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Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Cleaning of Laboratory Glassware. Occasionally, more aggressive cleaning solutions may be necessary when laboratory glassware is extremely dirty. These solutions are often highly corrosive, involving concentrated acids or bases, and can cause injury.

Cleaning of Laboratory Glassware

1.0   Objective :

• • To lay down a procedure for cleaning of laboratory glassware. 

2.0   Scope :

• • This SOP is applicable in Quality Control cleaning of laboratory glassware after use/completion of analysis.                               

3.0   Procedure for Cleaning of Laboratory Glassware:

• • Transfer of used laboratory glassware to washing area for cleaning:

• • After completion of analytical work, keep all the glassware for cleaning in identified washing area and keep in the tray mentioned as “To be Cleaned”.

• • General laboratory glassware cleaning:

• • Wear rubber apron, safety goggle, rubber hand gloves, and gum boot prior to cleaning of Laboratory Glassware.

• • Empty the Laboratory glassware under the running potable water for cleaning.

• • Rinse the glassware with potable water.

• • Remove any external marking on glassware with solvent.

• • Clean the glassware with suitable nylon brush by using *cleaning solution.

• • For Oily and greasy content clean by using **Nitric acid solution.

• • Clean the glassware with potable water up to foaming not observed in water by vigorous shaking.

• • Rinse the glassware with RO water.

• • Ensure complete removal of cleaning solution by visual checking.

• • Keep the glassware in inverted position in the wire basket for water drain out from glassware.

• Drying procedure after Cleaning of Laboratory Glassware:

• • Dry the clean glassware in the Glass ware drying oven at about 50°± 2°C for 120 minutes .

• • Transfer back to position:

• • Transfer clean and dry glassware in the glassware cupboards.

• • Ensure cleaning of glassware by visual inspection before use for analysis.      

 *Cleaning Solution: Dilute 10 ml Lanoline or equivalent to 2 liters with water.

 ** Nitric acid solution: Dilute 10 ml of Nitric acid (70%) to 100 ml with water.

• • Procedure for Pipette cleaning:

• • Rinse the used pipette with potable water by tubing connected to water line.

• • Then rinse it 2-3 times in plastic cylinder having * cleaning solution.

• • Rinse it with potable  water  by  tubing  connected  to  water  line  up  to  foaming  not observed in pipette.

• • Finally rinse pipette with RO water.

• • Ensure complete removal of cleaning solution from pipette by visual checking.

• • Keep clean pipette in pipette stand for water drain out.

• • Dry it as per general procedure.

• • Transfer clean and dry pipettes in pipette drawers.

• • Ensure cleaning of pipette by visual inspection before use for analysis

• • Procedure for Burette cleaning:

• • Rinse used burette with potable water by tubing connected to waterline.

• • Rinse it with potable water by tubing connected to waterline up to foaming not observed in Burette.

• • Finally rinse burette with RO water.

• • Ensure complete removal of cleaning solution from burette by visual checking.

• • Keep clean burette in burette stand for water drain out.

• • Dry it as per general procedure.

• • Transfer clean and dry Burette in burette drawers.

• • Ensure cleaning of burette by visual inspection before use for analysis.

• • Procedure for HPLC vials cleaning:

• • Rinse the vials with purified water in beaker.

• • Keep the vials in *Nitric acid solution beaker & sonicate for about one hour.

• • Remove the vials from Nitric acid solution, drain back Nitric acid in the same beaker.

• • Rinse the vials with purified water.

• • Dry cleaned vials as per general procedure.

• • Rinse vial caps with four to five times with purified water.

• • Dry vial caps by putting in petri-dish.

• • Ensure cleaning of vials and caps by visual inspection before use for analysis.

• • Procedure for Cleaning of Water Sampling Bottles for Microbiology lab

• • Clean the bottles using *Cleaning solution and clean with nylon brush if required.

• • Rinse the bottles with running potable water until the soap is removed completely.

• • Finally rinse the bottles with purified water and then keep them in hot air oven for drying at 50ºC.

• • Autoclave the bottles used for sampling of water for microbiological analysis at 121ºC, 15 lbs pressure for 30 minutes.

• • Rinse the bottles used for sampling of water for chemical analysis with 10 % v/v hot Nitric acid and rinse them thoroughly with purified water.

• • Bottles shall be treated with 10 % v/v hot Nitric acid, once in month.

* Cleaning Solution: Dilute 10 ml Laboline to 2 liters with water.

• • Cleaning of Contaminated Laboratory Glassware for Microbiology lab

• • Autoclave the contaminated glassware as such in decontamination autoclave at 121ºC, 15 lbs pressure for 45 minutes.

• • After autoclaving decant the media and dip the glassware in available disinfectant in rotation for half an hour.

• • Clean the glassware.

• • Cleaning of General Laboratory Glassware and Other Lab wares for Microbiology lab

• • For cleaning of glassware like volumetric flasks, bulb pipettes and measuring cylinders.

• • Clean the glassware used for preparation of sample for microbiological analysis by dipping them in available disinfectant in rotation for half an hour and then wash them.

• • For cleaning filtration assemblies, disassemble the assembly and rinse them with running potable water.

• • Apply Cleaning solution and clean them using nylon brush if required.

• • Rinse the assembly with running potable water.

• • Finally rinse them with purified water.

Related : SOP for Growth Promotion Test

• • Let the water drain out of the assembly.

• • Assemble the assembly and put them in SS drum.

• • Open the holes of the drum and autoclave the drum containing assemblies at 121ºC, 15 lbs pressure for 30 minutes.

• • The spatulas, scissors, borer and forceps used for analysis and sample preparation shall be washed using Cleaning solution under running potable water.

• • Finally they shall be rinsed with purified water and dried in oven at 60º C.

• • After drying they are wrapped in aluminum foil and autoclaved at 121ºC, 15 lbs pressure for 30 minutes.

• • Cleaning of Mortar and pestle:

• • Remove the left over sample powder from mortar by the help of tissue paper.

• • Rinse the Mortar and pestle with potable water.

• • Clean the Mortar and pestle with suitable nylon brush by using the cleaning solution.

• • Clean the Mortar and pestle with potable water up to foaming not observed in water by vigorous shaking.

• • Rinse the Mortar and pestle with RO water.

• • Ensure complete removal of cleaning solution by visual checking.

• • Keep the Mortar and pestle in inverted position in wire basket for water drain out from Mortar.

• • Dry the clean Mortar and pestle in the Glass ware drying oven at about 50°C ±2°C.

Annexure I: Preparation record of Cleaning Solution

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