My leopard gecko lives in a 20 gallon terrarium. Would a 25 percent vinegar to 75 percent water be good for spraying the tank? Is there any brand of vinegar that is good? How do I clean the hides and decorations? Would vinegar and hot water be okay! Is there any brand and product of dish soap that is good? How do I clean reptile carpet? Is just washing it in the tub okay with no soap, vinegar or any cleaner used except water? Do I have to worry about chlorine from the water! I live in southern Ontario, the GTA area.
How to clean leopard gecko glass tank?
- Thread starter sachen
- Start date
Here's what I do to clean leopard gecko stuff:
cage and furniture: I spray everything with water and dry, spray with hydrogen peroxide and dry, spray with vinegar and dry
repti-carpet: I keep 2 carpets so I can switch them out when cleaning. I hand-wash the carpet in the sink with soap and water, run it in the spin cycle of the washer to get extra water out and then hang it (preferably outside) to dry.
Aliza
cage and furniture: I spray everything with water and dry, spray with hydrogen peroxide and dry, spray with vinegar and dry
repti-carpet: I keep 2 carpets so I can switch them out when cleaning. I hand-wash the carpet in the sink with soap and water, run it in the spin cycle of the washer to get extra water out and then hang it (preferably outside) to dry.
Aliza
Would this be a good process?
1. Remove gecko from cage and unplug heat mat.
2. Remove hides, water bowl, rock and wood and put them in a tub with just hot water.
3. Take out the hides, water bowl, rock and wood and dry with hair drier and paper towels.
4. Take out reptile carpet and wash in a tub with just water.
5. Let reptile carpet dry on a rack.
6. Spray glass tank with a 50-50 vinegar water solution. Wait 5 minutes.
7. Dry the tank with paper towels and then spray tank with just water. Wait 2 minutes.
8. Dry the tank and wait 30 minutes. Then put another piece of reptile carpet while in the tank other piece dries.
9. Return hides, water bowl and other decorations and then return gecko.
I don't know if this method is good, someone can adjust my steps a bit. But I will say that I don't want to use bleach and other chemicals and I don't have access to stuff like chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide and expensive stuff as I am still a child. What I could get are cheap and reliable cleaners for my gecko from Walmart or a grocery store. Also the cleaner needs to be readily available in Canada.
1. Remove gecko from cage and unplug heat mat.
2. Remove hides, water bowl, rock and wood and put them in a tub with just hot water.
3. Take out the hides, water bowl, rock and wood and dry with hair drier and paper towels.
4. Take out reptile carpet and wash in a tub with just water.
5. Let reptile carpet dry on a rack.
6. Spray glass tank with a 50-50 vinegar water solution. Wait 5 minutes.
7. Dry the tank with paper towels and then spray tank with just water. Wait 2 minutes.
8. Dry the tank and wait 30 minutes. Then put another piece of reptile carpet while in the tank other piece dries.
9. Return hides, water bowl and other decorations and then return gecko.
I don't know if this method is good, someone can adjust my steps a bit. But I will say that I don't want to use bleach and other chemicals and I don't have access to stuff like chlorhexidine and hydrogen peroxide and expensive stuff as I am still a child. What I could get are cheap and reliable cleaners for my gecko from Walmart or a grocery store. Also the cleaner needs to be readily available in Canada.
My cleaning method is this :
1. Remove gecko, one hide and some substrate, place all of these in a bucket (with sides deep enough that the leo can't climb out)
2. Remove (and unplug) all items from within the viv
3. Use a steam cleaner on the inside of the viv, ensuring that everywhere is steamed and wiped
4. I use a loose substrate, so, add new substrate
5. Use a steam cleaner on the hides etc., ensuring that everywhere is steamed and wiped, replacing inside the viv as you go
6. Plug in all heating etc.
7. Return leo to the viv
8. Steam clean and wipe the remaining hide
9. Replace the last hide
10. Top up food and water bowls and moist hide substrate
Steam cleaners can be purchased relatively cheaply, and this way you're only using water to clean.
Remember that you need to wash your hands between handling dirty and cleaned items (otherwise you might as well not bother cleaning, as you'll just transfer the dirt and germs).
I'd be tempted to use more than "just water" on the reptile carpet, as unless it's really hot, you won't kill the bugs.
Depending on your ambient temperature, you may want to add a hot water bottle underneath your bucket to help keep your leo warm.
1. Remove gecko, one hide and some substrate, place all of these in a bucket (with sides deep enough that the leo can't climb out)
2. Remove (and unplug) all items from within the viv
3. Use a steam cleaner on the inside of the viv, ensuring that everywhere is steamed and wiped
4. I use a loose substrate, so, add new substrate
5. Use a steam cleaner on the hides etc., ensuring that everywhere is steamed and wiped, replacing inside the viv as you go
6. Plug in all heating etc.
7. Return leo to the viv
8. Steam clean and wipe the remaining hide
9. Replace the last hide
10. Top up food and water bowls and moist hide substrate
Steam cleaners can be purchased relatively cheaply, and this way you're only using water to clean.
