TABLE oF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Cleanliness is a must in any laboratory setting. Laboratory cleaning procedures help enforce cleanliness and safety standards as well as prevent contamination of experiments, reagents, and other materials that could affect the results of studies or research. Laboratory cleaning procedures should be thorough and comprehensive to ensure all areas are properly sanitized and maintained. It is important to keep your
science laboratory clean at all times. The equipment and the lab itself should be cleaned after each use. This way you will know that your glassware and other materials are not contaminated when you go to do your next experiment. In fact, it is better to overclean a science lab than it is to under clean it. When you follow these laboratory cleaning procedures, you will always be ready for the next project, and you won’t have
to worry about your experiments being compromised.
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HOW TO CLEAN A LABORATORY?
Properly Prepare The Area: This includes removing any hazardous materials such as chemicals, waste, and broken glassware. Careful handling of these items is important to avoid contamination and injury. Cleaning supplies such as soap, detergent,
and disinfectant should be readily available in the lab.
Gather Your Equipment: You will need sponges, disposable wipes, a bucket with hot water and soap solution, several clean towels or rags, rubber gloves (if you are sensitive), any cleaning agent required for the particular flooring of your lab room, paper
towels, old newspapers to place on the floor before washing it so as not to damage it or make too much of a mess. You should also have an air freshener ready to use after everything is done. Once you have gathered your cleaning supplies
Dust And Wipe Down All Of The Surfaces In The Lab: You will need sponges, disposable wipes, a bucket with hot water and soap solution, several clean towels or rags, rubber gloves (if you are sensitive), any cleaning agent required for the particular
flooring of your lab room, paper towels, old newspapers to place on the floor before washing it so as not to damage it or make too much of a mess. You should also have an air freshener ready to use after everything is done. Once you have gathered your cleaning supplies
Dust And Wipe Down All Of The Surfaces In The Lab: Pay special attention to any spills that may be present as these can harbor bacteria and other pathogens. Make sure to thoroughly clean any glass
All Cabinets And Drawers Should Be Cleaned Out And Dusted With A Microfiber Cloth: Any trays or racks that may contain equipment should be wiped down and any broken items should be discarded. Vacuum all of the carpets, rugs, and furniture to
remove any particles or dust.
Clean The Floors: Start by vacuuming the floor to remove any dust or loose particles that could cause someone to slip. Then mop the floor using a disinfectant cleaner and hot water. Make sure to rinse out your mop after each pass of the room so
that no contaminants are transferred. Once the floor has been thoroughly cleaned, it should be allowed to air dry before returning any items back on it.
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STEPS TO CLEANING THE LABORATORY
Take Everything Out The Lab: This way you know that nothing gets left behind when you wipe and scrub the countertops and other surfaces. You should start by unplugging all equipment and cabling you don’t need right now, such as power
strips and any electronic devices plugged in to the ports of your computers and other equipment (such as microscopes). These can be easily forgotten about while you wipe down your lab space.
Rinse The Top Of All Your Pieces Of Equipment: using the same bucket with soap and water that you will use for your lab counters. Be sure to clean under the edges of things like microscope slides where dust can often get caught. After you have
wiped down all your surfaces
Take Care Of Your Countertops Again: You will use your sponges saturated in hot soapy water as well as any specialized cleaners required for those countertops (such as a granite cleaner). Laboratory cleaning procedures recommend lightly wiping from
left to right, or from right to left depending on which surface you are dealing with. This way you do not miss out on any spots and food particles that may be stuck there. Do not forget about test tube racks and other shelving units.
Deep Clean Your Small Laboratory Equipment: Laboratory cleaning procedures recommend wiping them down thoroughly so that your equipment is properly cleaned. Laboratory cleaning procedures require all of your glassware to be washed in hot
soapy water, rinsed with clean water and wiped dry using one of the cloths you have at hand for this task. Laboratory testing requires very little care when it comes to washing glassware out because they are then used in laboratories where chemicals
may cause damage or wear if they come into contact with the wrong surface while being handled.
Deep Clean Your Large Laboratory Equipment/PPE: Laboratory cleaning procedures also include any fume hoods within your lab space as well as any lab coats, aprons or other safety clothing worn by safety personnel present in the area. Laboratory
safety procedures require you to treat anything not normally washed on a regular basis as if it is breakable (which, for all intents and purposes, it now is). Laboratory cleaning procedures require you to make sure that drying racks are available along
with your other supplies to ensure nothing gets damaged. Finally, once everything has been placed back where it belongs, clean up any water or soap solution that might still be around the area using old towels or newspapers. You can then spray down
the entire area with an air freshener to get rid of any bad odors.
Follow Safety Precautions: Laboratory cleaning procedures require you to place a sign outside of your lab space warning people not to enter unless they have proper authorization because the room may still be off limits until it dries completely.
Laboratory safety procedures recommend waiting 24 hours before anyone enters so as not to compromise safety. Laboratory cleaning procedures recommend leaving fans or open windows going to remove any excess moisture from the room as well
as using a dehumidifier if necessary. Laboratory safety procedures recommend you follow your employer’s specific guidelines for lab cleaning. Laboratory testing requires very little care when it comes to drying off because they are then used in
laboratories where chemicals may cause damage or wear. Laboratory cleaning procedures require you to make sure that everything is completely dry before placing any equipment back into the lab space.
