A great bleach recipe is quarter cup of bleach added to a gallon of cool
water, but I usually double the amount of bleach because the solution is
not very stable, breaking down with exposure to heat, light, air, and
organics, and I want to insure effectiveness (you can add up to a full
cup of bleach and still be safe).  Smaller batches can be made by adding
a tablespoon of bleach (I add two) to a quart of cool water.  Some people
swear by the 10-to-1, commonly used in hospitals.  Mix a new batch very
day; don't try to save a few pennies by using yesterday's solution (I
flush my old bleach solution down the toilet and it helps keep the bowl
clean).  Keep the bleach solution away from the ferrets; while at this
concentration anything they might lick up should not permanently harm
them (it is not much stronger than the chlorinated water in a swimming
pool), it still may make them sick if they drink too much.
 
If you have the bucks and are extremely paranoid about pathogens, you can
purchase any commercial product that meets the Environmental Protection
Agency's standards for "hospital grade" germicides.  Use them ONLY as
directed, refrain from disposing of them into septic systems, and keep
these solutions from your ferrets because most of them ARE toxic.  As
already mentioned, most of these products, excluding situations where
specific pathogens are resistant to bleach, are no more effective than
the bleach solution already mentioned.
 
I take special precautions after visiting clubs or homes where ECE or ADV
may be present.  In these cases, I remove all my clothing in the garage
and place them in large garbage bags (don't forget to double-bag).  I
wash all exposed skin areas with a disinfecting soap, then retreat to
the shower for a good scrubbing.  Clothing is immediately laundered, and
all areas that might have come into contact with the garbage bags or me
are cleaned with bleach.  I even wash my shoes with a bleach solution.
Overkill?  Perhaps, but it solves the dilemma of transporting germs into
the home, and besides, I'd want the shower anyway.
 
Bob C
[Posted in FML issue 4412]