Product |
For |
Against |
Bleach |
Effective against a wide range of bacteria.
Widely available.
Easy to dispose of.
Cheap. |
Effectiveness is affected by concentration. The concentration of bleach
is hardly ever printed on bottles and there is no standard concentration when sold through ordinary retail outlets.
Limited effect against viruses.Rapidly neutralised by organic matter
which makes it ineffective in an aviary environment where large amounts of organic material are commonly present.
Corrosive, even on some metals. Will rot many natural materials (wood, cloth
etc...)
Fumes toxic to birds.
Unstable. Its disinfecting abilities degrade with time. |
Glutaraldehyde / Formaldehyde |
Effective against bacteria. |
Slow acting, 2-12 hours needed for full effect.
Very strong smell.
Neutralised by organic matter so prior cleaning is necessary.
Complicated to use, (requires activating).
Short shelf life, 60% of activity is lost within 4 weeks of activating.
Toxic. Very hard to dispose of. Many waste contractors will refuse to remove or empty Septic Tanks which contain aldehyde contaminated effluent.
Formaldehyde causes
respiratory distress and allergic dermatitis in humans. |
Alcohols |
Effective against bacteria, limited effectiveness against viruses. |
Some types of Alcohol (isopropanol) are ineffective against viruses, others only effect
certain types of virus. Unlikely to be effective against fungi and algae.
Very strong solution - 70% - required to be effective.
Does not penetrate well into organic matter
(e.g. wooden perches, nest boxes and cages)
Expensive
Highly flammable |
Hydrogen Peroxide |
Very effective against bacteria and viruses |
Explosive in strong concentrations. MUST NOT be kept in air tight conditions.
Degrades with time
Hard to obtain. Only commonly available in powder form in denture cleaners where the explosive nature of the chemical has been controlled. |
Halogenated Tertiary Amines [Avisafe (Enviroclens)] |
Effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi and algae.
Biodegradable.
Safe,
non-corrosive and easy to use.
No toxic fumes or strong smells given off.
Can be used in the presence of birds so long as no puddles are left. Does not require to be rinsed off
afterwards.
Inexpensive.
Stable, long shelf. |
Generally not as easily obtained as bleach.
Has a detergent action and so may
cause some skin irritation/drying after prolonged use. |
