How to proper use cleanroom wipes

Step #1: Unlike the sponges, cloths, and paper towels we all use in our homes, cleanroom wipers are designed to be used in a very specific way. Having opened one up, the first step is to hold it by its edges and, avoiding contact with any surface, create a neat fold down the middle. Next, rotate the wiper through 90 degrees and fold it in half again so that you now have a total of four usable faces.

While it is a natural impulse to want to tackle to most contaminated surfaces first, this approach risks further contamination and wiper waste. Best practice states that any area should be cleaned from the least soiled to the most soiled area, using each face of the wiper for one stroke.

Step #2: After the initial stroke, turn the wiper over to use the next face to perform the same operation, making sure to overlap the first stroke to prevent recontamination. Don’t forget: Each stroke should be uni-directional and parallel to the preceding one – never wipe in a circular manner! 

Step #3: Re-fold the wiper so that the used surfaces are enclosed inside it and the remaining two clean faces are revealed. Repeat steps 2 and 3, always remaining vigilant about using overlapping, uni-directional strokes. 

Step #4: When all four initial faces have been used, the wiper may be opened up again and refolded such that the unused side now creates an additional four cleaning faces. In this way, a single wiper is sufficient for a total of eight strokes!!

Step #5: Be sure to dispose of the soiled wiper according to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or other guidelines of your institution or organization.