oven "baking"? (I don't remember if the rocks can explode because 100C is hot enough or because they become much hotter thanks to the fact that they are in direct contact with the bottom of the pot...)

Since they're porous, I hesitate to use bleach because I might not be able to wait long enough for the residues to become inactive.

 

[michael]

I clean plastic containers, fake plants, and rocks with dilute bleach. After bleach I rinse once and then rinse with extra dechlorinator added to the water.

 

[Simland]

Ok. Cool. I'll do that. Then I'll let the pebbles soak in a small amount of water and test that water to see if any bleach has leached out into it.

 

[Blackbun]

Did you see this?

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...general-discussion/104501-how-use-bleach.html

 

[Canecorsonewt]

Might depends on the rocks. I have boiled aquarium gravel and rocks i find out side.I boil them for at least 10 minutes no exploding rocks yet. But now i will do some research on exploding rocks.

 

[Simland]

Did you see this?

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f1173-...general-discussion/104501-how-use-bleach.html

Yes, I did. (As a matter of fact, I started that thread ... then I started this one because that other one was getting old and this question was a lot more specific.) I'm aware there's a warning about using bleach for rocks, in that thread. I'm definitely keeping it in mind, but I've also heard about people using it without casualties. I think it's all a matter of being careful, erring on the side of caution, and testing...

Maybe heating the rocks just a bit afterward...or leaving them in the sun... would help the chlorine turn into a gas faster.

As for the exploding rocks. I used to boil rocks, too, and I've never had any problems, but the explanation makes sense to me (granted, I don't know how much pressure would be required to make a rock explode and whether or not air pockets can reach that pressure on a stove top). And the last time I read a warning like that was about water that doesn't boil after the usual amount of time in a microwave. It said not to keep heating it because if you do, it'll keep heating up without boiling until it gets disturbed and then it will explode. Then, one day, I followed a microwave cleaning trick that said to boil water in it for something like ten minutes and at some point during that time the water in my cup exploded out of it. Thankfully it happened before the time came to remove it, otherwise it might have exploded in my face.

 

[manderkeeper]

I bake rocks and rock dishes in the oven from time to time. Bleach is fine for cleaning plastics as long as you rinse very well and let it dry. If I don't rinse really well it leaves a salt looking reside that I worry could become a problem when remoistened. Having said that, I keep all terrestrial stages/species in plastic boxes which are a couple of bucks... I just throw them out if needed and haven't found any need for routine disinfecion. Also, I am not sure bleach will kill eggs of coccidia which can stay viable for a long time.

 

[Simland]

I disinfected all the plastic terrariums and furniture and everything seems fine (test-wise).

Waiting for the new guys / girls.