Cleaning Driftwood and Rocks I Found??!

[monsterbeard]

Hey guys!! Yesterday my girlfriend and I went down to the lake (Geneva on Lake Eerie to be specific :mrgreen: )

As you may have heard lake eerie's bacteria levels have been really high so I want to do this right!
The driftwood and rocks we found are really beautiful. I have been researching different ways to clean them, some being a bleach/water solution.. ive read iodine, soaking it, boiling, sticking in the oven.. I want to know which way and order is the absolute best to make sure these are sterilized!
I tried to search this site and didnt have much luck.. so here is to a new thread on how to properly clean driftwood and rocks you may have found yourself!

Thanks for your incoming advice !

 

[AHBD]

Hi there ! I like collecting my cage furniture from outside as well. I have beautiful rocks, branches + driftwood, and free is always good. BUT.....I would definitely not use anything taken from Lake Erie. The algae growing there is deadly, and from what I read, boiling actually concentrates the toxins ! This is not the normal algae that grows in many bodies of water, but is something else [ blue -green ] If you Google " deadly algae in Lake Erie" you'll see what it is. So i would have no idea how to clean +sterilize anything taken from near or in the water. To be safe, collect things that are not anywhere near the water, that you can be sure have not been in the water. I always just clean the rocks with hot, soapy water + vinegar and then rinse with hot water. By the way, red wine vinegar is stronger than white vinegar and stronger than bleach, but any vinegar is fine. The wood I put in the preheated oven for 45 -60 minutes at 250. I preheat so if anything crawls out it will die instantly, though I've never seen anything crawl out yet !

 

[monsterbeard]

Hi there ! I like collecting my cage furniture from outside as well. I have beautiful rocks, branches + driftwood, and free is always good. BUT.....I would definitely not use anything taken from Lake Erie. The algae growing there is deadly, and from what I read, boiling actually concentrates the toxins ! This is not the normal algae that grows in many bodies of water, but is something else [ blue -green ] If you Google " deadly algae in Lake Erie" you'll see what it is. So i would have no idea how to clean +sterilize anything taken from near or in the water. To be safe, collect things that are not anywhere near the water, that you can be sure have not been in the water. I always just clean the rocks with hot, soapy water + vinegar and then rinse with hot water. By the way, red wine vinegar is stronger than white vinegar and stronger than bleach, but any vinegar is fine. The wood I put in the preheated oven for 45 -60 minutes at 250. I preheat so if anything crawls out it will die instantly, though I've never seen anything crawl out yet !

Thanks for the advice I was hoping not to hear that! The water didnt look that bad on Geneva, and I've already got a lot of rocks in my new fish tank... Fortunately nothing in there yet, we have been letting it cycle and I'm thinking I'll have to find a bacteria test kit of sorts as well as the ph tester.... Uhh darn. Well they're so beautiful i really hope someone else has more hopeful advice. I don't want to risk it, I'll have to do more research to see if there is a definite sterilization process for this situation

 

[monsterbeard]

Do any moderators or professionals have any advice on removing possible bacteria?

 

[BadCon]

Do any moderators or professionals have any advice on removing possible bacteria?

Vinegar is not an effective disinfectant, at least not on its own. Also the fumes are an irritant.
Here are my recommendations.

A 10% bleach solution is pretty much the universal standard as a general purpose disinfectant. Contact times can very, but soaking the driftwood or rocks for approximately 30 minutes should suffice. You'll need to scrub the items with soap and water first, then soak, as the presence of debris and other soils can prevent the item from being fully disinfected. After the 10% bleach solution soak, soak in fresh water for an equal amount of time then let air dry.

Option 2. Go to home deport and purchase a product called Simple Green d Pro 3 (or Pro 5). This is a QUAT based disinfectant (Quaternary ammonium compound), which makes it a VERY effective disinfectant. The pro 5 is straight disinfectant while the Pro 3 has a mild detergent mixed in. Dilution ratios are something to the effect of 2 ounces per gallon of water. Allow the items to soak for 20 minutes at the recommended dilution ration, then rinse with fresh water (for wood, soak for 20 minutes in fresh water). I personally use the Pro 3, and it is very effective while having a mild non-irritating odor when diluted that rinses clean.

Option 3. Chlorhexidine Gluconate. Typically used as a topical disinfectant during surgeries and for other topical uses like ear cleaning in dogs and wound dressing. Can also be used as an effective disinfectant that is very safe for use around animals. Sold under several brand names, though the above is the generic name. You might be able to find a variety of this at a pet store, probably labeled for ear cleaning, though you'll save money by ordering a concentrate online. A quick rinse is all that is needed, as this is safe for direct skin (and scale) contact.