Remember that you need to wash your hands between handling dirty and cleaned items (otherwise you might as well not bother cleaning, as you'll just transfer the dirt and germs).
I'd be tempted to use more than "just water" on the reptile carpet, as unless it's really hot, you won't kill the bugs.
Depending on your ambient temperature, you may want to add a hot water bottle underneath your bucket to help keep your leo warm.
I might ask for a steam cleaner for Christmas or during the summer, right now, would just cleaning hide, reptile carpet and water bowls in just boling water and spraying the the tank with a 50/50 vinegar water solution do the trick?
Dawn | Liquid Soap Products for Washing Dishes
Which soap would be the best for cleaning hides and water bowls?
Dawn | Liquid Soap Products for Washing Dishes
Which soap would be the best for cleaning hides and water bowls?
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I'd think popping them in boiling water will do the trick - how will you get that much boiling water? And get the items in and out without scalding yourself? Be aware that some items may be damaged by being immersed in any kind of water, more so if it's Boiling.
Rather than using a solution of vinegar, I'd be inclined to use it neat, then wipe off, then clean again with ordinary water to remove the vinegar (let's face it you can smell if there's still vinegar around).
I live in a hard water area, so Daff's water bowl gets limescale on it. When I'm doing normal feeding, I just empty, rinse and refill. When I'm cleaning the tank etc. I empty the water and fill it with neat vinegar to dissolve the limescale. Then just rub, rinse, and steam clean (obviously the vinegar does not go all over the bowl, hence the second clean).
Rather than using a solution of vinegar, I'd be inclined to use it neat, then wipe off, then clean again with ordinary water to remove the vinegar (let's face it you can smell if there's still vinegar around).
I live in a hard water area, so Daff's water bowl gets limescale on it. When I'm doing normal feeding, I just empty, rinse and refill. When I'm cleaning the tank etc. I empty the water and fill it with neat vinegar to dissolve the limescale. Then just rub, rinse, and steam clean (obviously the vinegar does not go all over the bowl, hence the second clean).
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
I don't know about boiling the carpet. Check to see what the carpet is made from.
I use Dawn dish soap on all my cage furniture and sometimes for the cages themselves. Just be sure to rinse well.
Any "scent" of vinegar should be gone before reintroducing your leo.
Click right here for additional advice including steam cleaning: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...es.html?highlight=Cleaning+Reptile+Enclosures
I use Dawn dish soap on all my cage furniture and sometimes for the cages themselves. Just be sure to rinse well.
Any "scent" of vinegar should be gone before reintroducing your leo.
Click right here for additional advice including steam cleaning: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...es.html?highlight=Cleaning+Reptile+Enclosures
What is neat vinegar? I am using a kettle to boil water. The carpet is made from recycled water bottles. So would spraying with the vinegar by itself then spraying water be okay? Can I just spray the vinegar solution and then dry it and spray water and then dry it? Can I just boil the hides and water bowl and not use soap? As I know Dawn has many soap lines such as Olay,antibacterial, platinum and more. Which one would be good for my gecko?
thepianoguy
New member
i just put the carpet in the hot water, and then clean it.
Elizabeth Freer
Well-known member
Click: Amazon.com: Dawn Ultra Antibacterial Dish Soap Liquid, Apple Blossom Scent, 14 Ounce (Pack of 5): Health & Personal Care
That's the DAWN I've been using for years. I've never had a problem. Wildlife rescues also use DAWN to clean oil from birds' feathers.
I use this particular DAWN on plastic water and food dishes, glass water and food dishes, cage furniture, silk plants, and plastic plants. I boil pebbles, clay culture marbles called Hy Droton, and sometimes wood.
It's safe for geckos.
That's the DAWN I've been using for years. I've never had a problem. Wildlife rescues also use DAWN to clean oil from birds' feathers.
I use this particular DAWN on plastic water and food dishes, glass water and food dishes, cage furniture, silk plants, and plastic plants. I boil pebbles, clay culture marbles called Hy Droton, and sometimes wood.
It's safe for geckos.
I have found that if any task (including cleaning a cage) is too expensive, complicated or difficult it won't get done, so I'm a big fan of keeping things very simple. This is just my opinion and others may differ but it works for me.
