Cleaning tips
Fine surgical instruments should be cleaned immediately after use. Blood or saline solutions left on instruments for any length of time can quickly start corrosive action. Instruments can be cleaned manually or ultrasonically.
Manual or Ultrasonic always
- Use a neutral PH balanced cleaning solution
- Clean instruments in the open position
- Use soft textile or paper cloths, soft plastic brushes or water spray guns (wire brushes and scouring pads are not recommended)
Manual cleaning
- Wipe instruments carefully to remove all blood and tissue matter
- Thoroughly rinse instruments with distilled water
Ultrasonic cleaning
- Not recommended for micro and delicate instruments
- Follow the manufacturers guidelines for specific instructions and cleaning cycle times
Sterilisation
It is important that instruments are free of all traces of organic or other matter prior to sterilisation.
Steam
- The steam used must be from distilled water and free of all impurities
- Do not mix instruments of inferior quality or unknown alloys in the autoclave with your higher quality instruments
- Follow the manufacturers guidelines for specific instructions as well as cleaning cycle and drying times
- Remove and thoroughly dry instruments immediately after auto-claving
Hot Bead Sterilisation
- Recommended for speed and convenience when instrument tip or blade sterilisation is required
- Bead temperature of 250 deg C
- Only 20 second contact required
- Bench top setup
- Can be left on all day
- Please go to our surgical accessories section for our range of hot bead sterilisers
Ethylene Oxide (ETO) Sterilisation
- Ethylene Oxide is recommended for instruments that will not tolerate high temperatures or moisture (eg catheters, cannula etc)
- We offer a range of sterilisation pouches. See our surgical accesories section
Safe Storage
Instruments should be stored so as to not touch one another and should be kept as clean and free of dust as possible. We have a range of instrument cases available.
Oxidisation (Rust)
All FST stainless steel surgical instruments are manufactured from medical grade stainless steel under strict European standards. Stainless steel instruments are immune from corrosion
Under unfavorable conditions instruments may oxidize because stainless steel that is exposed to physical, thermal or chemical manipulation may lose some of its stainless properties
To prevent corrosion always make sure you use instruments for their intended purpose and follow the guidelines outlined on this page for instrument care