I get asked this a lot. Simply put - my answer is "No., but..."
Curing the wood means cleaning the wood in such a way as to ensure that there is nothing currently living in it. This is an essential step if you're planning on using the driftwood in a pet enclosure or aquarium. You don't want to run the risk of introducing foreign bacteria or parasites into these environments. My work is not intended for those purposes. Most of my work is intended for outside enjoyment. The wood is always cleaned of sand, dried seaweed and/or bark with a wire brush. If its going to be for inside use then I usually paint, varethane or varnish the wood to seal it. Further - I intentionally pickup my driftwood above the tide line and then it usually sits in my workshop for an extended period of time before it is used. This also helps to ensure that I haven't brought anyone uninvited home with me.
If you are picking up your own wood and do want to cure it, here are the steps:
First you start by cleaning it thoroughly. To start, you scrub the wood with a stiff brush to remove debris or dirt.
Then, soak the wood in a bucket of distilled water for several days, changing the water daily. This will help to leach out any remaining tannins or toxins.
Next - you need to "cure" it. This means breaking down any bacteria or microorganisms within the wood making it safer to use. The easiest method to do this is to continue soaking the wood until it sinks to the bottom of your container. This can take several weeks or even months, depending on the size of the wood.
You can speed up the curing process by instead boiling it in water for several hours. This will help to kill any harmful bacteria or parasites and can also speed up the leaching process. However, boiling can also cause the wood itself to break down more quickly.
Personally - I wouldn't have the patience to do this properly and so I would probably just purchase treated wood from your local pet store. If you do want to do it though, here's a good resource for the steps to take.
How To Prepare Driftwood For An Aquarium: Everything You Need To Know | TFCG (tropicalfishcareguides.com)
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