Answer:
1 Always begin the cleaning process within 10 minutes of finishing a surgical procedure. This will prevent bio-burden from drying on the instrument. Soil left on an instrument prior to autoclaving may shield bacteria, allowing them to survive the sterilization process and may also cause corrosion.
2 If you are unable to clean instruments immediately, using an enzymatic spray and keeping the instruments moist will prevent bio-burden from drying on and causing corrosion.
3 While manual cleaning is a good first step, ultrasonic cleaning is far more effective than manual cleaning alone and will remove even microscopic traces of bio-burden trapped in serrations or hinges.
