Baking substrate?

Pretty self explanatory! Got a new bag of substrate and I just want to bake it to be extra safe. What’s the best way to go about it?

I am believer of baking substrate. With that said, I do it to sterilize and also to dry some out (cypress mulch). As for sterilizing, I will baked it at 280-300 for an hour on baking sheets lined with foil. To sterilize and dry (cypress mulch), 1 hr, take it out stir, bake another hr.

I mist it an go 250 for two hours. The mist will steam an kill everything, I hope.

200 to 250 for 2 hours.

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Originally Posted by Bodie

I am believer of baking substrate. With that said, I do it to sterilize and also to dry some out (cypress mulch). As for sterilizing, I will baked it at 280-300 for an hour on baking sheets lined with foil. To sterilize and dry (cypress mulch), 1 hr, take it out stir, bake another hr.

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I don’t want to dry it out too much, I just want to sterilize it. I live in a dry climate so the substrate having some moisture helps me out. I use cypress as well.

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Originally Posted by sur3fir3

200 to 250 for 2 hours.

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Is there a better temp out of the two?

I just don't like going above 200 many people recommend 250. I like 200, and I leave it in for 2 hours. Haven't had an issue with bugs since I started doing it this way. Since you live in a dry climate you can wet down the substrate a bit before you put it in.

Cypress mulch out of the bag is very wet. Like I said I like to sterilize 1 hr at 280... if needed another 1 hr to dry out. I use cypress on a couple of noodles and I have to dry it out. If I baked cypress at 280 for 1 hr, it is sterilized. If I put that in the cage, my humidity will still be over 80 %. That's to high for the critters I keep on cypress which is why I baked it more.to dry. But each to there own experiences