Maintaining a clean, sterile operating environment within your medical practice is essential to minimising the risk of cross-contamination between staff and patients. As such, stringent health and safety rules exist around the cleaning of equipment and locations between use, which, although necessary, can create great strain on a busy workforce. After all, a thorough clean needs to be conducted, creating more time and more cost for the hospital or practice.
Fortunately, devices exist that can handle this task with the same reliability of a trained staff member (and perhaps even more). In this article, Team Medical Supplies reviews ultrasonic cleaners, and explore how they are applied by medical practitioners.
How Do Ultrasonic Cleaners Work to Clean Equipment?
Ultrasonic cleaners are devices that are used by medical practitioners to clean various pieces of equipment. They use sound waves, or ultrasonics, to produce a high-frequency vibration that is mixed with the liquid in the tank. This motion helps break down dirt and grime found on surfaces for easy removal. The frequency of these sounds also breaks up any material into smaller particles for better cleaning action.
Ultrasonic cleaners work with these sound waves in the form of pressure. A transducer converts electricity into the high frequency, low-amplitude (high energy) vibrations that are then applied to the special liquid solution which is placed inside. These sound waves cause particles in the cleaning fluid with an atomically rough surface or on some piece of equipment to dislodge and bounce at high speed, effectively scrubbing the surface clean. The ultrasonic cleaner also heats up the solution to work in tandem with the soundwaves, to help dissolve dirt particles that are more stubborn to remove. In some cases, these machines may remove as much as 99% of bacteria on certain pieces of equipment before sterilization which makes them great options when trying to prevent issues such as infections during surgery and general practice.
Some Examples Where Ultrasonic Cleaners Are Used?
Ultrasonic cleaners can be used for a variety of different pieces of medical equipment, such as surgical instruments, dental tools and devices like braces and retainers, labware (including petri dishes), glassware (such as test tubes or other containers) and even stone ware (like marble). The ultrasound machine itself does not actually need to be cleaned as often or with the same concern as the equipment inside, because it does not come into contact with bodily fluids while being operated. With that being said, it is always good practice to periodically perform stringent cleaning processes on the item, if not simply to abide by health and safety codes.
How Do You Operate an Ultrasonic Cleaner for Optimal Results?
When using an ultrasonic cleaner, there are a few steps you need to follow in order for the process to be effective. First, ensure that your solution is heated up and ready before you begin washing items. Next, place all of the items you want to clean into the tank or basket (refrain from simply dropping them in without care as this can damage sensitive components). Finally, set out any other supplies needed prior to turning on your ultrasonic cleaner so they will also be warmed up when it’s time to use them again. From there on out, make sure you always turn off your machine first before removing any pieces from inside! And that is really it – a time-effective, cost-effective method to reliably clean medical equipment, and give back more opportunities to staff to perform greater care to patients.
Review the Range of Ultrasonic Cleaners from Team Medical Supplies Today
Team Medical Supplies offer a large range of ultrasonic cleaners for Australian medical practitioners. Review our selection, or contact a member of our friendly team for more information by calling 1300 22 44 50, or by completing our quick online enquiry form.