Like most of our gardeners, we Ricksters think about nature’s health. We want to reuse containers, plastic or ceramic, year after year to grow our plants in. For both human health and plant health, we recommend disinfecting containers now for next spring. Below we’ll walk you through a few techniques for proper container disinfecting, and we’ll keep it short and sweet!

Reasons & Materials:

While cleaning out containers of visible residue is good, most of the harmful stuff is at the bacterial level. Think soilborne pathogens like Phytopythiumand Ralstonia solanacearum- yikes! You don’t want to waste your gardening efforts only to have your plants be killed by preventable pathogens. And don’t forget mineral and salt build-ups too, which can cause dehydration and root rot. Clay pots’ porous nature is infamous for trapping pathogens and minerals, but terra cotta is also a great alternative to plastic (Gedon). We aren’t trying to dissuade gardeners from one material over another; we’re just giving you a heads-up that you will need tools and elbow grease! Here’s a good list:

1.) Dish gloves.

2.) Apron (to protect your clothes from bleach.)

3.) Spare rag.

4.) Old kitchen brush, steel wool, or wire brush.

5.) Household bleach or alternatives (more to come in the article.)

6.) Water.

7.) A tub to wash containers in. We recommend avoiding the bathtub or sink to prevent soil from going into the drain.

How to Clean Containers with Bleach:

First, put on your protective apron and dish gloves. Using your chosen tub, dilute nine parts water with one part bleach, then fill the tub with the mixture (Rindels & Steil). Do NOT mix any other chemicals or cleaning substances with the bleach. Dampen the spare rag with plain water to dab at excess dirt or grime from the containers. Once visibly clean, submerge containers within the tub and scrub the surface with your tool of choice. Scrub both the inside and outside of the container while they’re submerged for a full 10 minutes to kill potential pathogens (Gedon). Rinse the pots with clean water and set them in the sun to dry. Containers can then be stored for winter or be planted with something else (Gedon). The remaining bleach water can disinfect gardening tools; just be sure to dry them properly to avoid rust (Goden)!

How to Clean Containers With Rubbing Alcohol:

Sometimes bleach just doesn’t cut it. Or you hate the smell of bleach. Regardless, there are alternatives to bleach and water. Rubbing alcohol can also disinfect containers (Rindel & Steil). To clean containers this way, complete all steps before creating the bleach bath. Put on your safety gear and wipe all pots clean. Instead of making the bleach bath, spray or wipe all interiro/exterior surfaces with undiluted 70% concentrated isopropyl alcohol. Set them in the sun to dry after cleaning containers this way.

How to Clean Containers with Consan 20:

There is a secret third option to cleaning solutions: Monterey Consan 20. This powerful chemical blend must be diluted and is traditionally used to treat mold, mildew, and other pathogens on hard surfaces (typically man-made). It can be used on plants like lawns and ornamentals with care. Consan 20 can also treat algae in fishless ponds. It can also disinfect non-porous pots, such as plastic pots or fully glazed pots. There’s an instruction booklet on the back of every Consan 20 bottle, with directions for treating pots & houseplant containers on pages 6 through 9. We’ll go through the steps below:

Mix Consan 20 with water in a large tub, following the ratio in the booklet, then pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray all surfaces of the pot inside and out, allowing the surface to remain wet for 10 minutes. Spray from 8 inches away to avoid breathing in the corrosive solution. Wipe up excess liquid with a rag once 10 minutes have passed. Make sure to wear gloves throughout all steps!

There you have it, three methods of disinfecting plant containers! Whilst some are more intense than others, each will work perfectly for killing harmful pathogens. Another method to keep containers clean is changing soil out every couple of years to avoid growing more pathogens and mineral build up. Clean containers out every time old soil is removed and before filling with new soil. Happy gardening!

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Gedon, Trish. “Sanitize Garden Pots before Spring Planting – Oklahoma State University | Oklahoma State University.” Extension.Okstate.Edu, 10 May 2023, https://extension.okstate.edu/articles/2023/sanitizing_flower_pots

Rindels, Sherry and Aaron Steil. “How to Clean and Disinfect Plant Containers.” Yard and Garden, 20 June 2024, https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-clean-and-disinfect-plant-containers. Accessed 20 Sept. 2026. https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-clean-and-disinfect-plant-containers

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