# Sterilizing Pruners, trimmers, etc.



## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

I was wondering how do you guys sterilize your pruning, trimming, etc equipment? I was told by a hort. prof that you could probably use a 10% chlorox mixture. He wasn't sure though. Do you make up a bucket and dip the equipment or would you spray them down? Do you rinse after? However, how would you keep you equipment from rusting if you put them in a water solution. Thanks.


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## jimmyq (Jan 24, 2005)

I have used Lysol aerosol and the 10% bleach mixture. I usually spray it with a cheapo mister. I usually spray on disease prone plants (cherries, plums, dogwoods) not on everything. After and during use I also spray the cutting blades with an aerosol oil (not WD-40 if I can help it). Spray them at the end of each day and they shouldnt rust any more than usual. You need to find out what plants in your area are susceptible to diseases that can be spread by cutting and/or moisture transport, think about spraying when you work on these plants.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

jimmyq, Thanks for the reply.

What kind of aerosol oil do you use? Would like cooking pan spray work and not harm the plants? Also do you rinse your equip with water after you use the lysol or bleach mixture? I dont want to kill the plant by poisoning it, so I thought I would ask.


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## jimmyq (Jan 24, 2005)

I think the one I have in the truck right now is called " Moovit" . I tend to spray between plants. I will take the spray with me to the plant and give the blades a spritz (disinfectant) before I go to the next one, usually I take a small rag and wipe the excess off after a few seconds. When the pruners or sawblade get gummy or start to stick I hit them with the lube. then lube oil spray and a quick wipe before they get packed away for the day. Like I was saying though, I only do this for disease prone stuff, gets to be time consuming after a while.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks, jimmyq. You've been a great help

Anyone else have a second opinion, another method, any thoughts?


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jan 24, 2005)

One problem is that we cannot sterolize, only sanitize our equipment.

In food service, for bleach to work, you need to imerse the tool in the solution for around 2 min.

1 oz per 5 gal will serve the purpose, which is around 100ppm.


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## Elmore (Jan 24, 2005)

*Last Call for Alcohol*

Bleach will corrode the metal. I use alcohol between cuts (on my tools). It leaves a good finish to the metal. I used to use a bleach/water mix and it corroded a nice little budding knife that I have.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

Mike Maas, thats another good point/solution. Do you rinse after or just let it dry?Thanks

John Paul Sanborn, very true as well, but hearing about the corrosion I dont think I will do any soaking. Thanks

Elmore, thanks for the reply. Do you spray or apply like Mike Maas does?


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## jkrueger (Jan 24, 2005)

I use alchohol before each tree or shrub, even the chain saw used in climbing. I use a large spray bottle, and let it dry. Also, scrap off any residue left from other cuts. The chain saw I blow out, or brush out old chips.

Jack


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## Stumper (Jan 24, 2005)

The Lysol type aerosols have alcohol for the carrier and are very handy. I spray between cuts on known infections, between trees when working on disease prone species and between job sites as a general practice-I spary when I pack the tools away and when I unpack them so the disinfectant has time to work but "never" gets overlooked. After all our discussions about veggie oil as bar oil I tried lubeing my loppers and secateurs with vegetable oil. I have discovered that it lasts far longer than the petroleum based spray lubes on the pivot points. This would seem to indicate that cooking spray would actually be a good choice.

FWIW, While I practice tool sanitation and believe it to be a logical course of action ,it is worth noting that there is no scientific evidence of plant disease transmission via pruning tools.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks again Mike Maas. I will keep that in mind as to where I can get cheap alcohol.

Jkrueger, Thanks for the tips.

Stumper, Thanks for the advice. As for the spray on pam I was just wondering if it would work to keep the tools from rusting, but if its a good lubricant thats another plus. I dont know about the scientific proof, but my Hort professor seemed very sure that its possible to spread infections and disease through prunning/trimming. Like you practice better safe than sorry.


