Cleaning pots and trays for reuse

[vixylix]

So it's getting to that time of year where the majority of these can go away for the winter.
What's the best way to clean them for storage? I was going to use soapy water but didn't want residue doing future harm!

[skeggijon]

Soapy waters absolutely fine, but a good idea to rinse them after

[SusieG]

I've seen stuff you can buy from garden centres specifically for cleaning pots, greenhouses etc. Not used it myself, but have used soapy water then a good rinse after. Allow to dry before storing

[noviceveggrower]

I just use warm soapy water and rinse them well afterwards. I usually get them to air dry but if the kids are pestering me I get them to dry them for me

[Martin H]

I'm afraid I usually just brush all the loose stuff off and store them. I'm working on the principle that there's going to be many more organisms in the compost when I re-use them than what's left stuck to the pots over winter.

The only time I'll wash them is if the plant died from some nasty disease, in which case it's a bucket of water with some washing-up liquid in it followed by a rinse.

[veggiechicken]

I'm with Martin on this.
To paraphrase Shirley Conran - Life's too short to wash a flowerpot.

[WendyC]

I wash the little seed trays that I use in the propagator, as I figure diseases can wipe out seedlings pretty quickly. Other than that I don't wash pots.

[vixylix]

I'm much preferring this idea of not washing any of them

[Glutton4...]

Just remember to use friendly washing-up liquid, and not that nasty evil carcinogenic stuff that washes more dishes than all the others, and softens your hands, whilst leaving its nasty poisonous scummy bubbles all over everything!

[Jungle Jane]

I wash all my little pots right before I use them,in a bucket of water with a little squirt of bleach,then rinse,air dry or if I cant wait that long just fill with compost when they're a bit wet still,I don't wash those tiny cell trays.

[Alison]

I don't wash either, never have, just dry out and brush out any soil residue. If I got disease I would but don't have a problem. Life is FAR too short

[craftymarie]

I wish I'd read that answer Alison before spending time washing mine today! However they dried nice and quickly in the sun so good day to do it.

[SusieG]

I'm all for not wasting precious time doing things that don't really need doing!!
Think I read somewhere (???) that pots need to be washed at the end of the season - thank goodness for you wise lot of growers putting me straight on that one!!!
One unnecessary job crossed off my 'to do' list ....

[Bigmallly]

May sound daft but why do you wash your pots?...............Do you also wash your trowel, spade, fork, hoe...........etc..............Potty is excluded from that question with his knife & fork set.........

[Bill HH]

May sound daft but why do you wash your pots?...............Do you also wash your trowel, spade, fork, hoe...........etc..............Potty is excluded from that question with his knife & fork set.........

Or do you wash your soil?