Dentists know that a functional sterilizer is essential to a safe, productive dental practice. Instruments need to be processed safely, correctly, and quickly so that you can serve your patients without interruption. But with the hectic hustle and bustle of a typical day at the office, it's easy to forget to give your sterilizer the attention it deserves. Sterilizers, like cars, need preventative care and regular maintenance, and this becomes more important the older they get. Neglecting to care for and maintain your sterilizer and expecting it to chug along without issue will result in frustration, lost time (and money), and costly repairs. But there's no need to beat yourself up yet or worry too much. Start treating your dental sterilizer right today by reviewing these operation and maintenance guidelines for three popular autoclave sterilizers: STATIM 2000 and 5000 units, Midmark Ultraclave units, and Pelton & Crane units.

1. Autoclave Sterilizer
Preventative
Maintenance

2. STATIM 2000 and 5000
Top 4 STATIM Guidelines
1) Always insert the cassette right-side up.
2) Use only distilled water.
3) Never overfill the cassette.
4) Ensure that the bubble level indicator is at 3:00 or 6:00.

3. STATIM Preventative Maintenance
Daily
• Spray the cassette with Stat-Dri (or equivalent) after each cycle
to promote faster cassette drying.
• Check under the STATIM regularly for water; water under the
STATIM indicates a steam leak.

4. STATIM Preventative Maintenance
Weekly
• Clean the cassette with mild, chlorine-free dishwashing soap.
• Lubricate the rubber cassette with a mild liquid soap—not antibacterial
soap.
• Empty the waste bottle.

5. STATIM Preventative Maintenance
Yearly
• Change the cassette seal.
• Change the air compressor filter twice.
• Have the water filter cleaned by a qualified service technician.

6. Ultraclave
Top 2 Ultraclave Guidelines
1) Use only distilled water.
2) Secure your unit’s dam gasket before operating.

7. Tip:
Midmark Ultraclave units may display error code E001 when they are
disconnected from a power source.
If this happens, press your unit’s Standby button to clear the error code.

8. Ultraclave Preventative Maintenance
Daily
• Wash exterior of sterilizer with quaternary disinfectants.
• Clean gaskets and mating surfaces with a damp cloth.

9. Ultraclave Preventative Maintenance
Weekly
• Drain water from reservoir and replace with clean, distilled water.
• Wash trays, rack, and plate with mild soap and water.
• Clean chamber with sterilizer cleaner.
• Clean boiler ring with non-chlorinated pad that contains no metal.

10. Ultraclave Preventative Maintenance
Monthly
• Flush system using Speed-Clean sterilizer cleaner.
• Clean and rinse filter screens (fill/vent and air) with Speed-Clean
and water.
• Inspect pressure relief valve and replace if necessary.
• Remove, clean, and inspect gaskets, and replace if necessary.

11. Pelton & Crane
Top 2 Pelton & Crane Autoclave Guidelines
1) Use only distilled water.
2) Secure your unit’s dam gasket before operating.

12. Tip:
Each Pelton & Crane Delta unit performs a self-diagnostic each time it is
connected to a power source, and then its display screen automatically
turns off.
When this happens, simply activate the power button located on the front
of the unit.

13. Pelton & Crane Autoclave
Preventative Maintenance
Daily
• Wash exterior of sterilizer with quaternary disinfectants.
• Clean gaskets and mating surfaces with a damp cloth.

14. Pelton & Crane Autoclave
Preventative Maintenance
Weekly
• Clean chamber with sterilizer cleaner.
• Clean door gasket using mild soap and distilled water (replace leaky
gasket).
• Inspect door latch mechanism and replace if necessary.
• Clean boiler ring with non-chlorinated pad that contains no metal.

15. Pelton & Crane Autoclave
Preventative Maintenance
Monthly
• Inspect safety valve ring and replace if necessary.
• Remove, clean, and inspect gaskets, and replace if necessary.
• Activate unit’s self-diagnostic program.

16. Find more information in our product Catalog
under “Sterilizers & Autoclaves.”