cleaning waders

[wetnet]

Sorry I asked this before but I'll ask it again. Just came back from the Delaware were Didymo is present. Not where we fished but to be safe want to make sure my waders and my sons coming back from Portugal are OK again. They have said freezing for 24 hours does the job, but I thought a good wash with antibacterial detergent and then freezing would be an extra measure. We have Korkers wading shoes so we have taken out the soles and done a clorox clean before but I'd hate to keep blasting them with clorox if freezing works as good. If chlorox works why not peroxide? It doesn't leave behind a smell. Any Bio-chemists out there?

 

[Fishidiot]

I've heard clorox and a few days in the sun to get completely dry should do the trick. If you have felt soles, that's apparently where the "rock snot" tends to linger.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Fishidot,

Apparently the stuff can also live for a long time in synthetic materials used to make wading shoes, so felt soles aren't always the culprit and aqua-sleath isn't always the cure.

http://outdoorsbest.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=771750

Regards,
Tim Murphy 🙂

 

[Fishidiot]

Tim,
Thanks for the link - good thread on the topic. I have suspected for some time that we may see in the future the banning of felt soles due to this problem (I think whirling disease may also be "vectored" by felt waders). Like the banning of lead in some watersheds, it's probably only a matter of time before felt soles get banned too. While a rule with good intentions, I don't have a lot of confidence in the end result. How many people are rafting, fishing, boating, wading, and tubing in sneakers? Will they get the word and wear rubber only? And what about the countless waterfowl and wading birds - won't they get the organisms in their feathers and spread it? Anyway, all we can do is our part and hope for the best.

 

[JackM]

I think waders should not be washed with a detergent, only a mild soap like Ivory Snow. At least this is what I've always read. Check with the manufacturer before using any chemical on them. I'd lay them out in the sun, inside and out to thoroughly dry them, then use the freezer technique.

 

[Stevie-B]

wetnet,

Thourghly soaking your waders and boots in a 5% salt solution or dishwashing detergent will kill the didymo. Along the Gunpowder in Md they have washing stations with the salt water to clean your waders when you get out of the water.

 

[wetnet]

Well I'll clean them in a mild detergent, dry them out in the sun(waders and shoes) with the the additional 2% chlorox dip for my removable felts. Then I'll freeze them and sun dry them again. I've got time. The felts have been on the railing of my deck but since I don't bring them in at night they might not be drying out all the way. I'll correct that as well.

It probably won't help but at least I tried. I just heard of people that fished known contaminated waters and then stepped directly into the Lackawanna after that. I guess the algae was too bad where they were so they left.

Aurghhhh!

 

[shultzy501]

I always dry my felts thoroughly in the sun for several days after every trip. I don't like to store damp felts in my damp basement. I just read on the PFBC site that sun drying and not using the felts for at least 48 hours after is sufficient. Since I always have many days between my trips, especially between different waters. I should be ok, right?

 

[Chaz]

From the PFBC web site.

Non-absorbent items

Detergent -- soak or spray all surfaces for at least one minute in 5% dishwashing detergent or (2 cups (16 oz.) or 500mls with water added to make 2.5 gal. or 10 litres); OR
Bleach -- soak or spray all surfaces for at least one minute in 2% household bleach (1 cup (8 oz.) or 200mls with water added to make 3 gal. or 10 litres); OR
Hot water -- soak for at least one minute in very hot water kept above 140° F (60° C) (hotter than most tap water) or for at least 20 minutes in hot water kept above 113° F (45° C) (uncomfortable to touch).
Absorbent items -- require longer soaking times to allow thorough saturation. For example, felt-soled waders require:

Hot water -- soak for at least 40 minutes in hot water kept above 113° F (45° C) ; OR
Hot water plus detergent -- soak for 30 minutes in hot water kept above 113° F (45° C) containing 5% dishwashing detergent; OR
Freezing any item until solid will also work.
DRY Equipment. If possible, allow for 5 days of drying time before entering new waters.

NOTE: The thicker and denser the material, the better it will be at holding moisture (and live cells), the slower it will be to dry out and the more difficult it will be to soak completely with cleaning solutions.

 

[tabasco_joe]

All the discussion about treating felt soles leads to another reason to go with Korkers and removable soles. You can buy a couple sets of soles and rotate. Also if you damage them in the freezing/heating cycles it doesn't cost so much to replace. I'd hate to think of how quickly a pair of waders with boot feet will come apart during any freezing or high temp exposure. BTW all that sunlight kills the synthetic materials as well.

My solution is to wash my stocking foot waders in the washing machine with woolite on the gentle setting then dry thoroughly. I have a pair of Korkers with three sets of soles so I just rotate while the spares dry.

 

[gzacckey]

Here is a link to the NZ biosecurity site which is one of the best sites I've seen on Didymo.

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pest-and-disease-response/pests-and-diseases-watchlist/didymosphenia-geminata/cleaning

It echoes a lot of the cleaning procedures listed in this thread plus some additional guidelines.

Additionally. the NZ Fish and Game is banning felt soled boots this year.