Alternative cleaners than BLEACH?

[Baller99k]

I don't like using bleach, I worry about too much...

and I may or may not have stained my bathtub a bit, step mom freaked.

I'd rathe rnot buy a reptile product, cuz $$$

I've heard of vinegar and water. does that work as a tank cleaning disinfectant solution?

And what's the water to vinegar ratio?

thanks

[nrfitchett4]

I like simple green. It is supposed to be nontoxic and it hasn't killed my ig in 9 months of using it. I spray it on his shelves that are carpeted with outdoor carpet, scrub and then he goes back in. So far it doesn't seem to bother him.

[Tula_Montage]

I use F10 vet disinfectant. It's a god send! I don't how how available in the US it is though?

Before that I swore by bleach. It kills 99.99% of everything harmful. You just need to make sure you rinse everything off well. With F10 you just spray, scrub and leave. I love it.

[Baller99k]

Theres things that scrub and leave?!?! So you never have lift your tank somewhere to rinse is forever

My tank is 30 gallons of pure heaviness. It's such a pain.

So when you do a monthly cleaning just take out the substrate, spray and wipe the inside of the tank and decor, then replace the substrate? that sounds unreal.

Does simple green work for this? any other products?

[Tula_Montage]

Ark Cleanse works well too, but I trust F10 with my life. It's the best thing since sliced bread....

I only have to do full tub rinses and wash outs twice a year thanks to it. Every other time I spray with f10, scrub and wipe it off. The put in clean substrate and it's all lemony fresh!

[jazzgeek]

Do a search on the forums for "Nolvasan" and/or "Chlorhexadine".

You won't be disappointed. I swear by the stuff.


Dale

[snakewispera snr]

Another shout out for F10... For all the above reasons....
F10 (http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&hs=rLn&q=F10+disinfectant&btnG=Search&meta=)

[caz223]

I clean the rodent tanks and the snake tubs the same way.
1. Remove critter into clean holding area. (Or swap out his dwelling with one you've already cleaned.)
2. Dump old bedding into trash bag, or scoop out with dustpan. Scrape any crusty stuff with dustpan into trash bag.
3. Vacuum out corners and dusty stuff.
4. Quick spray with hot water over drain.
5. Spray liberally with scrubbing bubbles to loosen any soils.
(Scrubbing bubbles is known also as quaternary ammonia, and works great.)
6. Let sit for a few minutes and rinse with hot water. Make sure any visible soil is removed.
7. Spray a little bit of hot water in the bottom of the tank. (Just enough to get your rag wet and then some.)
8. Put a few drops of full strength nolvasan in the water and slosh until the water has a nice visible medium blue tint.
9. Put a clean rag in the prepared nolvasan, and wipe down the item, inside and out, and let it dry. If you add the right amount of water, you'll minimize waste, prevent cross-contamination, and not have to dump nolvasan down the drain where it eventually gets into ground water. Just enough to wet the rag and leave a bit on the surface of the tank/tub.
10. Marvel at how clean it smells, how clean your hands are, and how your clothes don't have little white spots in them. Be happy.
Throw dirty rag into dirty rag bucket for when batch cleaning is done. Don't cross-contaminate, use a clean rag for every tank. Also, don't dip a dirty rag into a bucket with clean solution.
Put your clean item on a rack to dry, and repeat as needed with the rest of your critters.

Seriously, nolvasan rocks. It's primary use from what I've seen is a surgical scrub in vets offices. It's easy on your hands because it's made for skin contact.
Everyone cleans differently, but for me this seems to be the easiest way to be sure that everything is clean.
If you have a lot of critters, then imagine taking them all to the vet. Now buy a bottle of nolvasan and use it.
Marvel at how much cheaper it is than a trip to the vet. Be happy.

[nrfitchett4]

Theres things that scrub and leave?!?! So you never have lift your tank somewhere to rinse is forever

My tank is 30 gallons of pure heaviness. It's such a pain.

So when you do a monthly cleaning just take out the substrate, spray and wipe the inside of the tank and decor, then replace the substrate? that sounds unreal.

Does simple green work for this? any other products?

I don't rinse the simple green and my baby ig has survived the last 9 months. Is is advertised as all natural and 100% non toxic. I got the idea of of the greeniguanasociety.org.

[Cat_Eyed_Lady]

I use nolvasan too.... been useing it for yearssssssss. I was raised on a horse farm and milked cows when I was in high school. Nolvasan is what farmers use as udder dip and cleaner.... you can usually find it around here in any 'farmers store' like fleet farm or farm and fleet. I also used it to clean the tubes for when I was breeding birds. It really is an all purpose cleaner and the nice thing is no constant rinseing or Bad smell like bleach.

[Tracee]

I use F10 vet disinfectant. It's a god send! I don't how how available in the US it is though?

Before that I swore by bleach. It kills 99.99% of everything harmful. You just need to make sure you rinse everything off well. With F10 you just spray, scrub and leave. I love it.
Thanks for the recommendation, I've been looking for something easy and cheap to get in the UK for a while. I think I'll have to get some of those F10 wipes for the viv glass. An easy way to clean when the glass is dirty but the viv is fine. :)

[Tula_Montage]

Oh Tracee you are missing out lassie!