Follow Safety Precautions: Laboratory documentation requires that all laboratory testing procedures be written down, followed precisely and documented for future reference, often including the date of the procedure, who performed it and
how well it was completed (including any deviations). Laboratory cleaning procedures recommend leaving your workspace set up like what you would expect when doing experiments or using delicate instruments so you do not risk forgetting
anything when trying to resume work in your lab space after things have dried. Laboratory documentation usually just includes a full history of every experiment conducted within the lab in case there is ever an investigation or safety or
compliance issue that needs to be addressed later. Laboratory cleaning procedures recommend leaving fans or open windows going to remove any excess moisture from the room as well as using a dehumidifier. Laboratory cleaning procedures
require you to make sure that everything is completely dry before placing any equipment back.
HOW TO CLEAN A LABORATORY HOT PLATE?
If you own a Laboratory hot plate, then it’s important to know how to properly clean your Laboratory hot plate before storage. Laboratory hot plates are typically used in all kinds of Laboratory applications. Below are the steps on how to safely thaw out and dry Laboratory equipment.
- Ensure that the Laboratory hot plate is completely powered off when cleaning
- Remove all liquid substances from the Laboratory hot plate using paper towels
- If water droplets remain on the surface of the Laboratory hot plate after wiping, use air or gas drier to remove them
- Allow the surface of the laboratory hot plate to cool down for at least 24 hours in an open ventilated area in order for it to be completely dried before into storage.
HOW TO CLEAN A LABORATORY FUME HOOD?
Follow Safety Precautions: When cleaning a laboratory fume hood it is important to take proper safety precautions for your own safety as well as others around you. Make sure that before you start cleanup you have shut down any heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems within the laboratory. If the laboratory fume hood has an alarm make sure it is turned off before starting cleanup procedures. Disconnect all power coming into the laboratory fume (it’s okay if this
shuts down other laboratory equipment, laboratory fume hoods are usually on their own power supply) Hood. Pull the laboratory fume hood away from laboratory equipment to access any connecting points, turn off laboratory gas lines leading into
the laboratory fumeHood. Remove all materials inside of the laboratory fume hood that can be removed using your hands (noted: biohazardous or infectious materials should not be cleaned
Cleaning The Fume Hood/Equipment Inside The Fume Hood: Using cleaning supplies specifically formulated for laboratory safety you can begin to clean out the laboratory glassware. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner to remove stains and
residues in order to prevent ammonia damage while washing laboratory glassware. After brushing gently with soft bristle brushes rinse with deionized water before in an ultrasonic cleaner (if laboratory glassware is particularly difficult to clean).
Laboratory glassware can be washed using a mechanical dishwasher if the laboratory safety washer has been designed for this type of use, but you will need to ensure that all laboratory connections and piping are completely dry before
use. sides of laboratory fume hood with a disinfectant cleaner. Remove any stains or residues on the inside of laboratory fume Hood as these may affect proper ventilation and air quality. Also cleaning out any liquids that may have accumulated
at the bottom of laboratory fume hood by removing them with paper towels or other absorbent material that can be disposed of properly after cleanup has been completed.
LABORATORY CLEANING PROCEDURES FOR KEEPING GLASSWARE CLEAN
Clean glassware is one of the most important parts of a science lab because it is the most fundamental tool that you use in your lab. It is necessary for any experiment, and you will not get results if you allow glassware to sit with any contaminants. Glassware is commonly contaminated by trace liquids, trace solids, cells, and other biological debris. You need to remove all of it, whether you can see it or not, or your experiments will not yield accurate results. Trace liquids include all kinds of chemicals, from cellular growth
to alcohol, solvents, and acids. They can remain in diluted form if the glassware isn’t clean. Trace solids might include biofilms, dust, caked chemicals, and other solids. You cannot always see them as they can be microscopic.
FOLLOW THIS PROTOCOL FOR CLEANING GLASSWARE IN YOUR LABORATORY
- Make sure you are wearing whatever PPE that will make cleaning safe.
- Use the correct chemical reagent to stop any chemical reactions that are still happening.
- Use the correct chemical reagent to neutralize any strong acids or bases.
- Stop cellular activity by using bleach in a 1:10 dilution and let it sit for 60 seconds.
- Make sure that you properly dispose of contents of glassware in the biohazard disposal location.
- Rinse the glassware with 25 ml of acetone or another alcohol-based solvent three times.
- Now you can wash the glassware with 25 ml of a detergent-based cleaning solution
- Make sure to scrub the interior of the glass using a brush with course bristles.
- Next you will rinse the glassware with hot tap water three times.
- You can take 25 ml of deionized water and rinse the glassware up to three times.
- Place the glassware upside down on a clean drying rack.
It may seem tedious to repeat the rinsing process three times, but it will help to ensure that you remove all of the contaminants so that your glassware is ready for your next experiment.
