Acceptable cleaning supply ?

Tony C

Tony C

Wayward Frogger
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3,899
Location
Columbia, SC
I use it to glean grease off of my engine, I wouldn't trust it with animals. I use Healthy Habitat for spot cleaning, and 10% bleach solution when sanitizing cages/tubs between occupants.
 
fl_orchidslave

fl_orchidslave

New Member
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4,074
Location
St. Augustine, FL
Tony C said:
I use it to glean grease off of my engine, I wouldn't trust it with animals. I use Healthy Habitat for spot cleaning, and 10% bleach solution when sanitizing cages/tubs between occupants.
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What a mental picture that gave me! A gecko in a do-rag, perched atop the engine, spraying green stuff all over to wash off his greasy little footprints. Look out geico gecko!

Healthy habitat is good stuff, smells nice, and is completely safe even if the animal is still in the cage (of course no direct spray contact). I had to get away from bleach because I end up with spots everywhere so now its full strength peroxide in a spray bottle.
 
Tony C

Tony C

Wayward Frogger
Messages
3,899
Location
Columbia, SC
Spraying vinegar then peroxide (DO NOT premix) will form paracetic acid, a powerful sanitizing agent which quickly degrades into harmless compounds.
 
T-ReXx

T-ReXx

Uroplatus Fanatic
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Location
Buffalo, NY
I use Chlorahexidine generally, we use it for surgical sanitizing at our Vet office and it's generally considered safe for all animals. I also use a 10% bleach solution for complete cage breakdowns and cleanings.
 
T-ReXx

T-ReXx

Uroplatus Fanatic
Messages
1,745
Location
Buffalo, NY
fuzzylogix said:
same here. i actually have chlorahexadine in a diluted form in a spray bottle for cleaning tubs. vinegar is also useful for soaking bowl, hides, etc...
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Yup, I use a dilute Chorahexadine spray for tub cleaning, cleaning the glass on arboreal cages, etc. I also use a slightly more concentrated version for soaking dishes, etc.
 
Enigmatic_Reptiles

Enigmatic_Reptiles

Quality is Everything
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6,779
Location
Corona, CA
I don't use anything but healthy habitat when it comes to cleaning. I think people over disinfect their tubs/cages. Twice a year I do a real thorough disinfecting of tubs, but other than that I spot clean regularly and clean with healthy habitat once a month (unless a tub requires it more frequently)
 
Designer Geckos

Designer Geckos

Contributor
Messages
967
Location
Boulder, CO
This has been discussed many times here, but just to reiterate our opinion with lots of testing done.....

Nolvasan is probably the best and safest all around disinfectant and is used in almost all veterinary hospitals, so it is proven.

We use Quatricide PV15 which is a quaternary ammonium product. It gets diluted 1:256, so 1 tablespoon of Quatricide in one gallon of water. We then pour the solution into a spray bottle and use that to wipe out our enclosures, being sure to not leave any residue and to wipe dry. We have used this product for years with no adverse health effects on the animals. Quat is more potent than Nolvasan and also kills spores, mold, and fungus, which is especially important in humid regions like Florida, TX, etc. Quat is used in most animal research operations today with great effectiveness and a solid safety profile if used according to directions.

We soak all of our dishes overnight in a peroxide H2Orange/water solution, then scrub them by hand in hot soapy water being sure to rinse very thoroughly.

Note: Don't EVER mix any ammonium based product with bleach as it produces a lethal gas that will kill your animals quickly.

The majority of reptile health issues are the result of inferior husbandry. Keep your enclosures and animals as clean as possible and you'll all be happy.
 
T-ReXx

T-ReXx

Uroplatus Fanatic
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1,745
Location
Buffalo, NY
Designer Geckos said:
Nolvasan is probably the best and safest all around disinfectant and is used in almost all veterinary hospitals, so it is proven.
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Just a heads up; Nolvasan is toxic to cats, has been known to cause chemical burns in cats that are placed in kennels immediately after the kennel was cleaned with Nolvasan. So, if any of you have any kitties, be sure they don't get exposed to it.
 
Designer Geckos

Designer Geckos

Contributor
Messages
967
Location
Boulder, CO
T-ReXx said:
Just a heads up; Nolvasan is toxic to cats, has been known to cause chemical burns in cats that are placed in kennels immediately after the kennel was cleaned with Nolvasan. So, if any of you have any kitties, be sure they don't get exposed to it.
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Yep, quats are also somewhat toxic to cats. The key with Nolvasan and quats for any animal is to be sure no residue is left behind....a little is said to form a protective anti-pathogen barrier but I'd proceed with caution when leaving residual amounts behind on a surface for any animal.

That being said, as I've mentioned before, I know that many drug research operations use quats in cancer research husbandry on immune-deficient mice with no toxicity, but it is always best to be very cautious when using germicidals around all animals, especially our beloved and very valuable leos.

I'd also be VERY cautious when mixing cats and leos!
 
Strikerboy

Strikerboy

New Member
Messages
23
Location
Sullivan, IN
I'm confused...on the bottle of my Nolvasan it says dilute with 3 oz per gallon for inanimate objects...then it says dilute with 1 oz per gallon for disinfection. Which is it...3 oz per gallon or 1 oz per gallon?
 
RAlbrecht

RAlbrecht

Gecko Medic
Messages
222
Location
Ft Monroe,VA / Danville,NH
I've been doing 1oz per gallon for disinfection, then using 91% isopropyl alcohol after just for extra cleaning, I also use Healthy Habitat for spot cleaning. I may be a bit "anal" about the cleaning but I live on a Army base in probably the oldest place known to man, so don't want anything getting to my animals. But since I'm a medic I can also get other cleaners and do testing for mold/spores that others can't... Its nice to have a full lab for growing stuff and checking it all out :)
 
Pokersnake

Pokersnake

Member
Messages
252
Location
Chicagoland IL
I am a big fan of vinegar. Spot cleaning is done with hot water and a dash of vinegar. For heavier cleaning I'll soak in hot water and vinegar for a few minutes. Rinse well and dry. No need to let things bake in the sun.
 
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