Loop cleaning — Steramine vs Virkon

[LFMarm]

Hi all,

I have been using Steramine to clean my loop (and also other equipment like wetsuits at the end of a trip). In Europe I have found people using Virkon instead.

Their use is the same: dilute in water, let dry without rinsing.

Does anybody know pros and cons of the two?

Steramine Multi-Purpose Sanitizer

Sanitize your rebreather loop, regulator second stages, dive mask, BCD oral inflator and other dive equipment with Steramine.

www.divegearexpress.com

Virkon - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[DiveLikeAMuppet]

I’ve been taught to disinfect for x minutes, then rinse few times, especially if it’s a counterlung. Don’t need to disinfect my own lungs .

 

[rjack321]

Hi all,

I have been using Steramine to clean my loop (and also other equipment like wetsuits at the end of a trip). In Europe I have found people using Virkon instead.

Their use is the same: dilute in water, let dry without rinsing.

Does anybody know pros and cons of the two?

Steramine Multi-Purpose Sanitizer

Sanitize your rebreather loop, regulator second stages, dive mask, BCD oral inflator and other dive equipment with Steramine.

www.divegearexpress.com

Virkon - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Virkon is broader spectrum but more expensive and harder on rubber parts
Steramine not quite as comprehensive but cheaper (so you might use it more regularly), and gentler on rubber bits.

People dont get sick when actually using either. They get sick from not sterilizing at all

 

[Wibble]

What about Chemgene?

https://www.apdiving.com/en/wp-content/uploads/rebreather-chemgene-datasheet-apdiving.pdf

 

[LFMarm]

I’ve been taught to disinfect for x minutes, then rinse few times, especially if it’s a counterlung. Don’t need to disinfect my own lungs .

Once they dry out, they won’t go in your lungs. I have been taught to not rinse neither with Steramine nor with Virkon.

 

[flymolo]

I think you do need to rinse out vikron.

 

[Wibble]

Once they dry out, they won’t go in your lungs. I have been thought to not rinse neither with Steramine nor with Virkon.

And your moist breath on the residue? It tastes awful.

I rinse the loop, fill with a chemgene solution (others are available), leave it for 15 to 30 mins, empty out and rinse several times. Then hang it up to dry.

 

[sea_ledford]

We used steremine for our covid cleaning protocols for shared equipment. 10 minutes soak basically kills everything. It is food safe, but we found blue crystal buildup during regulator service when we weren't rinsing after the steremine. Since we started rinsing after sanitizing, no problems.

I'll dunk counter lungs and loop hoses in steremine for a few minutes between dive days, and give it a longer soak at the end of a trip.

 

[davehicks]

We used steremine for our covid cleaning protocols for shared equipment. 10 minutes soak basically kills everything. It is food safe, but we found blue crystal buildup during regulator service when we weren't rinsing after the steremine. Since we started rinsing after sanitizing, no problems.

I'll dunk counter lungs and loop hoses in steremine for a few minutes between dive days, and give it a longer soak at the end of a trip.

You are probably not diluting enough (using too much Steremine) if you are getting any visible build up.

I rinse out my loop hoses, bov, and counter lungs with fresh water then spray diluted steremine into them after a dive day and hang to dry. I don't rinse afterwards. I don't ever taste or see anything unusual.

 

[LFMarm]

You are probably not diluting enough (using too much Steremine) if you are getting any visible build up.

I rinse out my loop hoses, bov, and counter lungs with fresh water then spray diluted steremine into them after a dive day and hang to dry. I don't rinse afterwards. I don't ever taste or see anything unusual.

What's your ratio of Steramine tablets/volume of water?