Cleaning and maintaining your laboratory equipment is one of the easiest and the cheapest ways to ensure your equipment performs in the most efficient manner under clean and hygienic conditions. Whether you’re trying to keep within budget or guarantee that tests go off without a hitch, equipment maintenance should always be your first priority. The danger of cross-contamination is likely to be almost as critical to your job as the study itself if you don’t operate in a clean and hygienic facility. Because equipment is generally one of the most expensive investments in a lab, taking proper care of what you already have (and therefore avoiding unneeded repurchases) is an extra benefit. Costly and sensitive equipment like medical gas analyzer must be cleaned and maintained properly to ensure precise reading and better performance.
Further in this article, we will be discussing about the maintenance and care of laboratory equipment in the best possible ways
Cleaning of laboratory equipment in general
No matter how costly or cheap equipment you are using in your laboratory, cleaning is the best way to get most of that equipment in terms of life as well as results and output.
General Cleaning
When it comes to general cleaning, following things are advisable
- Wipe off the exteriors of all equipment on a daily basis. This will ensure no rusting and dirt sits on the equipment
- Deep clean all equipment on a weekly basis.
- Cleaning microscopes using a 70:30 combination of ether and alcohol on a regular basis ensures that they are adequately clean to provide the most accurate findings.
- Consult the handbook or the lab manager for any particular cleaning procedures for demanding equipment.
- Consider hiring a competent expert to clean difficult things; third-party equipment maintenance and cleaning might be a cost-effective option and being professionals, they know how to keep your equipment safe and secured
Calibration
Failure to calibrate equipment on a regular basis might result in a lack of precision in your data, a mistake that could bring entire research to a halt. Furthermore, if dangerous chemicals are used, appropriate calibration can increase lab safety. As a result, it’s critical that the procedure is followed consistently. There are a variety of services available to guarantee that your equipment is calibrated on a regular basis and to the correct level. You can even hire third party professionals for calibration process which will be cost effective as well as precise and result-oriented
It’s always a good idea to make a list of your equipment and select which type of maintenance is best for each item, ranging from simple preventative maintenance to advanced accuracy verification. Calibrate equipment on a regular basis for continuing preventative maintenance that will keep your lab in top shape.
Repairs
It will happen many times that some or many of your costly equipment will either stop working or will start to give inaccurate results but this does not mean that they need to be replaced immediately. Costly equipment like laboratory incubator analyzer can definitely malfunction and give inaccurate results but you must not consider an immediate replacement. These equipment can easily be repaired and the damaged parts could be replaced. You will be surprised to see how efficiently only by replacing the damaged parts and not disposing of the entire equipment, so much money can be saved without compromising with the results.
Repairing and replacing parts, especially on bigger things, may be an efficient strategy to extend the life of the item while lowering expenses. Some parts will wear out faster than others due to the nature of the goods, but if properly handled, these can be replaced in time to avoid difficulties or burnout. Consider centrifuges, filtration systems, and microscope lenses: each of these components may be easily replaced without requiring the entire machine to be discarded.
Refurbishment
Repairing defective equipment is essential, but if your products still operate (but not as smoothly as previously), refurbishing may be the answer. Consider the following procedure if you’re trying to restore old or outdated equipment:
- Dismantle the complete piece of equipment.
- Each component should be thoroughly cleaned.
- Where required, polish components.
- Any moving components should be lubricated again.
- Consider replacing parts that are exhibiting indications of wear and tear at this preventive stage.
- Reassemble all of the equipment.
Always opt for quality replacements rather than cheap ones
There will surely be occasions when you will need to acquire replacements, regardless of how effectively you have conducted your daily cleans, frequent calibration, or even repaired and refurbished older components.
It might be tempting to go with what appears to be the cheapest option and save money on equipment by selecting the less costly model. Parts in less expensive items of equipment are more prone to wear and tear, and so are less likely to last. As a result, choosing high-quality lab equipment over less expensive options typically results in increased longevity, especially for frequently used goods.
Always maintain a checklist for laboratory cleaning and maintenance
Before anything else, make sure you maintain a checklist for laboratory cleaning and maintenance so that everything goes on smoothly as per the schedule. A checklist is the best way to remind yourself if you are not missing out on some important maintenance activity. A checklist can be handed over to the cleaning and maintenance staff as well so that all the activities are done in a structured manner.
It’s critical to emphasize that the condition and quality of PPE must be maintained before commencing any activity. Check your employees’ eye and facial protection, gloves, footwear, and hearing protection equipment for signs of wear and tear on a regular basis. Handwashing sinks should be maintained clean, and disinfectant soap dispensers and towels should be easily accessible. If the sink becomes blocked, the problem must be addressed right once to avoid backup and contamination. Maintain emergency eyewash and shower stations in accordance with the requirements, and maintain effective functioning by activating components in all stations many times a week. Arrange for a certified technician to examine the station on a regular basis.
