Friday 3 July 2015

Common Mistakes in Automated Washing



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.”

The entire article can be accessed on-line here.

Posted by Tim Sandle

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