I'm kind of an intense germaphobe and the whole situation makes me want to douse everything in bleach or throw everything away but that's irrational and I can't afford new tongs on a weekly basis. So what is the best way to clean/sterilize everything involved in feeding the snake? Mainly the tongs since that's what I always keep and the means to defrost the rat varies.

Thought I'd ask because I got Noodle to take a rat pup today. It might be a smidge big but he's downing the last bits as we speak so hooray for that! He almost knocked the tongs out of my hands when he struck. It's kind of cute how once it's "dead" he gets confused on how to eat it. I put a plate in so I wouldn't get substrate all over the rat and while he coiled around it off the surface, he dragged it on top to eat it (and I think he might sleep on it, which makes me want to clean the snake. Good grief.)