I have seen that several are concerned about cleaning their Cherry Keeper devices. 3D-printed plastic does have tiny pores that can be a breeding ground for bacteria, so thorough cleaning IS important. I admit, I am somewhat of a germ-o-phobe. Recommended steps: 1. Thoroughly wash with hot water and soap and rinse. 2. Soak in vinegar. Brush with a toothbrush all surfaces. 3. Brief soak in hydrogen peroxide. (look for the bubbles!) 4. Rinse and dry in the direct sun. The UV rays are good at killing germs. Wear and enjoy! Obviously such a procedure will be much easier if you have two devices and your rotate them. Laz
I scrub mine with tooth brush using hibi scrub, it's the antibacterial soap used in hospitals. I find it is not practical to wear more than 4 days without removal and thorough cleaning. It is as you say the nature of the printed plastics. I would assume the printed metals would be the same. A solid silver device would be best due to the anti bacterial qualities of silver. But I have not seen any one using silver. The next best thing is surgical stainless steel. May be electro plating with silver would work.
Thanks for the comments Tess. I am like you, I see no issue with removing periodically to keep things clean. Heck, I wear underwear every day. But they are always CLEAN underwear.
How about ultrasound bath? I'm getting this delivered today to use on a number of household items including the cage.
So if you don't have two rings and cages, if you scrub it thoroughly every time you shower and do a good scrub of the unit whenever you remove it, do you think that is enough? Not really worried about excessive germs, more concerned about managing odor.
The thing is that odors are often created by germs, so a thourough cleanup requires some kind of aseptic solution. I tried the denture tablet and peroxide (separately!), it did help so I'm sure there are solutions. Nylon is pretty resistant I think (CK is made of Nylon, right?) This looks like a good resource: https://www.calpaclab.com/nylon-chemical-compatibility-chart/
I am pleased to report that an ultrasound bath thoroughly cleaned out my CK Standard Full Touchstop tube, which borne an odor due to lube and vaseline I used to ease insertion etc. I tried a brush, denture tablet and peroxide, it did help but I could still smell an odor. No noticeable impact on the cage itself.
@Perverspepere I've left in bleach solution over night with the same effect. The plastic is totally inaffected. The Cherry Keepers are not porous at all. They just have a bit of texture to the surface from the printing process. Bleach is a cheap and easy fix. Just remember to rinse REALLY well before putting it back on.
Do any of these cleaning techniques, especially bleach, affect color at all? I have a pretty pink one and don't want to fade it.
@MissyB I couldn't comment on coloured CKs. Mine is white. You could try a mild bleach solution for 10 minutes I guess.
Incorrect cherry keeper is pourous i own 2 of them...great cages but the very nature of 3d printing makes them pourous...only way around that is to seal them with a coating.
@slappy I am new in that field, what kind of coating would you suggest? And would that coating resist a bleach solution?
To be honest it's just as easy to buy another identical cage and ring. Just swap over. I find I like to take several days cleaning mine. A good wash with antibacterial soap and a toothbrush, then into a solution of water and bleach for a day or two. And finally finish of with an overnighter in a denture cleaning solution. I know it probably sounds a bit over the top, but it works for me!