Clean Caving Procedures

In addition to making caves available for recreational use, SCCi is also committed to protecting caves and fragile cave ecosystems. The following clean caving procedures are required when visiting SCCi caves. If you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 423-771-9671.

Introduction of foreign substances into caves can have unintended consequences to cave life. In addition to concerns regarding White-nose Syndrome (WNS), some caves have microscopic life that is unique to that cave, and can be decimated by material introduced from other caves.

CLEAN CAVING PROCEDURES

When caving in WNS positive counties, clean your gear (Steps 1-2 below)
When caving between WNS negative counties, clean your gear (Steps 1-2 below).
When caving from a county that is WNS positive to a county that has no identified cases, disinfect your gear (Steps 1-5 below).
When caving in likely WNS positive counties disinfect your gear (Steps 1-5) going in and, going out, disinfect your gear (Steps 1-5) if visiting WNS negative counties or clean your gear (Steps 1-2 below) if visiting WNS positive counties.

Refer to the following table for the list of counties and SCCi caves that have been identified White-nose Syndrome positive. Any cave located in a county where White-nose Syndrome has been identified should be treated as positive.

State	County	Preserve	WNS Positive
Alabama	DeKalb	Steward Springs	YES
	Jackson	Fern	YES
	Jackson	Horse Skull	YES
	Jackson	Kennamer	YES
	Jackson	Limrock Blowing	YES
	Jackson	Neversink	YES
	Jackson	Stephens Gap	YES
	Jackson	Tumbling Rock	YES
	Jackson	Valhalla	YES
	Madison	Glove Pit	YES
	Madison	Varnedoe	YES
	Shelby	Anderson	YES
	Jackson	Balcony	LIKELY
	Jackson	Moody	LIKELY
Florida	Jackson	Hollow Ridge	NO
	Marion	Jennings	NO
Georgia	Dade	Howards Waterfall	YES
	Dade	Fox Mountain	YES
	Dade	Johnsons Crook	YES
	Walker	Fricks	YES
Kentucky	Hart	Frenchman Knob	YES
	Hart	Logsdon	YES
	Hart	Daleo	LIKELY
Tennessee	Cocke	Rattling	LIKELY
	Cumberland	Run to the Mill	YES
	Fentress	Wolf River	YES
	Franklin	Sinking Cove	YES
	Marion	Gourdneck	YES
	Marion	South Pittsburgh	YES
	Rutherford	Snail Shell	LIKELY
	Wayne	Holly Creek	YES
	Hamilton	Hugden	LIKELY
	Grundy	Mayapple	LIKELY
	Marion	Sinkhole	LIKELY
Virginia	Russell	Cyclops	LIKELY
	Giles	Salamander	LIKELY
West Virginia	Pocahontas	Lobelia	YES

For a map of all US counties and their White-nose Syndrome status visit https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/resources/map.

Step 1: Get the Dirt Off

If not completed before leaving the site, thoroughly remove all dirt and debris from all items prior to cleaning and disinfecting. NOTE: If dirt and debris has been transported away from its origin, additional treatment of this debris may be needed.

Step 2: Clean your Gear

Wash submersible and non-submersible equipment according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Conventional cleansers like Woolite® detergent or Dawn® dish soap may not kill Pd, but they aid in the removal of sediments and debris that may contain spores and increase the effectiveness of subsequent treatment.

Vacuum and wash the inside of field vehicles, especially floor mats and seats used by people who have been inside the bat roosts and cargo areas holding equipment that has been inside the roost. For vehicles that have been driven into or to the entrance of a bat roost, wash the exterior, including undercarriage, before being driven into or to the entrance of another roost. (The best approach is to avoid driving vehicles into or to the openings of roosts.)

Step 3: Disinfect your Gear Use one of the following methods to disinfect your gear:

Submersible Equipment

Submersible Equipment (i.e., equipment that can safely withstand submersion in hot water or other specified product for the recommended amount of time without compromising the integrity of the item). The preferred treatment for equipment deemed suitable for submersion is hot water that maintains a temperature of at least 55ºC (131ºF) for a minimum of 5 continuous minutes. All equipment surfaces must remain in direct contact (i.e., avoid all trapped air) with the >55ºC (131ºF) water for the entire 5-minute disinfection period. Many commercial and home washing machines with sanitize (or allergen) cycles may be capable of submerging gear in the recommended hot water application for the required time, but each machine should be tested to ensure it reaches and sustains the needed temperatures throughout the process. Remember, if heat may affect the safety and/or integrity of the otherwise submersible piece of equipment, consider equipment dedication or an alternative application or product listed in Table 1.

Non-Submersible Equipment

Non-submersible Equipment (i.e., equipment that may be damaged by liquid submersion) Treat all non-submersible equipment using the most appropriate application or product in Table 1 that complies with the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations and product label instructions. Remember, if an application or product may affect the safety and/or integrity of the equipment, do not use it.

Step 4: Rinse

Thoroughly rinse equipment in clean water or wipe with a clean cloth dampened with water, if appropriate. This step is particularly important if the items will subsequently contact humans, animals, or sensitive environments. Allow all equipment to dry prior to the next use.

Step 5: Clean Up

Repeat these steps for equipment bins and non-disposable bags, sinks, countertops, and other surfaces exposed to equipment during the decontamination process using the most appropriate applications or products in Table 1.

Table1

Safety Disclaimer: You’re responsible for using any of these methods safely. Be sure to follow manufacturer’s recommendations, label instructions, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), and common sense.