Ultrasonic Cleaning

A method of cleaning that is a necessity is ultrasonic cleaning. This method is the most efficient and effective available today. In fact, ultrasonic cleaning is 16 times more efficient that manual cleaning alone. Place instruments in the ultrasonic unit for 10-15 minutes and use a neutral pH ultrasonic solution.

Here are a few tips for ultrasonic cleaning:

• Before placing into the ultrasonic unit, clean instruments of all visible debris by hand-washing them in a neutral pH soap.
• Before placing instruments into the ultrasonic unit, turn on the ultrasonic machine and let it run for 10 minutes to de-gas the solution. This process removes any gas or air bubbles in the solution.
• The cleaner the instruments go into the ultrasonic cleaner, the cleaner they will come out.
• As with all types of cleaning, open all instruments so ratchets and box locks are fully exposed to the cleaning process.
• Make sure instruments have plenty of room. Don't overload your ultrasonic cleaner.
• Don't mix dissimilar metals (such as aluminum and stainless) in the same cycle to prevent cross-plating.
• Upon completion of the cycle, remove instruments immediately and rinse them.
• Dry instruments thoroughly with a towel, ensuring that no moisture is left on the instruments.

Use distilled water or tap water with a neutral pH ultrasonic solution to properly fill the tank of your ultrasonic cleaner. Never use a manual soap in the ultrasonic cleaner and always follow proper dilution. A neutral pH ultrasonic cleaning solution, when properly mixed, effectively reduces the surface tension of the solution and increases the ultrasonic calibration process. The solution should be changed at least daily or sooner if the solution appears dirty or murky. Only plug an ultrasonic machine into a GFI outlet.

TIP: A heated tank does not significantly improve cleaning. Generally speaking, there is no measurable improvement in cleaning when heat is applied to the solution.