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## OutOnaLimb (Jan 24, 2005)

Lysol is a great disinfecant for sterilizing tools when trimmin trees prone to disease, IE Apples, cherries and dogwoods. Any soap and water mixture will break down the cellular wall of viruses or bacteria. The aresol cans are a lot easier to use, on occation I have used alcohol prep pads that I keep in the truck to wash the ink of the laminated maps after I have marked the location on the map for easier navigation.

Kenn


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 24, 2005)

Thanks OutOnaLimb.


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## pbtree (Jan 25, 2005)

I have used both alcohol and Lysol - I find the Lysol easier to carry and use. About the only place I have really needed it is working on ornamental pears - fire blight seems to be all too common these days!


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## P_woozel (Jan 25, 2005)

Whats wrong with sawgas? kills and lubes. Pruning is just tree interrogation anyway.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Jan 25, 2005)

> Quote:
> Originally Posted by OutOnaLimb
> Any soap and water mixture will break down the cellular wall of viruses or bacteria. Kenn
> 
> ...



Soaps and detergents are surface activating compounds-surfactiants. They reduce the surface tension of the water, in effect making it wettter. So unless it contains a quatrinizing agent, like most anticacterial soaps do, they just make the wter work better in removing the pathogens from the surface.

The idea of soaking the implement in solution for 2 min applies for any sanitizing agent. Alchohol is hydroscopic, it works by drawing the water out of the organism (why we pee more then we drink of beer) . By spraying and wiping, you do not allow it to remain in the nooks and cranies of the tool, and reduce the effectivness of the treatment.

Another thing is that the OTC iso. alch. of 70-90% solution are better then higher content, because the high solution products can actually seal the membrane of the organism and allow it to live untill evaporation of the solution.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 26, 2005)

Pbtree, good point. I wil keep it in mind. Thanks

Rumination, I agree. Thanks

P woozel, as funny as that is, I will leave the sawgas alone. Thanks


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## ROLLACOSTA (Jan 28, 2005)

the simplest thing in my opinion to use on pruning saws, knives,etc is ANTI-BACTERIAL washing up liquid and hot water if available,dry well after washing


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## Elmore (Jan 31, 2005)

*Cheap Rubbing Alcohol*



MJLsLawnCareNmo said:


> Mike Maas, thats another good point/solution. Do you rinse after or just let it dry?Thanks
> 
> John Paul Sanborn, very true as well, but hearing about the corrosion I dont think I will do any soaking. Thanks
> 
> Elmore, thanks for the reply. Do you spray or apply like Mike Maas does?


I use cheap rubbing alcohol. I moisten a piece of paper towel and in between cuts wipe my grafting knife blade clean with it. Sometimes I wipe with a dry towel after but if enough time has elapsed it dries on it's own. What bothers me about this method is the time it encompasses and after reading some on this thread I am thinking of employing a small spray bottle to apply the alcohol. I hope the bottle's spray mechanism holds up as this will save me some time. Rubbing alcohol is adequate for my use but as for Lysol, there is an active ingredient in it that should serve well. It is a quaternary ammonium compound. The quaternary ammonium compound is didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC). Or so I have been told. Check the label and see if DDAC is part of the ingredients.


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## MJLsLawnCareNmo (Jan 31, 2005)

Thanks Rollacosta.

rborist1, thanks. Is there any advantages of using methalhydrate vs. lysol, rubbing alcohol, bleach, or ANTI-BACTERIAL washing up liquid and hot water as some of the other members mentioned?

Elmore, thanks I will check that out. Good memory on remembering the name of the chemical compound.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Feb 2, 2005)

Elmore said:


> What bothers me about this method is the time it encompasses and after reading some on this thread I am thinking of employing a small spray bottle to apply the alcohol.



You still need to imerse the tool in the compound for a minimal time. 

Another industry example would be the barbers keeping combs saoking in Barbisol inbetween uses.


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