Cleaning laboratory glassware is crucial because contaminated or filthy glassware might result in incorrect test findings. According to Research, a smart approach to ensure that your lab glassware manufacturers are clean is to make sure that distilled water wets the surface equally. This indicates that the surface is clear of grease and other contaminants that might cause the volume being measured to change or introduce pollutants into the liquid. Even the most well planned experiment might provide incorrect findings if filthy glassware is used. If the glassware used for measuring liquids is contaminated with grease or other contaminants, the glass will not be consistently wetted.
Considerations for Cleaning Glass containers
- As quickly as possible, clean the glasses. The longer it goes without being washed, the more difficult it is to clean. If cleaning cannot be done right away, soak the glassware or fill it with cleaning solution until it can be fully cleaned.
- Wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment at all times (PPE). This includes eye protection, a lab coat, and chemical gloves that are compatible with the cleaning solvents being employed.
- Scrape away any heavy particles from the glass with care if possible. Unless the solids are confirmed to be non-hazardous, dispose of them in the Satellite Accumulation area as hazardous trash (SAA).
- When cleaning glassware with solvents, always collect the used solvent or cleaning solution and properly dispose of it as flammable hazardous waste in the SAA. Alcohols, acetone, methanol, and toluene are examples of solvents. Cleaning with solvents should always be done in a ventilated fume hood.
- The use of potassium hydroxide/alcohol baths to remove surface functional groups from glassware must be done with caution. When adding or removing glassware, always use proper heavy chemical gloves (neoprene).
Glass containers Cleaning in Overall
- To remove organic residues from glassware, rinse it briefly with an organic solvent (acetone or ethanol). The rinse will subsequently be disposed away with the organic waste.
- Scrub the inside of curved glassware with warm tap water and a soapy brush. This waste water may be disposed of in the sink.
- To avoid severe water stains, remove soap suds with deionised water. When poured through clean glassware, the DI water rinse should create a smooth sheet. If there is no evidence of sheeting action, more thorough cleaning is necessary. Rinse the glass with acetone once more to eliminate any leftover water. The remainder of the acetone will be disposed of in the organic waste container.
Pipettes for cleaning and volumetric flasks
- Warm soapy water should be used to clean pipets and volumetric flasks.
- Rinse with tap water three to four times before rinsing with deionised water. This water rinse should form a smooth sheet when poured through clean glasses. If the sheeting action isn’t evident, a more aggressive cleaning approach could be necessary.
- To get rid of the water, dry with acetone. The acetone rinse will be discarded in the organic waste bin.
Pro or Additional tip
- If water has the potential to affect the final solution, rinse it with the solution you’re using to get rid of it. To get rid of the alcohol or acetone, rinse three times with the solution you’re using.
- Stoppers and stopcocks should be taken out of service when not in use. They might “freeze” in place if they don’t.
- Cleaning ground glass joints using a kimwipe soaked in hexane or acetone might help to degrease them. Keep the chemicals out of your lungs by doing it in the hood vent.
