Sanitizing tank & decorations after deceased fish

[SomethingWitty]

I've read a couple things online about how to sanitize a tank and the decorations after a deceased fish, but I'm not sure if they are valid ways to go about doing so or not.
So my tank has been sitting empty for about a week now. I ran it and all the decorations under hot water and now have them in a container.
Somewhere I read that you can dilute bleach or vinegar to sanitize it all, and then sit it out in the sun for a couple of days.
There are 2 problems with that.
1: I live in an apartment, and I'm pretty sure my neighbors would steal my stuff.
2: It calls for sleet and snow tomorrow.
Are there any other ways to sanitize this stuff? Also, should the sand that was in the tank be throw out, or can I sanitize it too and reuse it?

Thanks

[Oldfishlady]

IMO/E-usually once the tank sits dry for at least 72h-most all pathogens dehydrate and will not be problematic.
Depending on what the other Betta died from to stat with-some of the pathogens in our systems are ever present anyway and it the fish immune response that prevent them from being infected.

When in doubt-you can use a diluted water/bleach solution (20:1) to clean all the non-porous items and/or soak overnight-Then a good fresh water rinse and using double dose on the dechlorinator with the finial re-fill.

[SomethingWitty]

Thanks!

[MattsBettas]

This is a good thread about sanitizing your tank- http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=125078

[Rosso1011]

I'm curious. What should be done about porous items and non-glass aquariums?