Storing diluted chlorhexidine?

I currently just have a half gallon of already diluted chlorhexidine that I've been using, stored at room temperature in a basic plastic container with a cap. I use it to disinfect my tubs every time the snakes defecate/urinate, and just let it dry without rinsing out.

Is this the proper way to use diluted chlorhexidine? And is this the proper way to store the diluted solution? Will it go bad after a certain amount of time?

After a bit of looking in, I think that I should have bought F10 over chlorhexidine...

I mix mine in a spray bottle, one bottle at a time.

I spray it and allow it some time to sit(couple minutes). After that I wipe it all up. I then spray the entire cage with water to get any residue. I sometimes do this more than once. After that I dry the entire cage and call it good.

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

I currently just have a half gallon of already diluted chlorhexidine that I've been using, stored at room temperature in a basic plastic container with a cap. I use it to disinfect my tubs every time the snakes defecate/urinate, and just let it dry without rinsing out.

Is this the proper way to use diluted chlorhexidine? And is this the proper way to store the diluted solution? Will it go bad after a certain amount of time?

After a bit of looking in, I think that I should have bought F10 over chlorhexidine...

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You have a 30 day countdown once diluted before it begins to lose effectiveness. You should mix a new batch every 30 days or it's not really doing you any good. I prefer and use F10 over chlorhexidine.

How long does F10 stay effective for once it's mixed?

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Originally Posted by KMG

I mix mine in a spray bottle, one bottle at a time.

I spray it and allow it some time to sit(couple minutes). After that I wipe it all up. I then spray the entire cage with water to get any residue. I sometimes do this more than once. After that I dry the entire cage and call it good.

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Sounds good, just about what I do + the water. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by Jabberwocky Dragons

You have a 30 day countdown once diluted before it begins to lose effectiveness. You should mix a new batch every 30 days or it's not really doing you any good. I prefer and use F10 over chlorhexidine.

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Thanks! Darn though, I've been using the same diluted solution for the past... 4 months. LOL. I suppose I'll only mix a little in the next batch.

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Originally Posted by SKO

How long does F10 stay effective for once it's mixed?

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It's effective for quite a while as diluting does not cause it to 'go bad'. There is a shelf life for F10 though (as with Chlorohex) which you'll see as an exp date on the bottle. I believe but am not positive you can stretch out the effective duration of diluted Chlorhex a little bit by using distilled water.

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Originally Posted by Jabberwocky Dragons

It's effective for quite a while as diluting does not cause it to 'go bad'. There is a shelf life for F10 though (as with Chlorohex) which you'll see as an exp date on the bottle. I believe but am not positive you can stretch out the effective duration of diluted Chlorhex a little bit by using distilled water.

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I regret getting chlorhexidine completely then. ;; Who suggested it to me before I started with Cake? I wag my finger at you. (lol)

Would refrigeration extend its life, or just make it go bad instantly...?

I don't really know but my guess is refrigeration would have no effect. Refrigeration slows bacteria growth which isn't an issue here. I imagine Chlorhexidine loses effectiveness after being diluted due to the chemical interaction between water and the chlorhex. This is why using distilled over tap will give you a little longer effective period. Somebody else who knows more about the chemicals involved may be able to give a more detailed breakdown.

The dilute chlorhex we make at work gets thrown out every week because of the level of precipitates that form after that span of time. *shrugs*

I prefer chlorhexidine over F10 for availability but use Green Soap over both.
Reminds me, I need to get more soap. LoL

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

I ... use Green Soap over both.

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The stuff sold as "Tincture of green soap"? After reading up on it, I see it's a medical grade soap. Do you use it in a spray bottle? Or better, could you tell us how you use it, dilution rates, application time, how long it lasts, etc?

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Originally Posted by SamO

The stuff sold as "Tincture of green soap"? After reading up on it, I see it's a medical grade soap. Do you use it in a spray bottle? Or better, could you tell us how you use it, dilution rates, application time, how long it lasts, etc?

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I mix a spay bottle at a time and go through the bottle in about 2 weeks.
I do a 1:10 ratio to tap water.
Wipe on and wipe off just like any other soaps.

Sorry so slow to respond. Culture plays an important role in our lives. Part of how I was raised is soap is poison to animals. You never use soap in a fish tank because there's not enough fresh water in the world to wash the soap out. So there's something I can learn here and perhaps others too.

With F10 I can spray it on, and go do other tasks letting the 15 minute contact time expire. Once that's done I can wipe out the excess water, or sometimes the excess water has dried on its own. The F10 leaves no toxic residue.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Wipe on and wipe off just like any other soaps.

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So since it's in a spray bottle I assume you spray it on, and that it doesn't need to be as "thick" as I might spray on F10 because you're going to scrub/wipe the tub immediately? Once you wipe the tub how do you get the soap out? Or like F10 the residue is non-toxic?

I know this might be kindergarten level explaination but that's how I learn. Thanks.