Cleaning your incubator

[livin-green]

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I seriously never considered styro. through the dishwasher! Interesting.

I think I will stick with just a good solid washing out with dish soap for this round. As my luck would have it, my dishwasher would melt it or something! Then what would I do with the 15 eggs waiting to be set.

Thanks for the tip, though--always an option for next time

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

If you dont believe me, next time you get a drink at McDonalds or somewhere that has styrofoam cups, stick it in your dishwasher to test it. You'll find it works great.

I tried the scrubbing with a sponge and I found it damaged the styrofoam more than I liked. Perhaps I was scrubbing too hard, but I couldn't get the stuff off.

I have before and after pics somewhere, I'll try and post.

 

[dancingbear]

I used a bleach solution on the styrofoam, but bleach can damage and corrode metal, and so can vinegar. On metal parts I wiped it down with 3% hydrogen peroxide, then Listerine. Rinsed well, then let it dry completely, and I still had to run it about 36 hours while getting the temp set and stable, so there was plenty of time for any residual chlorine to evaporate and dissipate. Next time, though, I may just use Listerine. I would've this time, but I didn't think of it until I was almost done with it.

I do all this, but the bottom of a hen isn't sterile, and she hatches eggs just fine. So I try not to worry too much about sterility, as long as there hasn't been anything like a "stinker" egg or anything like that. Other than that, I think most of the time, if you start with your 'bator nice and clean, that's enough.

 

[livin-green]

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Oh, I believe you...I just don't trust my 15+ yo dishwasher! LOL! I have rotten luck when it comes to stuff like that!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

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Well now you have a reason to have your hubby (or wife) buy you a new one... LOL

 

[countrybum]

You cannot scrub to hard, it will mess up the styrofoam. I use diluted bleach when I am done incubating, like in August. I think I will try putting it in the dishwasher this time. But while I have eggs incubating, a mild detergent only. Have you ever inhaled bleach and then drank a soda or smoked a cigarette. YUCK