Bator still smells like bleach

[Their Other Mother]

...So I washed out the hovabator with bleach water, rinced it out good, set my eggs but now, 24 hours later there is a slight scent of bleach when I opened it to turn the eggs. Will this harm the little buggers?

 

[lockedhearts]

Did you try setting it in the sun for awhile, I did this last time I cleaned mine and the sun took away the smell.

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

What kind of incubator is it? if its made of styrofoam the pores usually hold in stuff like that.

 

[greathorse]

I recently saw a reccomendatoin I believe on this site for bleach to be used in 1 part to 4 parts water. That is WAY to much bleach and is not more effective than the correct dilution which is about two capfuls of bleach to a gallon of water. If your bleach solution smells strongly of bleach it is too strong.

I spent nearly 40 years in the meat industry and the over use of bleach was considered very detrimental. It is caustic and should be used in the proper dilution

More is not better

 

[Their Other Mother]

Quote:
This is good to know. I use bleach on EVERYTHING. I probably go through about a gallon a week.

No I didn't set it out in the sun and yes it is made of Styrofoam.

The million dollar question is, "Will it hurt the eggs"?

 

[walkswithdog]

The unfortunate answer is, you're not going to know. It depends on the concentration you did use, and how actively potent the fumes are. If it still smells of bleach you did use to much. Is it enough of a concentration to do harm... no way too know. If you get a dismal hatch, then probably.

If you use bleach you have to use it in the proper concentration, rinse thoroughly and allow any excess to denature, whether in the sun or not. A continued odor means you didn't let the bator completely dry out, or the chlorine would have neutralized.

Closing a still damp, chlorinated bator does perpetuate the chlorine for slightly longer. It is exposure to additional air flow that dissipates the chlorine.

Chlorine is not a stabile chemical in liquid form. It cannot be harbored in pores per se. It will last until exposure to air, light/heat breaks it apart.

Good luck. It may not be a significant degree of chlorine gas you're smelling. Next time, rinse well and REALLY let it dry before you close it. I do put mine in the sun anything chlorine won't kill, the sun does.

 

[katrinag]

Why so much bleach. That is bad for you.

 

[Chicabee19]

A wipe-down with diluted vinegar usually gets rid of a bleach smell.

 

[Akane]

While you didn't need to use that much it probably is not your main problem. Bleach is rendered completely harmless once dry irregardless of how much you used. You obviously did not let your incubator dry completely before setting it up. That's partially why setting it out in the sun is recommended. Personally I use vinegar because it tens to evaporate faster, does not leave the salt residue bleach does, is harmless if ingested or contacted while wet (the fumes can still cause respiratory problems though), and kills just as many germs as bleach.

 

[halo]

I just cleaned my hatcher with a bleach solution, and it still smelled like bleach when I set the eggs in there. I had one of my best hatches ever, and have a brooder full of healthy happy babies. So no, I dont worry about a bleachy smell in my bators.