I sterilize my tools as I work with a nasty rhizome. I carry a bucket of strong bleach water, and after wiping each tool thoroughly, I drop them in the bucket after I work on each one. I don't usually use my fingers for this job as they are harder to clean of bacteria after each procedure. The reason this is not a hassle for me is I have very little rot. My gardens are on gentle slopes and so I usually do not have standing water. I have had one little SDB, my avatar, Enchanted Princess, that has had rot issues both in the ground and in a pot.
I have had two rhizomes just shrivel up this year. Maybe the drought caused them to be too dry and their roots were not deep enough. I am grateful that I have not experienced rot like some others have. I would find it quite disheartening. I feel really bad just reading about others problems.
