how do you sterilize your pots

[supersheep]

Just dropping in to say thanks for the tips. It wasn't my question, but very helpful!

Thanks!

[Stray59]

Clay pots can be pressure cooked to kill all the bacteria - I just rinse mine clean and stack them in the pressure cooker, let it pressure up and then take them off the heat and let them cool to room temp. This gets all the nasty bugs (virus and fungus) in the porous clay material. Bleach and hot water is about all I use for plastics. I have microwaved damp clay pots, but have been told that some clay has metal shavings or deposits in it and can blow up a microwave oven pretty quick. Only had one spark while it was heating, but that is enough! Hate to have to explain that to my partner - "Sorry I blew up the micro, but I did it for orchids" won't set very well!
Steve

[The Orchid Kid]

For plastic I soak them in Milton solution for 10mins or so. If it is good enough for baby bottles it better be good enough for an orchid!

[orchidsarefun]

I soak all types in bleach solution and then give them a once-over spray with Lysol. When that is dry I rinse them out in water.

[Stray59]

The Orchid Kid -
-What is Milton's solution? Don't know of that here in the US unless it goes by a different name -
Also, meant to say - I raise the pressure on the cooker to 15 lbs of pressure, let it stay there about 15 min. then allow to cool down - some virus particulates are VERY resistant to being killed off. And the house gets a sudden humidity "bump" from the steam coming out of the cooker!
Steve

[The Orchid Kid]

Hi Steve - it is a sterilising fluid commonly used for baby bottles etc and in hospitals over here. Milton | Milton Sterilising Fluid

I like it because it seems less harsh then bleach and probably rinses off easier. Infact you don't really have to rinse it off to even make it safe for babies, but I always do cos it takes 5 seconds and makes me feel like it is purer!

Another side of my thinks - do we even need to be so sterile?! These plants live in the middle of forests amongst a myriad of decomposing matter, bark, moss, animal droppings, fungi galore and more so are we being too fussy?