Instrument Care & Cleaning
Delasco knows that surgical instruments can be a huge strain on a budget no matter if you're a huge HMO or a physician just starting out. That's why we decided to devote this page to instrument care and cleansing, in hopes that you will get the most out of your surgical instruments whether they are Delasco brand or not.
These are only some basic guidelines that have been provided to us by instrument manufacturers that will keep your instruments in great working order and your budget in check.
There seems to be a common misconception that a high quality, stainless steel surgical instrument is almost indestructible. The fact is that quality stainless steel instruments are manufactured under strict guidelines and quality standards but they are far from indestructible.
At Delasco, we try to provide only quality surgical instruments to all of our customers. We stand behind our instruments with impeccable service, a full line of care products and a strong warranty.
Pre-Cleaning & Disinfecting
Pre-Cleaning
A crucial step for any instrument intended for repeat use. A general cleaning or disinfection should be done immediately after use. Pre-cleaning may be as easy as rinsing the instruments with warm purified or distilled water. This prevents any blood, body fluids or tissue from drying on the instruments that will cause stains during sterilization.
Suggested Products: EZ-ZYME, Enzyme Prep Foam and Sklar Enzymatic.
Disinfecting
NEVER use bleach or other corrosive chemicals to disinfect surgical instruments.
Disinfecting the instruments prior to cleaning/sterilization should be a standard practice for most facilities. This significantly reduces the risk of contamination to personnel that handle the "used" instruments.
Rinse instruments with water after disinfecting. This will wash away any chemical residue that may be left on the instrument.
Suggested Products: Sklar Kleen Liquid, Sklar Kleen Powder and Sklar Soak.
Cleaning
Always follow the manufacturer's concentrations and time exposures. Never place instruments of different metals in the same cleaning cycle.
Soak
A bath in an enzymatic or neutral pH instrument cleaning solution for at least 10 minutes is effective in removing organic material from the instruments. Instruments must be fully submerged and in the open position. Always rinse with water to remove any chemical residue.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic and EZ-ZYME.
Manual Cleaning
A manual cleaning is recommended for most instruments. A soft brush with firm bristles works best. A stain remover may aid the removal of stubborn stains. Use stainless steel brushes only on bone files or "knurled" areas that have become stained.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic, Sklar Kleen Liquid, Sklar Kleen Powder, Sklar Polish and Instrument Stain Remover.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Always read and follow the manufacturer's directions for solutions and ultrasonic machines. Never place instruments of different metals in the same cleaning cycle.
Place instruments in the ultrasonic bath in the open position. Large instruments and sterilization trays can create "wave shadows" on small instruments. Don't over fill the ultrasonic bath, smaller "loads" are preferred.
Instruments must be completely covered by the solution.
Rinse instruments after ultrasonic treatments to remove ultrasonic cleaning solutions.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic, Sklar Kleen Liquid and Sklar Kleen Powder.
Machine Cleaning
Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Machine Cleaning is primarily used by large facilities or hospitals. It is not recommended for very delicate or micro-instruments. Make sure instruments are placed securely in carriers/trays to prevent them from damaging each other during the cleaning process. Instruments must be lubricated after the last rinse and before the sterilization cycle.
After cleaning, rinse the instruments with distilled or purified water. Dry instruments completely. Inspect instrument's condition for proper function at this time if possible.
Suggested Products: Sklar Kleen LF and Sklar Enzymatic.
Sterilization
Autoclaving
Always read and follow the manufacturer's instructions. Never autoclave instruments with jaws or ratchets closed.
Lubricate all joints before sterilization. Most manufacturers recommend a non-silicone, water-soluble surgical lubricant. Never use industrial type lubricants.
The use of distilled water in steam sterilizers is recommended by most manufacturers and will prolong the life of the sterilizer as well as keep stains from appearing on the instruments inside.
Most manufacturers recommend disposable paper or plastic pouches for sterilization. Towel wraps can contain detergent residues that will cause damage to the instruments during sterilization.
Cold Sterilization
Never use cold sterilization on Tungsten Carbide instruments.
Some instrument manufacturers do not recommend cold sterilization. This is because the instruments must be exposed to harsh chemicals for hours to be effective. A soak in a cold sterilization solution, in order to disinfect (not to sterilize), is considered fine by most manufacturers - with disinfection occurring within 10 minutes or so.
These are only some basic guidelines that have been provided to us by instrument manufacturers that will keep your instruments in great working order and your budget in check.
There seems to be a common misconception that a high quality, stainless steel surgical instrument is almost indestructible. The fact is that quality stainless steel instruments are manufactured under strict guidelines and quality standards but they are far from indestructible.
