Cleaning the incubator....Pics!!!

[SGM]

I agree. I don't think I'd like the dishwasher way. That may soil my eating products. Yuck. No I have always used a bleach solution and a water hose. Never had a problem getting my bators sparkling bright white.

 

[hippichick]

Has anyone else ever used this dishwasher method to clean their bators. Well, I remembered reading this, and decided to try it a few days ago. I put the bottom of my Hovabator in the dishwasher on the bottom rack with detergent and set the washer on china gentle. Well, it melted my bator. I'm hoping I can kinda trim it and it'll still hold temp and humidity. I thought maybe I had misunderstood the method, but I just found the post, and I didn't. And it really didn't come very clean either, so I put it in the bathtub with a little bleach and gave it a scrubbing like I always have done before. Guess that's what I get for being lazy. Take my advice, if you have never washed your bator in the dishwasher, be careful. I may have ruined mine.

Paula

 

[Mesa]

Oh no! I hope you can fix it some what. Maybe if the seal is bad after trimming you could put some caulking stuff in there.... like the rubbery stuff they seal aquariums with.
Whats the general consensus on cleaning bators? I didnt realize bleach water was harmful to them.

 

[hippichick]

I'm thinking I can fix it somehow. I've always cleaned mine with water and a little bleach. Different people use different methods. I just remembered seeing this thread, so thought I'd give it a try. It sounded so simple. Maybe my dishwasher just heats too hot. It sounds like it worked for at least a couple of people according to this thread. I just wanted to warn people to be careful. I guess maybe it depends on your dishwasher.

Paula

 

[Tuffoldhen]

A weak solution of beach and dishwashing liquid is not harmful to incubators. I've been doing this to my foam bators for years. I soak the bottoms in the bathtub in this solution, rinse well and set in the sun to dry the bacteria off more. The tops of the bators I just wiped down cloth that has the same solution on it. The same with the wire mesh and plastic water wells. Set in the sun all day long.

 

[shmooborp]

ive always filled the bathtub , put a bit of bleach in it, some very mild soap, let them soak for a bit, scrub um, and dry them off

they smell brand spankin new ! and not to mention a good glisten lol.. i would be scared that the heating element in the dishwasher would deform the styrofoam .. hmmm

 

[greathorse]

The biggest mistake most people make with bleach is that they use way to much. I have been in the meat and restaraunt industry my entire life. Bleach is an awesome disinfectant but the correct dilution is measured in parts per million. A capful of bleach in a gallon of water is just as effective at killing germs as full strength and not nearly as caustic.

In our kitchens we got in just as much trouble with the inspectors for having too strong a solution as we did for too week. I dont remember how many parts per million but I do know that a capful from a typical bleach container in a gallon of water was just perfect. Too strong is very corrosive and I would worry about it getting into the styrofoam and creating problems down the road. If not well rinsed it could be an issue. Chlorine does evaporate quite quickly. That is my contribution.

I think most dishwashers get hot enough to kill bacteria. I know you can cook in one if you wish. I have cooked food in mine when the gas was off. Of course you have to wrap it very well so none of the water from the dishwasher gets into the food
Now you have my entire contribution
Matter of fact I have a great trout recipe that I call dishwsaher trout

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Dishwasher trout, Yum.........Really, you can cook in a dishwasher. Well, no wonder it melted my bator.

Paula

 

[Feathered Wings]

Quote:
Same here been doing it 2 years with my top hatch and will do it with my new hova-bater i'm getting.
I have even sanitized dirty eggs with a weak solution of bleach and dish soap and have always had them all hatch.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

10 to 1..... Doctors, medics hospitals an firemen use 10 parts water to 1 part bleach to disinfect everything you cant heat treat. If Its good enough to get HIV infected blood of me an my equipment its good enough for my incubator. You also smell it way below the harmful levels so if you rinsed till you dont smell it its fine besides it will evaporate pretty quickly if not rinsed at all. No harm no fowl... Nooo wait that don't sound right.