Preparing used bonsai pots for repotting

Forestcat

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I have some previously used bonsai pots that I would like to use this repotting season. Some of the pots have had diseased or insect-ridden trees in them. Is there a standard procedure for sterilizing used pots, such as soaking them in a bleach solution or is soap and hot water enough. I *don't* want to put them in the dishwasher.
 

TN_Jim

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would leave in the bath for 5-10 min. too following cleaning, then wash away all bleach well if you do this

I’m pretty familiar with sterilization protocols; however, evidently bleach can do weird things to glazes -would also just wash pots first before sterilization wash

interesting topic/situation

saw this:
 

penumbra

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I wash the loose dirt off with regular dish washing soap and then run them through the dishwasher. I almost always use the dishwasher for used pots. I have don't this with other pots too, like orchid pots. I have probably done a hundred of them this way.
If they have a lot of lime deposits I soak them in vinegar first and then do the dishwasher.
If you don't want to use the dishwasher, don't.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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Spores can be an issue. One trick to get rid of spores is to allow them to germinate: a day in water at room temperature would do just that; it's a trick a lot of fungi enthusiasts use for their substrates. Hot water should kill a lot of plant infecting things.
Like hot tap water hot, not boiling. 10-15 minutes should do the trick. Longer is better, but 90 minutes should be more than enough.
(The fungus people do a full autoclave sterilization, under pressure, that'll destroy your pots)

Do the bleach afterwards (and do add dishwashing liquid to decrease water surface tension and increase penetration). Then rinse with water three times and leave them in tap water for a day.

Weirdly enough, a solution with insane amounts of sugar or salt will have almost the same effect as bleach.
 

Scorpius

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Scrub a dub dub with the bleach solution. Rinse thoroughly. Let dry in sun. Don't overtime it. Bleach breaks down quickly in sunlight.
 

Forestcat

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Thank you for all the useful advice!
 
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