Cleaning routine?

[icygirl]

Can someone tell me if this is an OK way to do things? I am doing a complete strip-down and clean of both my snake tanks today.

I dumped all the bedding from both tanks (one is glass and one is a plastic tub). I washed out any remaining bedding and dumped that. The plastic tub I filled a good way up with water, put all of the branches, hides, etc. in there (but NOT the soak/drink bowls), and put a small splash of bleach in and mixed it around. Filled the aquarium a small way up with water and put a tiny capful of bleach in. I waited approximately 20 minutes for the bleach to do its job, then emptied both tanks and refilled with water (I'm also soaking the hides and branches with water). I'm planning on waiting around half an hour on letting the water sit in there to make sure all the bleach is gone.

After that I replace all the bedding with new stuff, wash out the bowls with hot water and refill, and put everything back...

Is this the typical way to do "complete strippings" of tanks? The reason I ask is because last time I cleaned with bleach, I think I used too much bleach or did something otherwise wrong, and there was a lingering odd smell on my corn until he shed it off and went back to normal... and yes it worried me.

[LadyOhh]

Sounds good. I use a 1:10 ratio of bleach to water, and even that is a bit strong. I rinse after everything is bleached as well.

[Blue Apple Herps]

I personally just use chlorehexidine solution to clean. But what you're doing sounds good. When using bleach just remember: when in doubt, rinse a few more times. Better to rinse too much than not enough.

[frankykeno]

I use about a 1:10 bleach/water solution. I allow the tubs to soak for about 20 minutes, scrub them down with hot soapy water (just dishsoap basically) then rinse like mad under the tub facet with loads of clear, cold water rinsing. Then I wipe them with papertowels. With the glass tanks I'll also spritz them with a vinegar/water mix, wipe that off and air them out well until no smell remains so I can get the glass looking decent (I hate glass tank maintenance LOL).

[Ginevive]

Just watch out! I unknowingly created a noxious gas by pouring bleach/water into a tub that had caked-on urate. It combined with the urate. The resulting fumes made me leave the utility room, it was that bad. Now I just use antibacterial dish soap. Bleach works fine for many people, but I figure, if dish soap is good enough to clean our dishes (the non-dishwasher safe ones) it works fine for the snake's tubs. I am just a klutz too with anything, and end up wearing whatever solution I use, and since most of my wardrobe is black, I now don't have to worry about bleach-stains on everything during tub cleaning