How to Clean, Disinfect Sterilize Medical Equipment

1. Put on a clean pair of disposable latex gloves. You must wear protective gloves whenever handling dirty medical equipment.
2. Remove any visible contaminants using a cotton swap dipped in rubbing alcohol. If you spend just a few minutes using a cotton swab to clean large, visible organic matter or blood stains early on, it will make it much easier for the disinfectant and sterilization equipment to do its job in the next steps.
3. Place the contaminated equipment into an ultrasonic bath filled with disinfectant solution. Close the lid and turn on the ultrasonic bath. Ultrasonic baths use powerful ultrasonic waves to scrub equipment clean, removing even the smallest quantities of blood, saliva or other contaminants.
4. Remove the equipment from the ultrasonic machine after about 15 minutes.
5. Rinse the equipment using clean water. If the disinfectant ultrasonic solution is not rinsed off the medical tools, the solution can discolor the equipment over time. The discoloration is not harmful, but is unsightly.
6. Dry the equipment using disposable paper towels.
7. Place the equipment into self-sealing autoclave bags, which are strong, pressurized, steam-heated vessel, as for laboratory experiments, sterilization or cooking..
8. Place the bagged equipment into an autoclave machine, a device to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high pressure steam at 121 degrees centigrade or more, typically for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the size of the load and the contents. According to the Medical Supplies and Equipment Company, autoclave sterilization is the best method available for sterilizing medical equipment. Once cleaned and disinfected, autoclave sterilization will ensure complete obliteration of any remaining germs.
9. Turn on the autoclave machine.
10. Remove the medical tools once the machine has gone through its entire operation and cool-down period. Do not remove tools from the self-sealing bags until immediately before use. During the autoclave cleaning process, the bags become vacuum sealed. If you open the bags, you risk exposing the tools to airborne contaminants.