How To Sanitize Chainsaws
The chainsaw is a tool that always gets dirty when you use it, as wood particles and dirt tend to stick on its chain. Because a chainsaw is mainly used for "dirty" woodcutting jobs and not DIY house tasks, where handsaws are preferred, users rarely bother about sanitizing it. However, according to the U.S. Forest Service, bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms on contaminated trees can be transferred to healthy ones via dirty pruning tools. Sanitizing a chainsaw is a quick task that helps you minimize contamination hazards and also keep your tool in good condition. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Remove the chain and the guide bar from the saw. Consult your chainsaw's manual to determine the safest method to remove the parts, especially if this is the first time you are doing it. You don't have to separate the chain's teeth.
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Use a brush to remove dirt and wood particles from the teeth and the guide bar.
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Fill three quarters of a plastic basin with 70 percent denatured alcohol -- or liquid household bleach -- and water. The ratio of alcohol -- or bleach -- to water must be 1 to 9, or 1 part alcohol and 9 parts water. The basin must be big enough for the chain and the guide bar to submerge fully under the solution.
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Leave the chain and the guide bar under the solution for two minutes. Wash the guide bar and chain thoroughly with soap and clean water or ethanol. Bleach is extremely corrosive to metal and can ruin your chainsaw parts if it is not washed away.
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Allow the guide bar and chain to dry on a clean surface before reassembling your chainsaw.
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References
Resources
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