At Delasco, we try to provide only quality surgical instruments to all of our customers. We stand behind our instruments with impeccable service, a full line of care products and a strong warranty.
Pre-Cleaning
A crucial step for any instrument intended for repeat use. A general cleaning or disinfection should be done immediately after use. Pre-cleaning may be as easy as rinsing the instruments with warm purified or distilled water. This prevents any blood, body fluids or tissue from drying on the instruments that will cause stains during sterilization.
Suggested Products: EZ-ZYME, Enzyme Prep Foam and Sklar Enzymatic.
Disinfecting
Disinfecting the instruments prior to cleaning/sterilization should be a standard practice for most facilities. This significantly reduces the risk of contamination to personnel that handle the "used" instruments.
Rinse instruments with water after disinfecting. This will wash away any chemical residue that may be left on the instrument.
Suggested Products: Sklar Kleen Liquid, Sklar Kleen Powder and Sklar Soak.
Soak
A bath in an enzymatic or neutral pH instrument cleaning solution for at least 10 minutes is effective in removing organic material from the instruments. Instruments must be fully submerged and in the open position. Always rinse with water to remove any chemical residue.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic and EZ-ZYME.
Manual Cleaning
A manual cleaning is recommended for most instruments. A soft brush with firm bristles works best. A stain remover may aid the removal of stubborn stains. Use stainless steel brushes only on bone files or "knurled" areas that have become stained.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic, Sklar Kleen Liquid, Sklar Kleen Powder, Sklar Polish and Instrument Stain Remover.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Place instruments in the ultrasonic bath in the open position. Large instruments and sterilization trays can create "wave shadows" on small instruments. Don't over fill the ultrasonic bath, smaller "loads" are preferred.
Rinse instruments after ultrasonic treatments to remove ultrasonic cleaning solutions.
Suggested Products: Instrument Cleaner, Sklar Soak, Sklar Enzymatic, Sklar Kleen Liquid and Sklar Kleen Powder.
Machine Cleaning
Machine Cleaning is primarily used by large facilities or hospitals. It is not recommended for very delicate or micro-instruments. Make sure instruments are placed securely in carriers/trays to prevent them from damaging each other during the cleaning process. Instruments must be lubricated after the last rinse and before the sterilization cycle.
Suggested Products: Sklar Kleen LF and Sklar Enzymatic.
Autoclaving
Lubricate all joints before sterilization. Most manufacturers recommend a non-silicone, water-soluble surgical lubricant. Never use industrial type lubricants.
The use of distilled water in steam sterilizers is recommended by most manufacturers and will prolong the life of the sterilizer as well as keep stains from appearing on the instruments inside.
Most manufacturers recommend disposable paper or plastic pouches for sterilization. Towel wraps can contain detergent residues that will cause damage to the instruments during sterilization.
Cold Sterilization
Some instrument manufacturers do not recommend cold sterilization. This is because the instruments must be exposed to harsh chemicals for hours to be effective. A soak in a cold sterilization solution, in order to disinfect (not to sterilize), is considered fine by most manufacturers - with disinfection occurring within 10 minutes or so.
| PRODUCT & ITEM # | CLEANS | DISINFECTS | MANUAL | ULTRASONIC | MACHINE |
| EZ-ZYME (EZ) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sklar Enzymatic (10-2775) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Instrument Cleaner (IC) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sklar Kleen Liquid (10-1612 & 10-1613) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sklar Kleen Powder (10-1607 & 10-1630) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Sklar Kleen LF (10-2701) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sklar Soak (10-1603) | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Enzyme Prep Foam (PEF) | Yes | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Sklar Disinfectant (10-1653 & 10-2762) | Yes | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Delasco Instrument Lubricant (DIS/8 & DIS/G) | Lubricates & anticorrosive |
| Sklar Lube (10-1635) | Lubricates, antimicrobial & anticorrosive |
| Spray Lube (SP) | Lubricates & anticorrosive |
| Sklar Polish (10-1626) | Removes stains |
| Instrument Stain Remover (SR) | Removes stains |
| Nylon Brush (NCB) | Recommended for regular cleaning |
| Stainless Brush (SSCB) | Recommended for serrated & knurled areas only |
| Polishing/Drying Cloth (ICC) | Recommended for polishing & light drying |
| Instrument Care Video (ICV) | Instructional cleaning video |
| Instrument Care System (ICS) | Includes: Spray Lube (SP), Instrument Cleaner (IC), Stain Remover (SR), 1 Nylon Brush, 1 Stainless Steel Brush, How To Booklet and Instructional Video (ICV) |