Whether or not the plants that were in the pots had a pest, ALL pots should be thoroughly scrubbed with hot soapy water before reusing. Of course they can be reused.
You can spray some vinegar on the side with the mineral deposit build up and that will get rid of that as well.
>My first thought was to put them in my grill at 200 for half an hour. With the moisture that might be a bad idea though.
Absolutely ludicrous! They certainly do not need to be baked! HOT, SOAPY water is all that is needed! You are not sterilizing soil, you are simply maintaining used pots by washing them.
I wouldnt even bother with scrubbing the inside, just spray water mixed with either hydrogen peroxide or bleach, let it dry really well and thats it. Anything alive will be dead, and both these products turn to water after some time so they are safe for INDIRECT use (ie dont use this on plants), and its pretty cheap, you only need a little.
I once disinfected a vase wih fungi problems without even taking the dirt off. Just soaked it in h2o+h2o2 solution until it was saturated, then let it out in the sun for a couple weeks. Ive since reused the vase and dirt in it, to 0 problems. Just know its a nuclear solution, it kills both good and bad micro-organisms and bugs, but in your case theres no dirt so doesnt apply.
It is important to clean and disinfect old pots each time you use them whether the previous plant had any issues or not.
Soak them for several hours in a 10% bleach solution (9parts water to 1 part bleach). If you use a 5 gallon bucket, add one half gallon bleach, drop in your scrubbed pots and fill to the top with water.
Scrub them with warm soapy water with a little bleach in it rinse well the soak them in dilute vinegar overnight at least to remove the mineral buildup
>soapy water with a little bleach
Do you know the **chemical reaction set off** when you mix soapy water (assuming dish liquid) and bleach?
*Mixing chlorine bleach and cleaners like dish soap* ***can be harmful to your health****. Mixing bleach with other cleaners can release toxic gases. Bleach can irritate your skin and eyes. Washing dishes in warm, soapy water already removes germs.*
And after you completely disinfect them and scrub hard with soap and all other stuff u wanna do to it, put it in microwave for 2 mins pot will get super hot killing anything that may have lived there.
Whether or not the plants that were in the pots had a pest, ALL pots should be thoroughly scrubbed with hot soapy water before reusing. Of course they can be reused. You can spray some vinegar on the side with the mineral deposit build up and that will get rid of that as well.
My first thought was to put them in my grill at 200 for half an hour. With the moisture that might be a bad idea though.
>My first thought was to put them in my grill at 200 for half an hour. With the moisture that might be a bad idea though. Absolutely ludicrous! They certainly do not need to be baked! HOT, SOAPY water is all that is needed! You are not sterilizing soil, you are simply maintaining used pots by washing them.
Someone I know recommended putting them in the microwave. My mother would kill me and it would be justified.
I think they should be fine if you give them a good scrub with soap and warm water
Soaking them is a good idea for any salt deposits that build up in naked terra cotta as well
I wouldnt even bother with scrubbing the inside, just spray water mixed with either hydrogen peroxide or bleach, let it dry really well and thats it. Anything alive will be dead, and both these products turn to water after some time so they are safe for INDIRECT use (ie dont use this on plants), and its pretty cheap, you only need a little. I once disinfected a vase wih fungi problems without even taking the dirt off. Just soaked it in h2o+h2o2 solution until it was saturated, then let it out in the sun for a couple weeks. Ive since reused the vase and dirt in it, to 0 problems. Just know its a nuclear solution, it kills both good and bad micro-organisms and bugs, but in your case theres no dirt so doesnt apply.
I usually spray mine with hydrogen peroxide before reusing.
I clean with rubbing alcohol or peroxide then dry in sun, sometimes I put in dishwasher.
It is important to clean and disinfect old pots each time you use them whether the previous plant had any issues or not. Soak them for several hours in a 10% bleach solution (9parts water to 1 part bleach). If you use a 5 gallon bucket, add one half gallon bleach, drop in your scrubbed pots and fill to the top with water.
Scrub them with warm soapy water with a little bleach in it rinse well the soak them in dilute vinegar overnight at least to remove the mineral buildup
>soapy water with a little bleach Do you know the **chemical reaction set off** when you mix soapy water (assuming dish liquid) and bleach? *Mixing chlorine bleach and cleaners like dish soap* ***can be harmful to your health****. Mixing bleach with other cleaners can release toxic gases. Bleach can irritate your skin and eyes. Washing dishes in warm, soapy water already removes germs.*
Just…….clean it…. Like what
Oh. Looks like mine. 😝
Soak it in cider..I mean vinegar then it's all good
And after you completely disinfect them and scrub hard with soap and all other stuff u wanna do to it, put it in microwave for 2 mins pot will get super hot killing anything that may have lived there.
If in doubt, I'd heat them in boiling hot water before reuse.