I bought a tiny bottle and it's lasted me almost a year. It's soooooooooo concentrated!

[snakewispera snr]

Oh Tracee you are missing out lassie!

I bought a tiny bottle and it's lasted me almost a year. It's soooooooooo concentrated!
This should back up our claim that it's the best...
F10 (http://www.f10biocare.co.uk/)
No messing F10 has so many uses and according to the bumph it's safer than water

[Tula_Montage]

Oh and it's more than just a disinfectant. I am currently using it to aid in treating a respiratory infection via nebulisation. It's like wonderliquid or something...

[Tracee]

I cannot purchase it fast enough!!

[Tula_Montage]

Quick! Before it disappears off the face of the earth!!! Then I shall dieeeee. And so will all my snakes, because I won't be there to F10 them. Ahhhhhhhhh

[snakewispera snr]

Quick! Before it disappears off the face of the earth!!! Then I shall dieeeee. And so will all my snakes, because I won't be there to F10 them. Ahhhhhhhhh
Don't worry they will come up with a new improved version....
Probably called F11 or G10 or something......:o

[Tula_Montage]

G force 11 perhaps?

[redarndt]

I have been using vineger and water for ever. I've had my corn for a little over a year now and he is just fine. I use a 20 oz. spray bottle. I put 4 oz of vinegar in the bottle and the rest water. I spray the tank and wipe it out with paper towels. It works great and its cheap!!!!

[Baller99k]

I have been using vineger and water for ever. I've had my corn for a little over a year now and he is just fine. I use a 20 oz. spray bottle. I put 4 oz of vinegar in the bottle and the rest water. I spray the tank and wipe it out with paper towels. It works great and its cheap!!!!

REALLY? That sounds like what I am going to do. So about 20% water, the rest vinegar, and you spray and wipe. that's it? No rinsing?

[stephen]

Unless your corns are sick or have mites there is no reason to use anything but a mild dish soap,and to make sure things are cleaned well use the hottest water out of your tap to rinse it in

[caz223]

Unless your corns are sick or have mites there is no reason to use anything but a mild dish soap,and to make sure things are cleaned well use the hottest water out of your tap to rinse it in


That's true if you use the same tub for the same snake.

But if you swap tubs, if you don't use a product that has some type of sanitizer, you're risking cross-contamination.

By the time one snake shows symptoms of an illness, you have prolly cleaned his tub, and swapped it with another. Now that tub with a potential pathogen is in your stack of clean tubs. I'm not risking it.

[redarndt]

4oz of vinegar and the rest water. Spray, wipe and that is it.

[sacrifice.theory]

Is there any place online that ships F10 to the US?
I'd love to try it!

[caz223]

I just bought 2 small bottles of it off EBAY, gonna give it a try.
Too bad it's so hard to get here.

[jpccusa]

Anyone in the US interested in becoming a distributor of F10? I can be your client. :)

[Tracee]

REALLY? That sounds like what I am going to do. So about 20% water, the rest vinegar, and you spray and wipe. that's it? No rinsing?
Other way round, that works out at 20% vinegar, 80% water. I've never tried using vinegar though so can't recommend or not recommend it. A 10% bleach solution has always worked well for me.

Can't wait to try this F10 though! It's really quite inexpensive for something so reptile-safe and because it lasts for ages it will be more than worth it. :D

[Baller99k]

Ya I meant that sorry. I have a heavy tank, so I need to do my monthly cleaning without having to rinse...And since vinegar is dirt cheap, i'll try it. But I want to know if it will clean enough to keep my snake tank fresh and safe.

[redarndt]

All I know is I've been using it sense I got my corn and he is just over a year old. It works for me and he is really healthy. I have been trying to figure out how to up load some pictures of him on the photo gallery but have'nt figured it out yet. If you try it let me know how you like it.

[jpccusa]

It seems like the Nolvasan is the American version of the F10 (:shrugs:)

Usually only 3 ounces per gallon will be used... http://www.petvetsupply.com/dismfra001.html

[tricksterpup]

You won't be disappointed. I swear by the stuff.


Dale
Didn't your mother ever tell you not to Swear??


I personally use Bleach and water mix for clean up at my place.
i had 1 part Bleach to 10 parts water.

Another item you can use is Oxyclean. I would use it for fish tanks back in the day.

[redarndt]

what is F10?

[jpccusa]

what is F10?

Read the entire thread and you'll even find links to where to buy it. ;)

[sacrifice.theory]

It seems like the Nolvasan is the American version of the F10 (:shrugs:)

Usually only 3 ounces per gallon will be used... http://www.petvetsupply.com/dismfra001.html

I kind of gathered that, too.
After reading more about it, anyways.
I think I'm gonna try some out.

[jpccusa]

I found another product online... Not sure how safe/efficient it is.
Here is the link: http://householdtraditions.com/benefect.htm
Also, I noticed that this product is not supposed to be diluted, so as far as cost, it turns out to be more expensive than Novalsan.