"How to clean grow tent" is a common question amongst growers because cleanliness is essential to growing quality crops. Keeping your grow tent kits and grow lights clean, organized, and sanitized may help prevent pests, molds, and diseases from attacking your plants.
Regimens like maintaining adequate airflow, cleaning filters, companion plants, and even insect traps may help fortify your grow tent against external threats. Discover some valuable tips herein.
The Importance to Clean Your Grow Tent Kit
If your grow tent kit is clean, there are minimal chances of having to deal with some pesky pests, molds, and pathogens. High hygiene standards help reduce the spread of fungal spores and bacteria that may damage flowers, leaves, or roots.
Being vigilant when introducing crops, LED grow lights, and any other object into your grow tent can help keep away pests. While beneficial insects are welcoming, pest insects will quickly devour your plants and lay waste to stems, roots, or the entire plant.
In the long run, high hygiene standards will benefit crop health and yield. Any pest, disease, or technical hitch can cause deliberate damage to your crop investment. You will be forced to spend extra time, funds, and effort to eradicate them once they lay foot as any sort of damage will affect crop health, leading to poor harvest.
What Tools Do You Need to Clean Your Grow Tent Kit?
For a thorough grow tent kit cleaning, you will need:
- A broom, brush and dustpan, mop and bucket
- Soft cloths (preferably sponges)
- Vacuum cleaner
- Cleaning reagents: Bleach, Vinegar, or Hydrogen Peroxide
- Protective gear: Gloves, Protective goggles, boots
- Clean water
- Alcohol wipes
Clean Your Grow Tent
First, you will have to switch off your equipment. However, you shouldn't switch off the extraction fan. While cleaning, it will help expel the fumes from your cleaning agents.
You should leave your LED grow lights hanging if it might cost you an arm and a leg to bring them down. However, it will be easy to clean them once you place them on a surface where you can comfortably work from.
Remove all grow containers and pots from your kit's grow space, along with trellis nets and supports. It will be easy to clean your grow tent since you can access all corners.
Start by sweeping the floor. Sweeping will help remove dirt that lays on the floor. Dirt and debris are common hideouts for pathogens and pests; by doing so, you will avoid spreading them around while working.
Then remove surface dirt from the walls of your grow tent by dusting with a sponge, from top to bottom, and sweep the floor once more to leave it spotless.
In the second sweeping round, a vacuum cleaner will significantly help. If there were pest issues in the last cleaning exercise, you would need an insecticidal bomb. Insecticidal bombs help kill pests but using a vacuum cleaner will help remove harmful chemical residues on the walls and floor.
If you decide to use an insecticidal bomb pesticide in your grow tent while cleaning, turn off the extractor and seal the kit for 8-24 hours. Enhance air circulation before re-entering the grow tent.
Next, add one tablespoon of 5% Bleach to 1 gallon of a bucket of water. Wipe the tent's walls with the solution and a sponge before mopping its floor.
You may use Hydrogen Peroxide solution instead of bleach. With Hydrogen peroxide, a concentration as low as 3% will lay off all the pests and infectious microbes.
Ensure you're wearing protective gloves while applying bleach—also, eyeglasses when doing overhead cleaning. Allow the surface to soak while bleach disinfects the surface. Afterward, dry with a towel.
Clean Your LED Grow Light
LED grow lights need frequent cleaning for optimal performance. Before cleaning your LED grow light, cut off the power supply or unplug them to prevent electrocution while cleaning. Handle them with care, and do not use bare hands.
Once you have disconnected the LED lights, it is time to dust them before cleaning. You should use a soft towel or a vacuum cleaner. Do not use abrasive materials since they can damage the lights.
If your grow lights have a dirty lens, the light will bounce back, and the crops won't get enough of it. You need a mild detergent like soap, a soft cloth, and water. Gently wipe the light’s lens and crannies and nooks and crannies until they are clean. Wipe dry with a towel.
Ensure your grow lights are functioning and in good condition. If the lights can sustain the next growing cycle, there is no need to replace them. Instead, gently wipe them with a soft towel to remove dust.
Clean Your Ventilation System
Switch off and disconnect the extraction system before working on it. Using a towel, wipe off the dust from the outer surface of ducts and the fans. Disconnect and wash the air filter's pre-filter sleeves and the extraction process' anti-insect protection.
While cleaning your legal grow tent's extraction and the Mars Hydro’s ventilation system, examine the ducting of wires and seals for any damages. If any, reseal the wears with duct tape.
At this point, you should consider changing your extraction system's carbon filters. Mars Hydro offers quality carbon filters that enhance effectiveness when cleaning the air.
An activated carbon's lifespan depends on factors like humidity and air odor. High humidity leads to low performance when using filters, while highly potent air odor shortens their lifespan. However, on average, they should sustain your grow tent for 12-18 months.
Mars Hydro Will Always Provide You with The Most Comprehensive Growing Knowledge
Mars Hydro offers the best grow tent kits, LED grow lights, and other essential crop growing accessories for better yields. With 10+ years of experience through innovation and research, we have stood the test of time as professionals in the evolving LED technology to build a solid clientele base.
Did you know We offer an all-free 1st-year warranty policy, followed by a 2nd-5th year limited warranty to all grow lamps? For more information, Email Us!