BEST LABORATORY CLEANING PROCEDURES TO KEEP YOUR WORK TABLES CLEAN
You need to keep your work tables organized, and you also need to keep them disinfected. You need to make sure that you disinfect your workspace whenever you have a spill and after each use as well. The best product for disinfection is a 10% bleach solution. You can mix one part bleach and nine parts water in a spray bottle. You should always have this solution on hand for lab cleaning.
TAKE A LOOK AT THE CLEANING PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING YOUR LAB WORKTABLES
- Make sure that you put on your PPE before you start cleaning.
- Remove all of the loose items from your worktables. Clean and disinfect your glassware before storing it.
- Use a paper towel and your bleach solution to wipe your worktable down completely. Be sure to clean the entire table including the underside and the edges. If you find any residue stuck to the table, you might need to use one of your scrubbing brushes.
FOLLOW THESE TIPS
- If you find gelatin-like products or other solids, you can boil purified water to clean
- Soap residue and other organic materials can be rinsed with acetone
- You can sterilize any equipment with an ethanol rinse
It is important to keep your lab tables clean so that you will never worry about cross contamination and your lab will always be safe. Chemicals can be very dangerous, and they must be cleaned up right away. Your bleach solution will be adequate for most cleaning tasks.
PPE YOU SHOULD HAVE ON HAND
You should have PPE available for cleaning and for conducting some experiments. At a minimum, you should have the following:
- Safety goggles
- Lab coat
- Rubber gloves
- Closed toe shoes
You can also have these optional items for extra protection:
It is important to protect yourself when you are working in the science lab because some chemicals can be very dangerous. When you use proper PPE, you are minimizing the risks to yourself and your lab partners.
BEST LABORATORY CLEANING PROCEDURES TO KEEP YOUR LAB BENCH SPACE CLEAN AND ORGANIZED
Whether you spend hours at your lab bench space every day or just one hour every week, you need to keep it clean and organized. You may have different chemicals in your lab or other materials that need to stay safe. When you use your lab, you will be efficient with your time if it is clean and organized.
1. KEEP YOUR LAB NOTEBOOKS ON A SHELF AWAY FROM THE WORKBENCH
You need to have a bookshelf where you can keep your lab notebooks and other books so that they are not harmed by any inadvertent spills. Your bookshelf should stay clean. You can dust and wipe it down at least once a week, or every day if you are in the lab every day.
2. KEEP YOUR GENERAL SUPPLIES ORGANIZED
You should be sure to organize your general supplies, including your markers, calculator, scissors, wipes, and more. You might have containers to store them in and place them on a shelf under the shelf with your lab notebook and lab books. You should always return them to their spot after you clean up. This way, they will always be easy to find when you need them.
3. ORGANIZE YOUR SOLUTIONS
You can keep your solutions on your lab bench, or you can create a shelf for them as well. If you have solutions that you do not use very often, you should place them on a shelf where they will be safe. It is important to label all of your solutions so that there is never a question of what is in each container, and be sure to put the expiration date on the label if there is one. Always keep the area where you store them clean and free of any dust or debris.
4. ORGANIZE YOUR SUPPLIES ACCORDING TO HOW FREQUENTLY YOU USE THEM
You should keep supplies that you use all the time within range for easy access, but put those that you use less frequently away. You can split these supplies up by the type of experiment you do with them. That makes it easy for you to grab everything you need when you perform an experiment. You will have some glassware that you use all the time, but there are other pieces that are used only for special experiments.
Group them accordingly. In addition, you should label everything. You should have labels on containers, bookshelves, solutions, and anything else you keep in your lab. When you clean your lab, you will need to clean each of these spaces, including the containers. You should use a duster at least once a week to make should have labels on containers, bookshelves, solutions, and anything else you keep in your
lab. When you clean your lab, you will need to clean each of these spaces, including the containers. You should use a duster at least once a week to make sure that no dust accumulates. Wipe down bookshelves, cupboards, and any other surfaces with a paper towel and your bleach solution. Make sure that you clean up any spills as they occur. When you take care of your science lab and your equipment, you will always be ready to do an experiment. Finally, you should have your waste bins easily accessible. You need ordinary
waste bins for trash and biohazard disposal containers for waste from experiments. You should remember to empty your waste bins should remember should remember to empty your waste bins and clean them at the end of each session. You should never allow trash to accumulate over a period of time.
FINAL WORDS
If you have a science lab, it is important that it is always ready for use. You can do many different kinds of experiments in your lab, and many of them involve using chemicals and other supplies that can be dangerous if left behind. You need to make sure that you clean your lab and your supplies thoroughly after each use. You can use your bleach solution as a general all purpose cleaner. You should use it with paper towels to wipe down all of your surfaces. If you find residue or materials that are difficult to remove, you
can use your hard bristle brushes and warm water with detergent to clean up. You need to take care to make sure your glassware is always clean and free of contaminants. You need to clean your flasks, beakers, test tubes, and any other glassware you use as outlined above. This will ensure that you get rid of any leftover residue that could contaminate future experiments. Having a lab is a lot of fun, and you can perform all kinds of experiments. You just need to make sure that your lab is clean and organized.