Pow_22 Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 Not been sleeping great in all this current flipery and something crossed my mind last night (well about 4am this morning). Ive recently ordered a used MIM 50's P bass off of Reverb that is winging its way to me from spain. Obviously Spain has been heavily affected by the pandemic and a thought crossed my main about how I read about quarantining parcels. I read somewhere that cardboard in particular can carry the disease around and can stay 'active' for up to a week. What about basses tho? I always change the strings anyway to flats but I don't fancy giving a nice bass a wipe over with dettol! Am I just hyping all this due to my over active brain? 1 Quote
Woodwind Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 The virus can live for a 9 days on hard metal and plastic surfaces (less on cardboard). Since there is metal and potentially a plastic varnish finish (bass depending) on an instrument it theoretically can transmit the virus. Friends of mine who are having to keep their business running are leaving carboard parcels for 72 hours after arrival, opening with gloves and then cleaning the contents with alchol. Leaving your package for a few days then wiping the whole bass down with alcohol on cloth will basically kill anything that's survived the shipping period. On an aside I want to get into the habit of wiping down any plastic food packaging I get from the shops. 3 Quote
steantval Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 Take it out of the box and then blast it with a jet washer. 😀 1 3 Quote
Dan Dare Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 Don't take the risk. I'll take it off your hands for a fiver. I know. Selfless of me, but that's just the kind of guy I am. 4 Quote
Balcro Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 OP What Woodwind said. + Paranoia depends on your circumstances. In this household - 2 potentially vulnerable people - even letters, newspapers & food deliveries are put in the back garden in the sunshine (chilled & frozen excepted of course). I seem to remember that bacteria & viruses are broken down / killed by ultra-violet light, but it's not instant. Cardboard is washed and anti-bac'd. Carrier bags are disposed of to waste bag in the back garden. When things are unpacked, everything is either washed & or "wiped". Thank goodness it's been really dry here for many weeks. If you have access to a sunny place, take advantage and still wash and anti-bac everything. If you can't get anti-bac wipes or sprays, use alcohol in some form; Vodka's good. Even cleans LP's / vinyl. Wash hands, wash door handles, wash keys! 2 Quote
Woodwind Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 37 minutes ago, Balcro said: ...If you have access to a sunny place, take advantage and still wash and anti-bac everything. If you can't get anti-bac wipes or sprays, use alcohol in some form; Vodka's good. Even cleans LP's / vinyl. Wash hands, wash door handles, wash keys!... Excellent advice Quote
chris_b Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Woodwind said: Excellent advice Except. . . . . . Vodka is only good for a tipple after you've done the job. At 40%, there is not enough alcohol in Vodka or similar spirits to be effective in killing bugs. You need at least 60% alcohol. Edited April 8, 2020 by chris_b 3 Quote
Balcro Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 39 minutes ago, chris_b said: Except. . . . . . Vodka is only good for a tipple after you've done the job. At 40%, there is not enough alcohol in Vodka or similar spirits to be effective in killing bugs. You need at least 60% alcohol. Oh dear! Just checked the tiny hand-gel cleaner downstairs - it says 57.6% Ethanol ! What's that going to do to your skin? You'll dry up and crack with repeated use if you don't wash it off! Quote
ezbass Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 This is the stuff you want... Takes your head off neat. 1 Quote
taunton-hobbit Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 Travel and Leisure calls John Crow Batty Rum, "Jamaican white rum is the country's version of moonshine." It is 160 proof with a content of 80% alcohol by volume. Quote
andytoad Posted April 8, 2020 Posted April 8, 2020 3 hours ago, chris_b said: Except. . . . . . Vodka is only good for a tipple after you've done the job. At 40%, there is not enough alcohol in Vodka or similar spirits to be effective in killing bugs. You need at least 60% alcohol. My God man, I've just snorted the hand sanitizer and poured drambuie over the door handles! I'm so w for. 😁 Quote
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