Herp Enclosure Item Cleaning

[PK1988]

Hello All,

I currently have 2 Central Bearded Dragons and have been using Dettol Anti-bacterial Surface Cleanser Wipes (Active Ingredient: Benzalkonium Chloride) in order to spot clean where they might poop on their logs/branches etc

Is this acceptable for use in cleaning items like rocks and branches in a Herp enclosure?

I am aware of products like F10, however I am currently finding it easy using these wipes as it was suggested buy a breeder at a show to use baby wipes and I already had these.

Thank you!



Further Info (I was bored, wanted and answer and decided to do some solid scientific research )


DETTOL WIPES:
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet): http://www.rb-msds.com.au/uploadedFiles/pdf/Dettol Surface Cleanser Wipes-v2-D0300126.pdf
See Sections:
3 - Ingredients, Ethanol, Benzalkonium Chloride (Quaternary Ammonium Compounds), Perfume, Other ingredients classified as not hazardous
9 - Colourless solution on white cloth, non-flamable
12 - Dont use near fish as has ammonium compound toxic to aquatic organisms


F10:
OK I have also managed to find the MSDS for F10 from the manufactures website: Untitled Document
Ingredients: Quaternary ammonium and biguanidine compounds (5.8%), non-toxic ampholytic surfactants and sequesterants.

Another MSDS also specifies the type of Quaternary ammonium: http://www.lomb.com.au/images/products/F10SC_MSDS_Dec_2003.pdf
Ingredients: Benzalkonium Chloride, Biguanide, Ingredients not determined to be hazardous

Health and Hygiene also list a product F10 wipes, http://www.healthandhygiene.net/document_uploads/f10 wipes msds 25-09-08 final.pdf


So I would personally assume that these are essentially the same product by different manufacturers, if anyone can find any other reasoning I would be interested to hear it
And therefore determine them safe to use (I personally will always ensure that any residue is wiped off and or evaporated before replacing lizards/item being cleaned)

Is there anything additional done after using F10?

Thank you!

 

[saximus]

You may be over thinking things a little. You don't need an antiseptic for spot cleaning. Really you don't need an antiseptic at all. They aren't fragile creatures that need to be kept in a bubble.

 

[cuddle_python]

no nothing additional needs to be done using f10 just spray and let dry the animals can even be put back in the enclosure while its still drying its awesome stuff i was using pine o clean the vet frowned at me and shoved a bottle of F10 in my hads and now its all i use

 

[PK1988]

@saximus
i just like how quick and easy the wipes are and they also seem to reduce/remove any residual smell that i had when just using paper towel either dry or with detergent...

and i wasnt looking for some anal retentive method of keeping them in a bubble, i just wanted something that cleans easy then i was concerned that possibly it was not good for the lizards... i knew f10 was fine so i setout to check if what i was using was too.

@cuddle_python
yeh i read the pine-o-clean ones are bad due to the pine oil? i was going to go get f10 if these turned out to be bad however it seems like they are good... i might try next time i need them to buy the f10 wipes as then it f10 and the ease of the wipes i like


Further Info:

Dettol Wipes (x40) $5.36Dettol Surface Cleaner Wipes Disinfectant 40pk - buy dettol surface cleaner wipes disinfectant 40pk online at woolworths.com.au
Found at every Woolworths

F10 Wipes (x100) $10.45 / $15 / $20.50 / $29
Therian - F10 WIPES
Medicines and Herpetological Medicinal Equipment
f10 wipes | eBay
Found inconsistently on the Internets

 

[sarah_m]

I have just started using F10 wipes for the inside of the enclosures, as I also like the convenience of them. So far so good. But for rocks/branches I just give them a good scrub with hot water and let them dry in the sun. I am very wary of using chemicals around the reptiles, so we mostly clean with hot water and hot steam (from a steam wand we got especially for the reptile enclosures).

 

[PK1988]

@sarah_m
I was just using hot water and paper towel, however I was finding that it wasn't removing the smell from their basking log which for some unknown reason is their favourite place to drop a big one other than that I kept burning my hands...
I was looking at getting a steam gun too however im not sure if a cheap one will cut it? could you please provide details regarding yours and if anyone else can share steam gun info?

Thank you!

 

[snake_lover]

I use URS Ultimate cage cleaner, with paper towel.... easy