Medical Device Cleaning: 17-4PH Stainless Steel

Q. A great deal or our medical device instruments are manufactured from 17-4PH Stainless Steel. Our cleaning technician claims this material is corroding. I read the rinsing information recommending using a lower temperature for the 1% Alconox mixture. Is this a common issue with 17-4PH and are we using the wrong cleaning product or missing something?

A. Precipitation hardened martensitic stainless steels such as 17-4PH steel can experience corrosion during rinsing if you use hot water rinsing. Since it is advisable to clean and rinse at the same temperature in order to avoid breaking emulsions and redepositing oils during rinsing, it is therefore advisable to clean at lower temperatures with Alconox in order to be able to use lower temperature rinse water.

Typically you would clean and rinse at temperatures of 100 deg F or lower (45 deg C or lower) to minimize rinse water corrosion. Use a water removing drying method (blowing off, wiping, centrifuging, or dipping in isopropyl alcohol) to reduce the risk of corrosion from rinse water sitting on the substrate.

To test an Alconox, Inc. detergent for free, please complete the questionnaire at Get Sample. For additional technical information on cleaning validation, please Download our Medical Device Cleaning Validation References PDF.  And if you have a question for our experts about critical cleaning, please visit Ask Alconox.