Cleaning tubs???

[SatanicIntention]

Alcohol and hot water work just fine.

Actually, it doesn't. It may get the dirt off, but you're not cleaning anything. You need an actual disinfectant to do the job properly.

[Wolves-N-Dogs]

Actually, it doesn't. It may get the dirt off, but you're not cleaning anything. You need an actual disinfectant to do the job properly.

Alcohols
Alcohols, usually ethanol or isopropanol, are wiped over skin and allowed to evaporate for quick disinfection. They have wide microbiocidal activity, are non corrosive, but can be a fire hazard. They also have limited residual activity due to evaporation, which results in brief contact times, and have a limited activity in the presence of organic material. Alcohols are more effective combined with purified water—70% isopropyl alcohol or 62% ethyl alcohol is more effective than 95% alcohol. [The previous peculiar claim should be removed unless it can be explained/sourced.] Alcohol "Ethanol alcohol at 70% is more effective at killing bacteria than at 90 to 100% because the alcohol gets inside the cell better. Isopropyl alcohol is even more effective at killing bacteria because it is less volatile. While alcohol is a good disinfectant for inactivating many bacteria, it will not inactivate bacterial spores that are resistant. At acidic pH levels, many bacteria are inactivated by vinegar by adding hot water to Alcohol this will kill all bacteria.

In short alcohol works just fine.

[panthercz]

Soap and water is all you need. And not that garbage antibacterial soap either, you should avoid that like the plague. Just use the blue 'Dawn' and some hot water.

Disinfect when you actually *need* to disinfect something.

If anyone is wondering why not to use antibacterial soaps, just take some microbiology classes.

[kc261]

To disinfect with alcohol, it would have to have surface contact for over 30 minutes. Just an FYI.

And this is why when you have to get a shot or blood taken or anything of the sort, they disinfect the area first by wiping it for about 1 second with such a small amount of alcohol that it is dry in about another second?

Alcohols
Alcohols, usually ethanol or isopropanol, are wiped over skin and allowed to evaporate for quick disinfection. They have wide microbiocidal activity, are non corrosive, but can be a fire hazard. They also have limited residual activity due to evaporation, which results in brief contact times, and have a limited activity in the presence of organic material. Alcohols are more effective combined with purified water—70% isopropyl alcohol or 62% ethyl alcohol is more effective than 95% alcohol. [The previous peculiar claim should be removed unless it can be explained/sourced.] Alcohol "Ethanol alcohol at 70% is more effective at killing bacteria than at 90 to 100% because the alcohol gets inside the cell better. Isopropyl alcohol is even more effective at killing bacteria because it is less volatile. While alcohol is a good disinfectant for inactivating many bacteria, it will not inactivate bacterial spores that are resistant. At acidic pH levels, many bacteria are inactivated by vinegar by adding hot water to Alcohol this will kill all bacteria.

In short alcohol works just fine.

I'm pretty sure Becky has training as a vet-tech or something similar. I'd trust her over wikipedia.

[Sparky1]

I agree with panthercz! Over disinfecting is not good either!

[SatanicIntention]

And as a good friend of ours says frequently:

"Good Luck With That!"

I for one would rather pay $20 a gallon for chlorhexidine concentrate, which requires 1-2oz per gallon when diluted. You can make over 60 gallons of the stuff when diluted. With alcohol, it's around $3-$4 for 12oz or so. That doesn't go very far..

When I'm putting a catheter in so we can administer IV fluids, you shave and scrub the area with povidone iodine or chlorhexidine scrub. You then do a final wipe with alcohol so the vein will show. Makes for a clean area and an easy stick.

They also have limited residual activity due to evaporation, which results in brief contact times, and have a limited activity in the presence of organic material.

Limited activity in the presence of organic material, IE POOP. If I didn't feel safe cleaning a cage that had contained a dog infected with parvo virus, bloody vomit and diarrhea everywhere(ever hear of explosive diarrhea? THAT'S fun!) with Parvosol/Parv-o-Way, then I wouldn't do it. It cleans AND disinfects, and requires a very short contact period to do so. I love chlorhexidine as it seems to just dissolve the urates off of plastic like nobody's business. Easy on, easy off. I can also wipe snakes down with it, flush out wounds, treat ringworm, soothe an itchy dog with a bacterial skin infection, and many more. Alcohol doesn't do that..

[royalkreationz]

I buy Nolvasan from Pro Exotics.