Cleaning surgical instruments is important to prevent infection and extend their lifespan. There are two main methods: manual cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning. Manual cleaning involves soaking instruments in detergent for 10 minutes to soften debris, then brushing and rinsing them to remove all soil. While it allows for thorough cleaning, the quality can vary between workers. Ultrasonic cleaning uses high-frequency sound waves in water and detergent to break up debris on instruments for more consistent results. Proper cleaning of surgical tools is necessary for patient safety and instrument maintenance.

1. Cleaning of Surgical Instruments Manually and by ultrasonic machine:
Introduction:
In medical point of view, we can define cleaning as the removal of any adherent
visible soil, blood, proteins, blood debris, with water and detergent from the edges and
cervices,
serration of that surgical instrument by mechanical or manual process.
Need for cleaning surgical instruments
➢ It is necessary to clean the surgical instrument
properly because if we allow the fluid or blood to dry
then it can damage the instrument and if that
infectious surgical instrument is used again for
another surgical purpose then it can cause serious

2. infection to patient and result can be threatening
➢ Another reason for cleaning surgical instrument is
that it maintains the instrument and increase the
high life span of instrument so that they can work
more efficiently.
Methods of Cleaning Surgical Instrument:
Usually we clean surgical Instruments in two ways:
1) By manual cleaning
2) By using ultrasonic machine
1) Manual Cleaning Process:
This is the oldest method of cleaning surgical instrument. It is
still used in many hospitals for small medical and dental use. Manual cleaning has the
advantage
that each instrument can be cleaned properly, but one of its drawback is that the procedure
and
cleanliness of instrument varies from worker to worker.
Procedure:
➢ First of all put the surgical instruments in sterile
water or in an enzymatic detergent. The

3. instrument should be sprayed with the
enzymatic detergent so that it can be moist.
➢ Keep the surgical instruments in that detergent about 10 minutes so that all the debris
and soil on the instrument is softened and easy to be remove.
➢ Now brush the surgical instrument with medium soft brush in the soak bath. This step
removes all the dust and debris in tubed devices like endoscopes and hand pieces.
➢ Now wash the surgical instruments under the clean water. This step removes all the soil
and dust from the instrument.
➢ If necessary repeat the above process in clean detergent again until all the soil is
removed.