July 30, 2019 - 4:37pm
Disinfecting bannetons
I have had my bannetons in storage for a long time. I just retrieved them and found mouse droppings in some of them!
Is there any way to disinfect them to make them useable? I would hate to throw them out.
Thank you.
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Just a first thought here. You could boil one for 10 minutes. If it doesn't damage it, boil the rest.
Personally, I would remove the mouse droppings, maybe use a stiff brush to get rid of any accumulated flour, and just use them. I reckon baking the bread would be sufficient disinfection. I also recognise that I am not as squeamish as other people.
So, if you do plan to throw them out, I'd be happy to have them.
Jeremy
I personally wouldn't mess around with that virus. Yes oven heat may kill it, but nope. Boil or toss out imho.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthohantavirus
"According to the Washington State Department of Health, in an average room temperature environment, hantavirus can live for about two to three days."
"These viruses are surrounded by a lipid (fatty) envelope, so they are somewhat fragile."
unless you are in CA or WA:
https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/surveillance/index.html
And hard to get out. How about running them through the hot cycle with a bleaching automatic dish soap. Go for an extra rinse and air dry in the hot sun on racks.
but you could try hydrogen peroxide mixed with white vinegar. This is sometimes used in homebrew circles to sanitize their equipment: 1 cup H2O2 + 1/4 cup vinegar added to 1 gallon of water.
You could also try straight 3% H2O2 as it is also a good broad-spectrum antimicrobial on its own.
If the CDC saw this thread, they'd likely have it removed.
1. Do not eat mouse crap.
2. Do not disinfect with anything other than bleach or boiling in water. Maybe not even just boiling.
Be careful what you read. Scary.
I disinfect my toilet with a brush exactly like that one. Guess I better get a different colored one for the banneton basket so I don't mix them up