I'm making Pickles a play stand out of wood in our backyard. It's not pine, but I'm not sure what kind of branch it is, and we want to sterilize it first but I don't really know how to do that? The branches are all fairly long and large.

Thanks in advance

You'll need to find out what kind of wood it is... there are many poisonous types of trees that cannot be used to make bird toys/stands.

If it is indeed a safe wood you can bake it (someone else will know the temperature/time required) if it fits in the oven. If not, I believe you can wash it with a mild bleach solution, rinse really well and let it dry in the sun. But please find out what type of wood it is first.

Others should have some more insight!

Bleach and water and a good scrub...

http://www.plannedparrothood.com/plants.html#TOP

Thanks for the info about how to sterilize it, I will look tomorrow at the leaves and the bark and this site:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/...ces/DD0486.html

to see if I can identify the tree, or at least narrow it down into some possibilities. The only thing I know for sure is that it isn't part of the evergreens, and is a part of a Deciduous tree.

Majj has a great point and bleaching is absolutey needed but I would also bake it in the oven at 250 for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or the lowest setting you have, for a little longer. Baking will kill germs bleach won't. There are more germs then you can imagine that bleach won't touch.

Hey Cheryl problem is the pieces won't fit in my oven! LOL

When you run into that problem you should put it on the roof of the house and let it bake in the sun. All day works for me.