A well-made stainless steel instrument can last for many years — or be ruined within months. The difference is almost always in how it is handled between the end of a procedure and the sterilizer. These habits apply in theatres, clinics and practices alike.
Always follow the manufacturer’s reprocessing instructions and your organisation’s decontamination policy, based on HTM 01-01 (or HTM 01-05 in dental practices).
At the point of use
- Wipe off gross soil during and immediately after the procedure with a damp, lint-free swab.
- Keep instruments moist. Dried blood and tissue are much harder to remove and can lead to pitting. Use a moistened cover or an approved pre-cleaning foam — not saline.
- Avoid saline and bleach. Chlorides attack stainless steel and cause pitting and stress corrosion.
- Open hinged instruments and separate sharp and delicate items so they do not damage each other.
Cleaning
- Use a neutral or mildly alkaline enzymatic detergent at the dilution and temperature recommended by its manufacturer.
- Clean with instruments open, using a washer-disinfector where available.
- Use soft nylon brushes, never steel wool or wire brushes, which scratch the passive surface.
- Rinse thoroughly — detergent residue causes staining — ideally with purified water for the final rinse.
Inspection and lubrication
Check every instrument under magnification: jaws and teeth aligned, ratchets holding, cutting edges sharp and undamaged, no cracks at box joints, no corrosion. Lubricate hinges with a water-soluble, steam-permeable instrument lubricant. Remove anything that fails and send it for repair or replacement.
Signs something is wrong
| You see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Brown or orange spots | Rust transferred from a damaged instrument, or poor water quality |
| Pitting | Chlorides — saline, bleach or dried blood |
| Rainbow or dark discolouration | Overheating, detergent residue or high mineral content in water |
| Stiff joints | Residue in the box joint or lack of lubrication |
Isolate corroded instruments quickly — rust spreads to neighbouring instruments in the same tray. If you are unsure whether an instrument can be saved, ask us.
