Loop cleaning — Steramine vs Virkon

[justinthedeeps]

I like to flush again after the steramine soak, logic being that if it did in fact dissolve much bacteria and organic matter, I would prefer to wash out any of that dead bacterial matter and residual goops and nutrients etc, rather than just leave traces in there in the voids and folds to build up.

The 'no rinse' instructions on the product are for relatively smooth objects (dishware etc) that drain & dry quickly and completely. Does my loop & counterlungs do that? Sorta...not really

The steramine is a quaternary cationic surfactant that physically disrupts cell membranes and other cellular stuff, much like what's in other laundry and dishwasher detergents as noted by @happy-diver, and I didn't see any relevant materials reported as chemically sensitive to it.

Virkon has some peroxygen oxidants in it, which could be reactive against some polymers and fabrics in high concentrations/durations. But probably not as harsh even as typical chlorinated pool water (?), which could probably also 'disinfect' your whole kit and loop etc (I've seen it done). I'd probably rinse again in all cases.

 

[InWay2Deep]

DGX says Steramine should be rinsed,

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

Steramine leaves no residue, but we recommend rinsing after use.

 

[LFMarm]

Thanks everyone for the advice

 

[flymolo]

if you make your steramine it in a spray bottle it doubles as a nice spray for your countertop

 

[Tracy]

Neither of those are for cleaning. Both of them are for steralizing. You should clean your loop and lungs with warm water. Possibly a light soapy water if they have some buildup and then rinse well with warm water.
Steramine is used last to prevent anything from living inside. You rinse or soak them in it and then hang to dry. There is no final water rinse, that just re-introduces potential bacteria.

 

[DiveGearExpress]

DGX says Steramine should be rinsed,

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

The DGX recommendation to rinse after use is (as mentioned by justinthedeeps) to "wash out any of that dead bacterial matter and residual goops and nutrients etc, rather than just leave traces ... to build up". The rinse recommendation is not because we have any concerns about residue of Steramine itself remaining in the loop.

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah I've got some Steramine tablets, rattling around in the bottom of my bottle
and the congealed hardened lumps and crusts of Virkon expired some years ago

But my thing as I was beginning to run out and looking for a cheaper alternative
before I was going to have to give up rebreathing forever, was to try alternatives

I bought a bottle of steramine in tablets in 2007. It's still going strong.

Dude get off the regs and go rebreathing more, although my accumulation of hours these days is a disgrace

There are plenty of germs in air. They will grow in any organic leftovers like your spitty lungbutter. It may start out sterile-ish but wont stay that way for long

Of course of course I soak, scrub brush and turbo flush with hot water, but for cleaning not disinfecting
Yeah soak to soften the crusts to glue again and blast them completely out not just into another corner


But really guys a weak mix of hydrochloric and water as much as your anxiety can bear, and sorb is gone
the stuff gets the stubborn sorb out of my meshes and perforated stuff in stainless metal tin and plastics

I've got a few weird units and sub escape apparatuses made from all sorts

This one pure O2, tastes of rubber and chemicals YUCK!


Of course testing first your hydrochloric blend in an inconspicuous area behind the couch is up to you.

 

[AdamJ]

Anybody else use EW80? I don’t have easy access to steramine so I prefer to reserve the tablets for when I am traveling since a tablet is easier to pack. For my weekly diving I use EW80 for disinfectant as it is recommended by my rebreather manufacturer. Rinse -> Soak for 15 minutes -> Rinse and air dry

EW80 clean - der Spezialreiniger für Feuerwehren & Polizei

EW80-Produkte werden zur Reinigung und Desinfektion von Atemschutzgeräten bei Feuerwehren, Polizei und Industrie eingesetzt.

ew80.eu