Best way to Clean a tank?

[CINCYBall]

If you looks at some of my pictures you may see that cleaning can be a hassle at times, but i was curious as to what is the best way to go about cleaning the plants, clay/wood fixtures, and etc. I've been boiling the plants and putting the wood in the oven, but I'm beginning to notice my plants and other items are starting to look harggard and worn down, even falling apart. What are some ways to clean these items better and more effeciently?

Thanks for any recommendations.

[jfreels]

Take all the un-needed stuff out

[sho220]

I'm sure it looks great but I don't know how you can keep everything clean. I tried with my first ball but quickly threw in the towel and went to racks and tubs. Balls aren't really display animals anyway. I would think you'd need to do regular spot cleaning and eventually just replace stuff due to becoming worn or just nasty...

[CINCYBall]

Yeah I understand where you guys are coming from, but I guess for the time being I'd like to set everything different ways, trying to making it look real, but also being effective for all the snake's needs (hide spots, shedding, ,heating, and climbing fixtures). I know there are people out there who are on the same page as me, but I just wanted to know some easy ways to clean these items. I mean when people go about doing their monthly clean on a tank, how do yall go about cleaning the plants, etc.?

[bpqueen]

This is my cleaning procedure, which is probably more drawn out than most...

1) Empty substrate and clean out tank with chlorhexamine solution
2) Place all plants, dishes, and hides in tub with water diluted with environmentally friendly non-chlorine bleach and let soak (I will soak my mopani wood too if my BP has soiled it, but mainly I will keep it out and just spray it down with the chlorhexamine solution, as it takes forever to fully dry back out)
3) Place substrate back in tank and spray with PAM, wiping top of tank
4) Rinse and dry all soaking items, hitting them again with chlorhexamine solution and letting them air dry with just a spot wiping if still moist
5) Place everything back in cage as long as the PAM has aired out.

This takes me an hour to the minute to complete and darned if Tiberious didn't knock his water dripper off the tank flooding half of it the very next day!

[Big Gunns]

Hire someone.

[CINCYBall]

I'm hiring myself for this job, and what exactly is this chlorhexamine solution? Are there any others that have a specific way fo cleaning this stuff?

[bsash]

I'm one of the odd balls on here that uses tanks, eight of them right now. Everything I use if artificial, I won't use real wood because it is a pain to clean, and my main reason is because the last time I used real wood I got infested with mites because of it. All in all, to do all of my tanks it takes about two and a half hours.

1. I hand wash all the decorations with dish soap and let air dry.
2. Use my power vacuum and suck up all of the substrate out of all of my tanks.
3. Wipe tanks out with a 50/50 bleach and water mix.
4. Dry tanks.
5. I have my Eco-earth expandable substrate expanding before I start, so it is ready to fill my tanks.
6. Put all decorations, hides, and water bowls back.
7. Put snakes back.

Here is a picture of some of my set ups:

[55Ballin]

I think the dishwasher is extremely overlooked. It will sanitize everything just as well as soaking. I throw all my hides in the dishwasher and bake the wood and that's that. There its simple, safe, and effective. Your plants may or may not be dishwasher safe, though. I'm not sure I don't use plants.

[bpqueen]

Sorry, it's chlorhexidine. Search for related BP.net links. It is a chemical antisepctic safe for humans and animals and commonly used as an ingredient in topical disinfectant and as a commerical cleanser. A solution of it and water works great for cleaning the tanks. I got mine from a local feed store.