Before cutting your orchid, ensure that the scissors or pruners are clean and not a flower spike. Cut the stem near the base of the orchid and just above a node or leaf joint to allow a new orchid to grow from. Use essential methods to sterilize pruning tools, snips, knives, and pots to keep your orchid healthy.
Dr. Klausing recommends a two-step process for 100 orchid virus disinfection of tools. The first step is cleaning at the base of the orchid and just above a node or leaf joint. T.S.P. (the stuff to clean pain brushes etc.) is an excellent way to sterilize cutting tools.
Once your orchid requires pruning, it’s important to sterilize all the pruning tools you might want to use. Use a torch to sterilize the cutting tools, then soak a cotton ball or paper towel in rubbing alcohol. Wipe the blades with the alcohol and rinse the tools with clean water.
Shears with large blades may not work well around the cutting tools. Use hot water and soap to wash the tools, then rinse them properly and wipe them dry with a clean paper towel. You can also soak scissors/pruning shears in a 50 solution of bleach, which is as effective as rubbing/isopropyl alcohol.
To disinfect the blades of pruning shears, soak them in the 10 solution for at least three minutes before rinsing with water and drying them. This will help prevent the spread of diseases and ensure the health of your orchid.
📹 Flame Sterilization
A quick TUTORIAL about flamer sterilization for your cutting tools. This is a VERY important PRECAUTIONARY step when cutting …
How to disinfect orchid tools?
To disinfect orchid supplies and pots, use an open flame or trisodium phosphate solution (TSP) or bleach. Disinfecting is essential for maintaining the health of orchids, as it prevents the spread of disease during trimming or repotting. To keep your Phalaenopsis orchid healthy, follow these sterilization tips. Before touching your orchid, wash your hands with soap and water to avoid transferring bacteria or viruses. Remember to follow these sterilization tips to keep your orchid healthy.
How to sterilize surgical scissors at home?
UV rays can disinfect scissors and hair-cutting tools, but their effectiveness in killing COVID-19 is unknown. Chlorine can cause rust or corrosive damage, so sterilizing scissors with hot water or steam is recommended. Dry all parts after use to prevent rust damage. Avoid soaking scissors in alcohol, ethanol, or other liquids, and wipe them off with paper towels after use. Avoid leaving them in liquid soap overnight, as it can damage the materials. Use the longer, denser end of the brush or a toothbrush to clean styling aid buildup.
Will rubbing alcohol sterilize scissors?
To sanitize, disinfect, and clean hair scissors, use a cleaning cloth to remove dirt, grime, and debris. Apply rubbing alcohol or ethanol to the blades and wait for five minutes before wiping them clean. Lubricate the blade if you plan to store them for a long time. Avoid chlorine-induced corrosion and rust by using steam and hot water to clean and sterilize scissors, but dry them completely afterwards. Avoid soaking scissors in liquids like ethanol or rubbing alcohol, and remove them, dry them, and reassemble them.
Clean and disinfect scissors, cutting combs, and brushes daily, avoiding liquid sanitizer overnight to prevent degradation. Use a longer, denser end of a cleaning brush or toothbrush to wash away styling aid buildup, absorbing no more than 10 minutes of fluid sanitizer. For styling aid buildup, use alcohol, sanitizer, or rubbing alcohol and a cotton ball, ensuring the sharp edges are disapproved to prevent damage.
How do you sanitize scissors for plant cuttings?
Alcohol or isopropyl alcohol is a simple and easy method to sanitize pruning equipment. It can be easily purchased from drug stores and retail outlets and can be used directly from the container without dilution. Alcohol is preferred for homeowners due to its ease of use, affordability, and low corrosivity. However, some studies suggest that alcohol may not effectively disinfect pruning tools from certain plant pathogens, so it is not recommended for use on apple trees infected with fire blight.
Instead, a household chlorine bleach solution can be used as a disinfectant. The solution should be prepared by mixing 9 parts water with 1 part bleach, and used within two hours. Soak pruning blades for at least 10 minutes in the solution and rinse the tool clean to prevent corrosion.
What can I use to sterilize scissors?
To remove residue from cutting tools, use an alcohol-based cleaning product like Isopropyl alcohol. This product not only cleans but also maintains the functionality of the scissors. It is not recommended to use barbicide for cleaning or disinfecting cutting tools. Proper tension in the scissors is crucial to prevent Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI), which can impact performance and potentially cause injuries along the cutting edge. Handling Isopropyl alcohol is hazardous and should not be heated.