Some general principles:
I don't unplug anything and have never had any problems with that
I don't use any steam cleaning, boiling water or complicated processes
My materials (all very cheap and can be found in local stores):
vinegar (using vinegar "neat" means plain vinegar, without mixing it with anything else)
hydrogen peroxide (very cheap from local drug store type place)
water
3 small spray bottles
very tiny amount of dish liquid
paper towels
My method:
1. remove the gecko from the cage (I only do this if I'm also going to remove and clean the ceramic tile substrate)
2. remove all furniture and ceramic tiles and place in the bath tub; wash them with hot water; spray some hydrogen peroxide on them
3. spray some plain water into the cage and dry with paper towels
4. wash off the hydrogen peroxide from the stuff in the tub and spray on some vinegar
5. dry off the hydrogen peroxide from inside the cage and spray on some vinegar
6. dry off the vinegar from the stuff in the tub, rinse lightly and dry or let it air dry
7. dry off the vinegar from inside the cage, spray on some water and dry it with paper towels
**You have now applied and dried off water, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and another water rinse for the cage and all the furniture. The reason for going back and forth between the cage and the stuff in the tub is to give the stuff you sprayed on a chance to soak in
Repticarpet:
--remove the piece in the cage. (Replace it with your spare repticarpet)
--wash it in the sink with warm/hot water and a tiny amount of dish liquid (if you use too much you're going to have an awful lot of lather and it will take even more effort)
--hang it up somewhere to dry. You don't have to put it in the washer, but if you put it in there and turn the dial to "spin" it will spend about 2 minutes just whirling your repticarpet around, get rid of a lot of the water and make it dry faster. I didn't mean you should wash it in the machine
This is definitely not the only way to do it. Your method sounds fine too, I just think mine is easier.
Aliza
Some general principles:
I don't unplug anything and have never had any problems with that
I don't use any steam cleaning, boiling water or complicated processes
My materials (all very cheap and can be found in local stores):
vinegar (using vinegar "neat" means plain vinegar, without mixing it with anything else)
hydrogen peroxide (very cheap from local drug store type place)
water
3 small spray bottles
very tiny amount of dish liquid
paper towels
My method:
1. remove the gecko from the cage (I only do this if I'm also going to remove and clean the ceramic tile substrate)
2. remove all furniture and ceramic tiles and place in the bath tub; wash them with hot water; spray some hydrogen peroxide on them
3. spray some plain water into the cage and dry with paper towels
4. wash off the hydrogen peroxide from the stuff in the tub and spray on some vinegar
5. dry off the hydrogen peroxide from inside the cage and spray on some vinegar
6. dry off the vinegar from the stuff in the tub, rinse lightly and dry or let it air dry
7. dry off the vinegar from inside the cage, spray on some water and dry it with paper towels
**You have now applied and dried off water, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and another water rinse for the cage and all the furniture. The reason for going back and forth between the cage and the stuff in the tub is to give the stuff you sprayed on a chance to soak in
Repticarpet:
--remove the piece in the cage. (Replace it with your spare repticarpet)
--wash it in the sink with warm/hot water and a tiny amount of dish liquid (if you use too much you're going to have an awful lot of lather and it will take even more effort)
--hang it up somewhere to dry. You don't have to put it in the washer, but if you put it in there and turn the dial to "spin" it will spend about 2 minutes just whirling your repticarpet around, get rid of a lot of the water and make it dry faster. I didn't mean you should wash it in the machine
This is definitely not the only way to do it. Your method sounds fine too, I just think mine is easier.
Aliza
I wouldn't bother diluting the vingegar - use it as it comes, wipe then rinse with ordinary water. Remember when you dilute it you're diluting the anti-bug properties, and let's face it, you eat it, so it's not too harmful if left behind.
(Although do bear in mind you should never mix chemicals, so always rinse thoroughly before using anything else to clean).
(Although do bear in mind you should never mix chemicals, so always rinse thoroughly before using anything else to clean).
When I was cleaning my tank, I was using this arm and hammer reusable wipes
On the back of the wipes package, it says not for aquarium use. Well I used it on my geckos tank. My leopard geckos tank is zilla glass terrarium. Whenever I used the wipe, I made sure to spray the tank with plain water and I used a hair dryer to dry the tank along with paper towels. I also used vinegar to clean the tank. I am letting the tank dry out completely in my basement, for maybe 2 hours. Would it be safe to put my gecko back in? I don't want the wipes to be toxic or anything.
On the back of the wipes package, it says not for aquarium use. Well I used it on my geckos tank. My leopard geckos tank is zilla glass terrarium. Whenever I used the wipe, I made sure to spray the tank with plain water and I used a hair dryer to dry the tank along with paper towels. I also used vinegar to clean the tank. I am letting the tank dry out completely in my basement, for maybe 2 hours. Would it be safe to put my gecko back in? I don't want the wipes to be toxic or anything.