Things You'll Need:
- Bleach
- White vinegar
- Water
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Step 1
Choose a container or location that is suitable for your plant pot's sterilization such as a sink, bucket or bathtub. Decide whether you want to use a bleach-based or vinegar-based solution for sterilization. Bleach will have a stronger effect but can stain clothes and be harmful to plants if residue is left over after sterilization. Vinegar will have less sterilization power per measure but can be used on everything.
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Step 2
Mix a sterilizing solution. Bleach will need to be mixed at a ratio of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. If you are using a bathtub for sterilization for instance, filling the tub with 1 gallon of bleach and 10 gallons of water should suffice. If you choose to use vinegar to sterilize, make a half water half vinegar solution for your mixture.
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Step 3
Submerge your pots in the sterilization solution. Soak the pots for 30 to 45 minutes in the solution to kill harmful germs and parasites. Remove stuck-on dirt and debris with a plastic wire scrubber or a scouring sponge. If the solution doesn't cover the entire surface of the pot all at once, ensure that your rotate the plant pots until every part of the surface has been submerged for 30 minutes.
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Step 4
Rinse the plant pots with lukewarm water. Make sure that you rinse the pots thoroughly in the case of using bleach and be careful not to splatter your clothing. After rinsing the pots, dry them with a cloth or allow them to fully air dry on a drying rack.
