Enclosure cleaning

[Fyreflye]

Aside from the usual maintenance (picking up feces, changing out substrate, etc), what are the do's and don'ts of enclosure cleaning?

My redfoot is kept in a large glass vivarium, which tends to get unsightly water droplets dried to the inside of the glass between mistings. I clean this using a damp paper towel, but i was wondering what products might be safe to use for cleaning a reptiles home, should it need a deep cleaning?

Obviously, harsh cleaners like bleach and kitchen scrubs are out of the question, but what about dish soap, or an antibacterial hand soap?

Also, i've noticed that many tort tables and handmade enclosures are made of wood- is that not harder to clean?

 

[alfiethetortoise]

Hello, Alfie also lives in a vivarium. I use E cover to clean his enclosure. It is an environmentally friendly product here in the UK and is well known for being able to be used in nature areas and in places who have septic tanks. I use the washing up liquid very watered down. So far, no problems, but then there is an inch and a half of substrate on to of the wood....

 

[DoctorCosmonaut]

Well first off, if you are going to clean with any sprays, remove the tort. And yes, bleach, etc are not recommended. I use a product from a pet store that is all natural water based with basically nothing else in it besides natural enzymes that help break down feces (for spot cleaning).

 

[terryo]

When I do a full clean up...mine is in a gass vivarium....I use a spray bottle with 2 tbls. bleach and the rest water. I clean the whole tank with this and then rinse well. I do this two times a year.