When
establishing an effective cleaning program, it is important to consider
industry-accepted cleaning factors, which include temperature, action,
chemistry, and time (TACT), as well as coverage and soil. Olivier Van Houtte
has written an insightful article on automated washing systems for Pharmaceutical
Technology.
In
relation to cleaning chemicals, Houtte writes: “Consider the appropriate
operating range of water temperatures for the chemical being used to remove the
soil. Check the manufacturer's label on the cleaning chemistry for the recommended
water-temperature operation range to ensure timely and complete removal of a
soil. The chemical's pH is also crucial. Using chemicals with the wrong pH can
result in either a long wash time or improper cleaning. It is best to use
acidic chemicals for inorganic, mineral-based soils and alkaline chemicals for
organic and protein soils. It is also important to remember that certain types
of process parts or load items might be pH sensitive. Acidic or alkaline
detergents used to clean aluminum parts or load items, for example, can lead to
accelerated degradation or deterioration of those item surfaces. When working
with these types of substrates, the best results will usually be achieved by
using a pH-neutral chemistry.”
Posted by Tim Sandle
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