Free Yourself From The Drudgery of Cleaning Labware
Ultrasonic cleaning of laboratory equipment has several advantages. For one, it eliminates a laborious manual cleaning process. It is also a quick and extremely efficient method of cleaning. But just like any other cleaning protocol, ultrasonic cleaning too requires a certain amount of attending to detail in order to guarantee that you get the same perfect result each time. Ultrasonic cleaning also ensures that the cleaning reaches every crevice and difficult-to-reach spot. Such cleaning is required to ensure the integrity of the tests and experiments conducted. Issues related to cross-contamination or residues are completely eliminated.
There are certain basics that you have to look into when it comes to ultrasonic cleaning of laboratory equipment. For one, the cleaning solution has to be one that is prescribed for the labware that you are cleaning. Depending on whether you are cleaning glass or plastic, beakers or pipettes, this could vary. Before each cleaning session, ensure that the solution is clean. If not, it will have to be replaced in exactly the same proportion. Follow the instruction given on mixing the cleaning solution to the correct strength. Also, always ensure that the liquid is up to the prescribed level in the unit.
Degassing is the next important step in ultrasonic cleaning. In most cases, this is a built-in feature that kicks in automatically when the ultrasonic cleaner is switched on. The degas feature is requisite since it removes air bubbles trapped in the cleaning solution. Make sure that there are no bubbles rising to the top when you put in your labware to clean. A lack of bubbles means that the solution has been totally degassed. Degassing takes place efficiently with a little increase in temperature. Proper degassing will ensure that efficient ultrasonic cleaning and will give you spotlessly clean labware each time.
A point to remember is never to have your labware touch the bottom of the ultrasonic cleaner’s tank bed. The transducer may get damaged or direct contact with the ultrasonic generator may cause your labware to break. Each item should always be placed in a basket or tray and then lowered in. And in conclusion, regardless of the material you are cleaning, each and every item has to be thoroughly rinsed in deionized water. Water that has been filtered through the process of reverse osmosis will also do fine. Tap water should never be used. This step is to prevent any moisture remaining on the equipment surface. You will also have labware that does not have any moisture spots when it is completely dry.
Cleaning lab equipment with ultrasonic cleaners leads to a definite improvement in productivity. It saves you tons of person-hours that would otherwise be required to manually clean items. It also eliminates the need for specialized cleaning tools that require its own storage, handling, and cleaning protocols. The time thus saved can be used to work on the more important tasks without worrying about the efficiency of the cleaning work being done.
