Making plastic pots pristine clean for re-using ??

I have a lot of old plastic pots left over from last year .
What is the best way to clean them well so that re-using them will kill any nasties left in the pots ???
Cheers

 

Im sure loads of people will disagree....but I dont bother.....lifes to short, and I do have some support there was a piece in RHS garden magazine recently basically saying the same thing, dont worry to much about garden hygene. Im probably tainted by old college lecturer who told us he'd been growing healthy plants for 35 years without disinficting his pots, I mdoing ok on this advice too.

 

I never bother - my old pots sit at the back of the shed with other unmentionables until I need them.

 

I would agree with theplantsman and SussexG. I think I must have read the same article in the RHS magazine as well. My logic says that it is not worth disinfecting pots unless you are going to disinfect the rest of the garden as well.

The only exception being if you know you have has something nasty in a pot, such as vine weevil, but then just a scrub with water will get those out.

 

Years ago I used to spend my winter days washing out pots with jeyes fluid.

I stopped about 20yrs ago and just leave them out in the rain now

The only real benefit I can think of, that can come of this idea is when sowing very small seed that grows very slowly.
Afterall, not many of us use sterilized compost these days any way.

 

If I were worried about them I'd wash them out with a weak solution of cheap bleach, then rinse them thoroughly under the tap.
I'd feel better for it, I'm not sure that the plants would and it won't have cost me much.

 

I have never bothered either,it seems such a thankless task for which I don't have the patience.....lol.
It seems I am NOT alone.....

 

Actually...if I am using a pot for a houseplant or something that needs overwintering I do scrub them a bit, but only because I feel the warmth indoors might germinate something nasty. Anything outside can take it's chances!

 

Many thanks folks for all the answers - Certainly the consensus of opinion is clear and I shall do just that - I must admit my gut reaction was that so it has confermed
the subconscious!
Molto grazie ed arriverderci
Cheers

 

That is marvelous news I detest washing pots,wont do it any more YIPPEE.

 

Yay - I will cross that off my list of jobs in my gardening diary!

I was trying to be a 'proper gardener' this year - so glad I won't fall at the first hurdle!

 

I thoroughly clean any pots I'm using for plants that will spend time indoors, for seed sowing etc. Good hygeine at that stage is important I reckon.

Warm water with a weak disinfectant - just a general household cleaner. Give them a good scrub, and rinse thoroughly with clean water under the tap / hose.

Like most other people though, anything outdoors I don't really bother.

 

I wish I could bring myself to throw pots away,i have lots.It wouldnt be so bad if they were standard sizes but stacking so many different ones is a nuisance.

 

Yep, sounds familiar. I use a fraction of the ones I have over the year at different times...but still end up with more when I buy more plants.

I did speak to a garden centre once asking if they'd take them back and re-use them, but apparently it was too time consuming to wash them all (the irony considering this thread, but I suppose they have to ensure they are totally germ free). They also had a 'help yourself' basket for customers to recycle their old pots in but it was either abused or not used (can't remember which). I might try some others nearby and see what they say...then arrive with a trailer load of plastic pots for them!