De-mystifying decontamination

With increased awareness of HTM01-05 guidelines and the plethora of cleaning methods and materials required to achieve compliance, it is easy for practice managers, nurses and dentists to be confused by the regulations and the choice of products that will be most effective in ensuring the health and safety of staff and patients.

As detergents and surface cleaners are in daily use, the demand for solutions that are pH neutral and alcohol-free is growing, as these products are widely perceived as being less aggressive to the materials and surfaces they are cleaning and to the staff who are using them. It is also worth noting from an economic point of view only CE marked products designed for use on medical devices should be used and failure to do so may invalidate warranties.

Although the use of a washer disinfector is recognised as being the preferred method of ensuring decontamination protocols are adhered to, HTM01-05 also recognises that ultrasonic and manual cleaning have a role to play in the dental practice.