Effective Tips For Cleaning The Lab

Having your place clean and immaculate makes you feel at ease. Just as you put all your efforts into having your living place clean, it is equally important to have laboratory equipment and workbenches cleaned. Oftentimes scientists and workers complete their experiments and leave everything as it is on the benches, which not only makes your workbenches look messy and disorganized but also affects the results of your next project. In addition to this, this carelessness can also lead to serious accidents because there are dangerous substances that need to be kept in the right places with the utmost care, you cannot leave them lying on the workbench

Here we have listed some important tips you can follow to keep laboratories organized and clean:

Routine Checks
It’s not only the duty of lab directors and lab in charge to clean the mess created by people once their experiments are done. Everyone is equally responsible to clean the workplace. Routine checks and cleaning procedures should be done on a frequent basis, but you should also make sure that do not hinder the lab processes. Things you can do:
⮚ Keep all the aisles clear of all items like boxes, and small or big items
⮚ All areas of the lab should be dusted and cleaned frequently
⮚ Make sure the lab floors are mopped
⮚ Any item that is brought in the lab should be disinfected before leaving, to ensure that no contagions are left behind
⮚ Places, where fire extinguishers are kept or wash sinks, should be free of obstructions. So, if there’s an emergency, you don’t waste a minute.
⮚ All wires, cables, and computer cords should not be left hanging or lying on the floor

Disinfect Your Lab
It goes without saying that there are hazardous and dangerous chemicals in laboratories. This is why you should pay special attention to disinfection and cleaning your workbenches after every experiment. Whenever you see a spill, make sure you properly disinfect the place according to the instructions provided by CDC or whichever institution your laboratory falls under. The use of a 10% bleach solution is mostly used for disinfection, however, you can use other cleaning products for your lab as well.
Some lab equipment have their instruction manuals that mention which cleaning products should be used for effective cleaning, but you should ensure that the recommended products work well with the materials and chemicals that are in use.

Best Cleaning Procedures
Whenever you start cleaning your lab, you should always use the personal protective equipment and make sure you wear it properly. If you’re short on time and you have to do a lot of work, at least wear protective gloves and goggles. For people that have long hair, make sure that your hair is tied. Check that your laboratory work station is clean from any loose items. Things like pipettes, glassware, beakers, and similar things should be placed where they belong. For cleaning your lab surfaces, bring 10% bleach, and mix only a very little amount in a bucket full of water to mop. However, you should also know in advance what solution suits your station material. You can finish up the cleaning process by dipping a paper towel in the bleach mixture and wipe the bench and all surfaces thoroughly. Make sure you cover all the corners and edges when wiping. If something has stuck on the table or bench that isn’t coming out by wiping, use a wire brush or a similar product to clean this kind of residue.

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