QUESTION: Help! Eradicating odours?

[sacredart]

I've just recently purchased a second hand 5' x 2' x 2' vivarium, which was previously used to house a Burm, but, on opening the viv - it REEKS! The smell, in a single word, is, well, "ungodly"...
The seller obviously wasn't too big on cleaning, as the substrate inside the vivarium when it arrived was dirty, and I've tried everything possible to eradicate the awful smell! I understand that Burm vivs can tend to pong a bit, I have one of my own, but I've washed the viv down numerous times, left the viv open to air out for hours (night after night), and have also been using the two following disinfectants:
"Cascade" and "Keep it Clean" (Lavender)...
...and nothing seems to work!
Is F10 any better? What do you guys use?!
I have other herps that share the same room, so I'm looking for things that are reptile-friendly only, please!
The vivarium has 5 vents along the back, located at the top, which makes 1 vent for every 1' of viv, roughly... Is this adequate enough, do you reckon? I would have assumed so...
What else can I do to get rid of the smell?
Advice and recommendations are more than welcome, and very, very much appreciated!
I'm located in the United Kingdom, if that helps anyone...
I just don't want to put my snake into an enclosure unless I am 100% satisfied with it!
Thank you! <3

[2kdime]

I don't know what all cleaners and stuff you all have over there in the UK, but....

Why not mix up some hot water and some baking soda...and maybe add a little dish soap to get it to foam up a bit.

Then scrub the crap out of it....

Baking soda has odor eliminating properties. Hell, we sprinkle some down on our carpets before we vacuum, works great

[SatanicIntention]

Vinegar or a baking soda mixture(no mixing the two together though, LOL, it makes CO2).

OdoBan is AWESOME if you have it.

[Shawn]

regular Listerine works great and is not harmful to the animals. we use it when our female lays eggs. so we get rid of the smell of the eggs and get her back on food as soon as possible. just soak it for a couple of minutes and then rinse.

[TheresaBearden]

You can also try using bleach to scrub it-the bleach will dissipate and as long as you rinse it, many many times, and let it air out it will be fine.
As Shawn said-then use Listerine-we use it to clean all our burm cages for everyday cleaning. Use the "brown death flavor". We keep it in one of those big sprayer things they use for gardening and dilute it with a bit if water-works great!!!

[sacredart]

You can also try using bleach to scrub it-the bleach will dissipate and as long as you rinse it, many many times, and let it air out it will be fine.
As Shawn said-then use Listerine-we use it to clean all our burm cages for everyday cleaning. Use the "brown death flavor". We keep it in one of those big sprayer things they use for gardening and dilute it with a bit if water-works great!!!

Is this the "Original" Listerine that you're referring to? Never actually ever seen it in shops here, in the U.K., but I'm sure that I can grab a bottle online somewhere, if it's definitely going to work...

How diluted should it be?

Many thanks for all of the responses! I will keep all of your ideas in mind!

This is a great forum

[blackcrystal22]

Is this the "Original" Listerine that you're referring to? Never actually ever seen it in shops here, in the U.K., but I'm sure that I can grab a bottle online somewhere, if it's definitely going to work...

How diluted should it be?

Many thanks for all of the responses! I will keep all of your ideas in mind!

This is a great forum

I have heard wonderful things about using Listerine to help rid egg smell from mothers, which is very very specific and important, so I think it is a good bet to try it.
I would try to spray, let soak, spray more, let soak, rinse out-side or in a tub, spray, let soak, and scrub it hard before rinsing again. If that doesn't do the trick, bleach may be the only other option.

Also, welcome to the forums! You should post pictures of your animals, I'm far too curious now to see them.

[TheresaBearden]

The regular brown colored Listerine is the one you want-you can just dilute it with water.

I have heard wonderful things about using Listerine to help rid egg smell from mothers, which is very very specific and important, so I think it is a good bet to try it.

Here are some other reptile related uses for Listerine-
We use it to clean cages and it works great and smells good.
We use it for cleaning the snakes skin when they lay in urine or blood or just to get the smell of food off of them.
We have used it for cleaning rubs or scrapes from escapes/attempts.
We have used it on the thin film on the mouth around lips that goes along with an RI,
when an RI is present we use to clean mucus out of mouth and to keep bacteria from growing in the mouth.
Cleaning a cage after female has laid and to clean the female with to rid them both of the smell of the eggs.
Our big girl took a rabbit and after she had finished she was fixing her jaw and opened real wide we noticed a cut I guess from a rabbit claw; for 5 days I cleaned the cut twice a day on the 7th day she was ready to eat again.
Also it is right up there with alcohol and warm water to make the snake release if it is latched to you and then you can cleanse your wounds afterwards.

[kc261]

Another good odor killer that hasn't been mentioned yet is the oxygen bleach (not chlorine bleach). Mix the powder with enough water that it forms a paste but does not completely dissolve, that way it is also mildly abrasive.

[Shawn]

The regular brown colored Listerine is the one you want-you can just dilute it with water.



Here are some other reptile related uses for Listerine-
We use it to clean cages and it works great and smells good.
We use it for cleaning the snakes skin when they lay in urine or blood or just to get the smell of food off of them.
We have used it for cleaning rubs or scrapes from escapes/attempts.
We have used it on the thin film on the mouth around lips that goes along with an RI,
when an RI is present we use to clean mucus out of mouth and to keep bacteria from growing in the mouth.
Cleaning a cage after female has laid and to clean the female with to rid them both of the smell of the eggs.
Our big girl took a rabbit and after she had finished she was fixing her jaw and opened real wide we noticed a cut I guess from a rabbit claw; for 5 days I cleaned the cut twice a day on the 7th day she was ready to eat again.
Also it is right up there with alcohol and warm water to make the snake release if it is latched to you and then you can cleanse your wounds afterwards.

great post.