Natural Perches

[parrotlet_stc]

Hi everyone, I have a few grapefruit trees in my backyard. I'd like to break off some nice branches and remove the spikes, and use it as a perch. I'm assuming that grapefruit branches are safe for birds? Also, how would I go about cleaning the perch before putting it in the cage? I'm sure lots of wild birds have been in those trees, and I don't want to transfer any diseases. I was thinking of borrowing a friends handheld steam cleaner and steaming the branch, then letting it sit on my pool deck in the sun for awhile. Any other suggestions? I'm also growing some sunflowers to give the centers of them as treats. How would I sanitize those? Thanks.