Chamois cloths, often made of leather, are specialized for cleaning scissors and can be used if a chamois cloth is not available. Microfiber towels can also be used if a chamois cloth is not available. It is essential to avoid prolonged skin contact and avoid inhaling, swallowing, or chewing Isopropyl alcohol.
How do you sterilize orchid scissors?
To disinfect orchid cutting tools, wash them with hot water and soap, rinse them, and dry them with a clean paper towel. Light an alcohol lamp or gas stove and place the blades in the flame for a few seconds, then let them cool. Do not use this method if the tools have special coatings, as heat may damage them.
If you don’t want to disinfect with an open flame, use a trisodium phosphate solution (TSP) instead. Fill a container with warm water, pour TSP into the water, stir, and dip the tools in the solution. You can also use a solution of one part chlorine bleach and nine parts water.
Alternatively, disinfect your cutting tools with rubbing alcohol. Soak a cotton ball or paper towel in rubbing alcohol, wipe the blades with it, and rinse the tools with clean water.
How do you sterilize tools at home?
To clean tools, first take them apart and clean them thoroughly. Place them in a pot, cover with water, and boil for 20 minutes. After boiling, let the tools cool and dry. Remove any visible dirt or substances, using clean water, cleaners like detergents, and a brush to remove dirt and blood in hinges or rough edges. Clean off rust and remove dull or damaged tools. Wear heavy gloves to protect yourself. After cleaning, disinfect or sterilize the tools to kill germs. This step is crucial before removing germs from the tools.
Does boiling water sterilize scissors?
It is recommended that small items such as scissors or tweezers be placed in a saucepan and boiled for a period of fifteen minutes. Following this, the item should be removed from the heat source and placed on a heat-resistant surface. The heat source itself should then be turned off, and the item should be kept out of the reach of children until it has cooled.
How do you Sterilise cutting scissors?
UV rays can disinfect scissors and hair cutting tools, but their ability to kill COVID-19 is unknown. Chlorine can cause rust and corrosive damage, so steam and hot water can disinfect and sterilize scissors. However, it’s important to dry them after use to avoid rust. Avoid soaking scissors in rubbing alcohol, ethanol, or other liquids, and use paper towels to wipe them off. Combs should not be left in fluid sanitizer overnight, as it can break down materials. Instead, use a denser longer end of a cleaning brush or toothbrush to wash away styling buildup.
How long to boil scissors to sterilize?
It is recommended that small items such as scissors or tweezers be placed in a saucepan and boiled for a period of fifteen minutes. Following this, the item should be removed from the heat source and placed on a heat-resistant surface. The heat source itself should then be turned off, and the item should be kept out of the reach of children until it has cooled.
What is the best way to disinfect a tool?
To disinfect tools, clean all debris, dip or spray them with a 10 bleach solution to kill fungi, bacteria, and viruses. Turn taller items over and allow them to dry completely. Rub metal items with linseed oil, tung oil, or mineral oil, not motor oil, to prevent rust transfer. If rust develops, use steel wool or wire brush to remove and re-oil. Rub alcohol (isopropyl alcohol, 70 concentration) to disinfect surfaces for bacteria, fungi, and viruses. However, alcohol may not effectively disinfect pruning tools used on apple trees infected with fire blight.
📹 How to Sterilize Pruning Shears 2/7
… you cut you want to clean it with rubbing alcohol so you’re staying sterile and not spreading diseases from one plant to another.
Good article, although I think the length of exposure is unnecessarily long. When I’ve watched a chemist or lab tech sterilize a tool it is pretty much a lower heat Bunsen burner flame and the tool is passed back and forth through the flame for about 5 seconds. Can anyone verify this, as opposed to the extreme version in the vid, please?
Hey Joshua, just something interesting to be aware of when you are using a flame on your metal tools. Heating metal and allowing it to cool in different ways, such as quenching it with a liquid or allowing it to air cool will cause metal to either harden or soften. It can also cause the metal to distort its shape. When dealing with tools such as scissors or pruners, it is possible to permanently damage your tools by getting them too hot. I’ve seen a lot of growers sterilize their tools with heat, but I suspect most of them are unaware of how metal reacts to certain temperatures. Heating steel to a cherry red color and allowing it to air cool will soften it. Heating it back up to a cherry red color and then quickly quenching it in liquid will harden it to the point where it can become brittle and shatter like glass under stress.