New chick equipment; worried about contamination -- need advice

[Uzuri]

So I got all my stuff from TSC today! Chickies should be here next week, and I had a coupon

Here's the trouble. Clearly some people had returned stuff to the store. I considered it for a minute, since it was marked down, then avoided it like the plague -- I can only imagine two cases where you're return what you bought for chicks: a) you're one of those $&#@ who think that you can borrow anything from any store to use as you like for free, or b) you lost all your chicks. Obviously "b" is what worries me. Even though I avoided the used stuff, it was all in together, and I would like to clean what I bought.

What should I use? Soapy water good enough? A good while laid out in the sun? Or should I hit it hard with bleach? I've got a whole week for the stuff to air out

 

[speckledhen]

Bleach it or use Oxine and then let it dry in the sun. Then you should be okay. Now, bleach does not kill cocci, but ammonia does, so if it's chick equipment, you may want to bleach it, let it dry, then clean with ammonia and let it dry again in the sun. You should be good to go, then.

 

[giasmom]

I just fill a spray bottle half & half, bleach and water with a squirt of dish soap. Spray it all down, use a soft scrub brush, rinse, & sun dry for a while. Works good for me.

 

[Uzuri]

Looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me

Cocci's what I'm worried about for sure, as I was unable to get medicated feed. I'm going to be a cleanin' machine for the next month or so.

 

[ChickenCat]

I'd do the bleach cleaning, let air dry in the sun. Then do the ammonia cleaning. Just remember! DO NOT allow the bleach and ammonia to come in contact, it produces a deadly gas. If you let the first cleaning completely dry, say for a day, then use the ammonia cleaning you should be fine with really clean equipment.

 

[RAWR]

i would use bleach. bleach always seems to get things clean

 

[Chickenmaven]

Quote:
When I worked in foodservice, the health inspector told us to wash with soap, THEN use a bleach-water rinse, because soap & bleach together are not as effective as they are seperately. The is how I cleaned my TSC bargain waterer. I think they use them for chick days & then mark 'em half off.

 

[AHappychick]

i just toss them in my dishwasher and put the setting on sanitize, it is suppoised to kill everything and is so much easier expecially if none of it has been used yet.

 

[RAWR]

Quote:
When I worked in foodservice, the health inspector told us to wash with soap, THEN use a bleach-water rinse, because soap & bleach together are not as effective as they are seperately. The is how I cleaned my TSC bargain waterer. I think they use them for chick days & then mark 'em half off.

hmm...i like that idea :] i think i'll use that one when i go to clean the chick's stuff

 

[Uzuri]

Quote:
Oh how I wish. Somehow I think my housemate would have fits over that

Though I can't understand why, after all you're more likely to catch something from another person, but we don't all have separate dishwashers!