What Detergent for Biochemistry Lab Cleaning?

Q. What cleaners are recommended for general manual biochemistry lab cleaning?

A. Manual or soak/scrub/ultrasonication cleaning in biopharm, medical device and healthcare laboratories across the world is an essential aspect of cGLP and cGMP processes.  For laboratory instruments, labware (glassware or plastics), vacuum equipment, tissue culture ware and sampling apparatuses soiled with grit, grime, slime, grease, oils, particulates, deposits, chemicals and solvents, we recommend using Liquinox® Critical Cleaning Liquid Detergent. It is concentrated to save you money, phosphate free, biodegradable and is “free rinsing” meaning it leaves no interfering residue (which is very important in the laboratory for reliable results). We recommend that you monitor shifts in pH towards neutral as indicator to refresh an exhausted cleaning solution.

With regard to removing proteinaceous soils, tissue, blood and body fluids from glassware or plastics, we recommend using Tergazyme® Enzyme-Active Powdered Detergent, a detergent that contains a protease enzyme. As with all of Alconox, Inc. brand detergents, Tergazyme cleaner is concentrated to save you money, biodegradable, and free rinsing leaving no interfering residues (again, very important in the laboratory for reliable results). We recommend that once in solution it be used within 8 hours, due to the half life of the enzyme.  It is also important to avoid high heat (> 130F/55C) so that the proteolytic enzymes are not denatured.  (Warm cleaning with Tergazyme solution is certainly recommended.)

Pipets can be pre-soaked in Liquinox detergent prior to cleaning. For the actual cleaning step we recommend Alcotabs® Tablet Pipet Detergent be used in combination with a syphon washer. Alcotabs are specially formulated tablets for slow release for maximum cleaning performance from your syphon pipette washers. As previous detergents, Alcotabs are concentrated to save you money, biodegradable, and free rinsing to give you reliable results and no interfering residues.

For more information please consult our Lab Cleaning Washer Guide.

To request these or any Alconox, Inc. detergents for free, please complete the questionnaire at Get Sample. For more information about any one of our Alconox, Inc. detergents, consult the technical bulletin for each product. Or click here to access each of our detergent’s  Safety Data Sheets.

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Contact us any time: cleaning@alconox.com