Many businesses today are working hard to ensure that health and hygiene standards are effectively met.
However, maintaining these standards and ensuring that equipment is properly sterilized can be a challenge for many with so many options. The CDC provides guidelines for how to effectively implement practices that will help. But, you may wonder what sterilization equipment is right for what tools?
Many businesses use equipment that needs to be sterile in order to avoid spreading harmful bacteria and diseases. Some of these businesses include dentists, nail technicians, tattoo artists, scientific laboratory workers, and beauticians.
So, what sterilization tools are best for your business?
What Is Sterilization?
Sterilization is the process that cleans equipment coming into direct contact with skin, mucous membranes, or bodily fluids and removes these microorganisms.
To achieve this, there are a number of different sterilizing devices available to care for such equipment.
How to Sterilize Equipment
There are two primary methods that are most commonly used.
Physical sterilization frequently relies on high temperatures and pressure in order to sterilize equipment.
This process often uses either steam or dry heat to eliminate any contaminants and spores. The equipment must be heat-resistant for this process to be effective.
When it comes to steam vs. dry heat, it really comes down to whether the materials being sanitized also need to avoid moisture in order to stay functional.
Chemical sterilization is effective at eliminating contaminants without needing to reach significant temperatures. But, this process frequently requires equipment to be submerged for a long period of time. The equipment is then aerated afterward to remove residue.
5 Types of Sterilization Equipment for Your Business
There are plenty of pieces of equipment for sterilization but not all of them will be the most effective for your business. Here are some of the common and most versatile types of equipment available.
1. Steam Autoclaves
These are the most common piece of equipment for the sterilization of medical tools in use today.
They work by heating and dispersing moisture which gets into the depths of equipment and provides a deep clean. But, it does require time to fully eliminate contaminants.
2. Plasma Gas Sterilizers
By utilizing chemical processes, this equipment eliminates all microorganisms in a chamber and sterilizes equipment through the production of plasma.
This method is perfect for medical equipment which may be moisture sensitive. While it’s expensive, it is an excellent choice for effective sanitization.
3. Infrared Sterilizers
These sterilizers are sometimes used for dental and microsurgical equipment.
By exposing the tools to intense infrared thermal exposure over a short period of time, contaminants are effectively removed.
4. Glass Bead Sterilizers
These sterilizers are often used for quick treatments as a form of secondary heat sterilization.
This is often used for the sterilization of small instrument tips and solid metal parts.
5. Sterilization Pouches
You can use this effective tool in conjunction with other sterilization methods.
You can find out more about sterilization pouches and how they can be used in combination with other equipment to provide the best cleaning over here.
Pick the Right Equipment for Your Business
Sterilization equipment and the many methods that can be used are vital for many businesses. Hopefully, after reading this, you will feel more prepared to make the choice of what tools and equipment might work for you.
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