NZcaver wrote:I usually avoid cross-posting, but the information I just added to the WNS nylon decontamination discussion is also relevant here.
So paraphrasing my other post... when helping with WNS surveys in the northeast a year ago, I used Lysol and/or chlorine dioxide to decontaminate some of my gear. Both were recommended by some of the cave/bat biology people. One northeast caver and bat researcher concocts his own chlorine dioxide, which is apparently quite effective against the WNS fusarium/fungus, and is safe for your gear and for humans to ingest (mmmm, yummy). The EPA also says it's effective against anthrax, but it can be a little tricky (and potentially explosive) to concoct.
Apart from my caving in Hawaii (no bats and no mud), my standard cleaning still involves a combination of subjecting my gear to the high pressure hose at a DIY car wash and/or scrubbing and soaking in a plastic tub. I also usually machine wash my suit and clothing. In actual or potential WNS areas, the additional chemical treatment comes after the standard cleaning - and in some cases also immediately before entering a cave.
There was a related discussion a few years ago about gear cleaning with lots of good information, which later spawned a discussion about contamination of the cave from a dirty cave suit. Amazingly, some of us regularly cleaned our gear even before WNS was on the radar. Imagine that!
I'm no chemist but one would assume the publishers of this are: http://www.huntingdonfusion.com/downloa ... stance.pdf
I'd avoid anything with chlorine in it as far as nylon gear is concerned. As for Lysol, as mentioned in another thread does it contain phenol?
I've also been fastidious about my caving gear for years. Not to prevent cross-contamination but because I think it lasts longer if you keep the crud cleaned out of it. I do resent being told to destroy expensive gear because it may or may not carry spores of a fungus that may or may not be killing bats. Honestly, if they want to be serious about this then we should be seeing researchers in full biohazard suits.