Grow Room Sanitation Tips You Better Follow

Grow Room Sanitation

How to Keep Your Cannabis Grow Room Sanitized and Safe from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Growing any kind of herb or vegetable properly requires cleaning and sanitation – this applies to growing cannabis too.

Sterilizing and cleaning your grow room is a habit you shouldn’t neglect. This is critical for avoiding fungus infestations and pests whether you’re growing out of a box, tent, a dedicated grow room, and even hydroponically grown plants. Starting with a good clean before setting up your equipment is always ideal, followed by regular maintenance to ensure tidiness at all times. Cleanliness will determine how healthy your cannabis plants will grow, and will also have a positive impact on your yield.

The Importance of Cleanliness

Cannabis grow rooms can easily become dirty, which can do damage to your fragile plants. Here’s what you can do to keep your grow room tidy:

Vacuum or sweep out large debris at the beginning of your grow cycle. If you use a vacuum, hepa filters are effective in preventing you from blasting pest eggs or mold spores all over. All soil particles and leaves should be completely removed from the grow area.

Use a small pump spray to evenly distribute a sanitizing solution. There are many different kinds of excellent cleaners that can be used for this purpose, although bleach or hydrogen peroxide are simple and work effectively to treat bugs, mold, and mildew. Don’t use food-grade hydrogen peroxide since this can cause chemical burns on your skin if you come into contact with it. It also pays to work with bleach carefully since although it’s useful in sanitation, it may damage the color of your tent. Bleach also secretes harmful fumes that can cause irritation in the eyes and lungs.

When using a bleach solution, let it dry completely before you bring any cannabis plants or equipment in.

Always wear protective gear when working with strong chemicals. A full face respirator, safety goggles, suits, and gloves will give you the protection that you need. Shower before and after cleaning to get rid of any bacteria that might be on you.

Any spills should always be cleaned up immediately. If you spill water on the floor, mop it up right away. Letting it sit will have an immediate negative impact on humidity levels, promote the growth of mold, mildew, and bacteria, and make the grow room unsafe.

Arrange your pots in tidy rows; keeping all cannabis plants neatly arranged together will not only keep your grow room looking clean but will also ensure equal access to air and light.

Remove dead leaves and prune your cannabis plants. Get rid of all dying and dead leaves – when left untouched this can result in a breeding ground for pests and bacteria.

Make sure that you’re always clean whenever you enter the grow room. Ideally, you should have a set of clothes inside the grow room that you only use inside. Go for a simple outfit that isn’t too baggy or doesn’t have too much loose fabric. Wash your hands thoroughly and keep your hair covered (such as using a hair net).

Arrange your supplies and equipment neatly. Before you deck out your grow room, invest time in creating some basic shelves so that everything has its own space. Supplies should be arranged in a certain way so that particular items like herbicides and pesticides are separate from leftover grow medium; basic equipment such as shears and buckets are stored in its own container, etc. In other words, treat it the way your dad treated his garage.

Wall mounting equipment is a great way to declutter your grow room. Ventilation systems and fans can easily be mounted on ceilings and walls, which frees up valuable floor space to let you walk around without obstructions. Most fans and vents work best when they are mounted or elevated. You can build a basic rack to mount other tools such as hygrometers, thermometers, timers, and even scissors.

Dust your equipment regularly. No matter how clean your grow room is, dust will still naturally build up. Regular dusting will prevent the accumulation of dust on plants as well as on your equipment. When dusting, always use a dry cloth; a wet cloth may affect the performance of electrical equipment.

Make a habit out of checking your water tank, pipes, and pumps. Clean them out individually to prevent the buildup of bacteria, which can lead to blockage and infestation. Remember, water is an important nutrient for your cannabis plants and it’s vital that you are feeding your plants with clean, quality water at all times.

Clean all of your grow equipment after each use.

After each harvest, do a thorough clean in your grow space. Sterilize all equipment including filters, fans, vents, AC units, trays, pots, dehumidifiers, etc. Sweep and mop the entire room to eliminate potential pathogens as you prepare for the next grow cycle.

What practices do you do to ensure the cleanliness of your grow room? Share with us in the comments below.