Option 4. This is perhaps the most interesting, though all my research points to it as effective. In one spray bottle put white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. In another spray bottle put 3% hydrogen peroxide. Place item to be disinfected on a flat surface and start spraying it with both bottles. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then rinse. Vinegar on its own is not very effective at disinfection, and neither is hydrogen peroxide. But both of them mixed directly on a surface results in a pretty incredibly combo that is safe and effective. There is science behind it, but that's for another day. The key is that the pair has to be mixed directly on the surface to be cleaned. Placing them both in the same bottle defeats the purpose, as the chemical reaction taking place is quickly exhausted and the mixture becomes ineffective if pre-mixed. The order of spraying doesn't matter, as long as you spray one directly after the other (or both at the same time if you want to channel your inner rambo and dual wield the sprayers).

Option 5. Boil or bake. I don't recommend boiling or baking rocks, as rocks can have moisture pockets inside which can lead to cracking or exploding when heated. The wood can be boiled or baked. Boil for 7 minutes, or bake at 250 degrees for 2hrs.

 

[AHBD]

That is very interesting info Badcon, extensive research that you did there ! I just want to point out though, that I would still not use anything taken from Lake Erie when there are so many other sources of natural " cage furniture " that will not carry the same risks. The algae growing there is deadly, and many methods used for disinfecting do not work on it, that's why I mentioned that boiling [ which usually kills most bacteria ] actually concentrates the toxins and won't work. So I just wondered if the methods you mentioned were proven to kill this particular bacteria. Not looking for an argument at all, just wanted to know if that's the case. As for vinegar + soapy water, it has been perfect for cleaning my rocks ....I'd rather go with these mild chemicals on rocks that, in themselves have no real harmful substances that can't be washed off rather easily. No rocks I've ever used have had bad effects on my critters. I like the idea of hydrogen peroxide + vinegar you mentioned though, might try that since I have both on hand. Baking is great for wood, and I don't bother soaking it before....no need to. By the way, red wine vinegar is waaaaay stronger than bleach, and has been used in 3rd world countries as a disinfectant in areas where cholera is common.

I guess I'm just mentioning that we don't really need extreme measures to clean things we pick up outside, and if an area is know to harbor deadly bacteria it might be best to collect things from elsewhere. But your info was interesting, and someone might feel comfortable having those solutions on hand.

 

[BadCon]

I don't have any personal experience with the algae in Lake Erie. Though if you are trying to kill algae, then Copper Sulphate is a great alternative. Yes, that's the same stuff used in aquariums. Up the dosage and it can be used to kill just about anything. Rinse well after use, because it is rather toxic.

Vinegar is mainly Acetic Acid. Yes, it does have anti-microbial properties. However bleach, QUAT's, and other chemical disinfectants are more effective. Red Wine Vinegar actually has lower acid content, making it less effective then white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is a good general purpose cleaner, and it cleans glass very well. However the fumes are indeed an irritant, so cages should be allowed to ventilate before returning animals after using vinegar. Vinegar, when sprayed on a surface with a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution also being sprayed, becomes 10x more effective at disinfecting then vinegar alone. This can be used to clean vegetables, counters, and other surfaces where direct skin contact is made. Rinsing is not critical, because even if residual amounts are left on a surface it can be consumed with no ill effects.

Next to the above, Chlorhexidine Gluconate is about the safest disinfectant on my list. It is used as a topical antiseptic in the veterinary and medical fields. Diluted 2oz to a gallon of water, its very mild. Its safe for direct skin contact on reptiles. There are several brand names however, and some of them add other compounds to increase efficacy, so be aware of what you are using.

 

[AHBD]

The algae in Lake Erie is nothing at all like what grows in an aquarium , it was on the National News because of it's extreme toxicity and how it was being handled. If you Google it you'll find info + the scientific name. Very deadly + invasive. And as for red wine vinegar,I actually read an article that was quoting from WHO [ World Health Org. ] about red wine vinegar....it stated the opposite of what you said....in fact it's far more powerful than bleach. If I can find the article, i'll post it here.

 

[Taterbug]

I'm not sure I'd use the rocks because elake Erie is notoriously nasty, alage or not. Plenty of other industrial pollutants and heavy metals.

The stuff is a Cyanobacteria - a photosynthesising bacteria, not a "true" algae. Some variations do show up in fish tanks, and it's a horrible pain to kill off - doubt it's self-same as growing in Erie though. Not sure about the bacteria themselves, but the toxin sounds pretty nasty and persistent. Quick look says maybe high heat (500F+), Impractically high UV, and oxidation are needed - I woudlnt trust anything I can get my hands on to inactivate the stuff. http://water.epa.gov/scitech/swguidance/standards/criteria/nutrients/upload/cyanobacteria_factsheet.pdf

Pretty interesting info on sanitizers! It's good to know what's out there since something's are pretty resistant to one option or another.

 

[monsterbeard]

Thank you all very much we did sterilize the rocks, but decided to find driftwood elsewhere. Your advice was great!