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Sillicybin
Registered: 02/14/05
Posts: 2,134
Loc:
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Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here.
#7624916 - 11/12/07 09:24 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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From Wikipedia:
Quote:
Rubbing alcohol can be applied as a cooling, soothing application for bedridden patients and athletes. It is also widely used for cleansing surgeons' hands and instruments and for the disinfection of skin prior to penetration by a hypodermic needle. As an antiseptic it is good against vegetative bacteria and fair against fungi and viruses, but is ineffective against spores.
Time to change some of my procedure. Might explain why I have intermittent issues with trich infecting my spawn jars when I don't flame the needle after every inoculation.
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RogerRabbit
Bans for Pleasure



Registered: 03/26/03
Posts: 42,214
Loc: Seattle
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: Sillicybin]
#7624920 - 11/12/07 09:27 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Every time I see a post where wiping the needle with alcohol is used instead of flame sterilization, I try to set the record straight. Been doing it for years, but it's slow to catch on. In addition, alcohol does nothing for what contaminants are inside the needle. Only flaming until red hot will ensure a clean needle. RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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urayasan
Stranger

Registered: 04/10/06
Posts: 111
Last seen: 16 years, 27 days
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7624995 - 11/12/07 10:00 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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While we're on the subject, I wonder, what is the de facto method for cleaning a still air/glove box prior to procedures? So many people seem to use alcohol, which has always seemed silly to me, especially considering you really need air flow to make good use of the sanitizing properties of rapidly evaporating isopropanol. And then you have to worry about your box going nuclear while flaming needles...
I've typically used relatively unremarkable dish soap, sometimes iodine.
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c0_hush
Stranger



Registered: 07/16/06
Posts: 417
Last seen: 12 years, 4 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: urayasan]
#7625080 - 11/12/07 10:23 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I just spray lysol in my glovebox and all the equipment in it and let it sit for about 10 mins and go about my business. We'll see how effective that is in about a week or two.
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Caribou_Lou
Stranger


Registered: 10/17/07
Posts: 2,510
Loc: Never Land
Last seen: 12 years, 10 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: c0_hush]
#7625086 - 11/12/07 10:26 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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You aren't supposed to clean it with anything except soap and water, especially anything flammable. Alcohol would only clean the surface of the glove box, and that has nothing to do with the air that is inside the box.
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Slimz
.-~*´`*·~-experience-~*´`*·~-.




Registered: 10/03/07
Posts: 3,588
Loc: Maryland
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: Caribou_Lou]
#7625128 - 11/12/07 10:42 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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i tried flame sterilization of my glove box, but it melted
-------------------- Lazy Drywall Tek (no powdery mess) This series will blow your mind and confirm what you already know to be true. The Pharmacratic Inquisition Best Thread Ever ! ! !
me if you have questions about lasers Although i may advise others in a general way regarding all types of mushroom grows, and may even post question from other forums about growing "active" mushrooms, i only grow non-"active" mushrooms and edibles. FeelFamily resident tech guru
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soulsizzle
nobody f**kswith The Jesus


Registered: 05/17/05
Posts: 632
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: Slimz]
#7625185 - 11/12/07 11:04 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I tried getting away with using just alcohol to sterilize my needles for quite some time and would have contaminated jars every now and then. Since I started flame-sterilizing and then cooling the needle with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball quite some time back, I haven't had a single contamed jar.
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Sillicybin
Registered: 02/14/05
Posts: 2,134
Loc:
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7625202 - 11/12/07 11:08 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
RogerRabbit said:Only flaming until red hot will ensure a clean needle. RR
I agree. In addition to this, I'm not sure about wiping the needle with an alcohol swab after flaming, as many teks suggest - it would seem like you're just allowing for the transfer of viable contaminant spores to the exterior of the needle.
And as always, just a reminder for the newbies because I see this happen all the time on here - DON'T SPRAY FLAMMABLE ITEMS INTO A GLOVEBOX AND THEN TRY TO FLAME STERILIZE. DOING SO (USUALLY) CAUSES EXPLOSIONS.
I've been doing this for a few years and still have not been using a glovebox or a flowhood... I think it might be about time to start thinking about building.
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ShRm22
Shroom Lover


Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 121
Last seen: 15 years, 5 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: Sillicybin]
#7625223 - 11/12/07 11:12 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Would there be any risk of contams if you would flame-sterilize outside of the glove box then quickly put inside?
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Sillicybin
Registered: 02/14/05
Posts: 2,134
Loc:
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: ShRm22]
#7625230 - 11/12/07 11:13 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
ShRm22 said: Would there be any risk of contams if you would flame-sterilize outside of the glove box then quickly put inside?
Yes, but if you move it quickly into the glovebox while it is still heated, it would reduce that chance greatly. If there's flammable disinfectants inside the glovebox, though, I wouldn't put a red-hot needle in there.
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MotorCityMadman
Rubberfan andFunketeer



Registered: 10/02/06
Posts: 202
Loc: Motown (State of Mind)
Last seen: 14 years, 2 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: Sillicybin]
#7625370 - 11/12/07 11:47 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I don't use needles very often any more, but I always get those suckers red hot.
When I'm using an exacto blade to cut agar wedges, I usually fold up a new paper towel and soak it with some 91% isopropyl alcohol. I flame sterilize the blade outside the glovebox, and while it's still red, I wrap it in the alcohol-soaked towel.
Note: keep the towel (and your bottle of alcohol) away from the flame source. The hot blade won't cause the towel to ignite (or it hasn't for me, anyway).
Then I pass the wrapped blade into the box. Usually I do 2 or 3 blades depending on what I'm doing. For example, if I'm just transferring wedges from the same plate to a few jars, I only need one blade. If I'm using a different plate, I'll switch blades or resterilize with flame outside the box. Usually I do a few blades because it's a pain to spark up a torch wearing gloves...
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elbisivni
Registered: 10/01/06
Posts: 2,839
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: RogerRabbit]
#7625739 - 11/12/07 01:37 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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I'm sorry I have to be the person to ask this, but what measures do you take to heat the needle to such a degree without melting the plastic body? To my recollection, the needle is fully inserted into jars during inoculation, so heating only the tip would be ineffective.
-------------------- From dust you are made and to dust you shall return.
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zathan
Buttstuff

Registered: 08/22/06
Posts: 902
Loc: So long stinktown
Last seen: 6 years, 3 months
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: elbisivni]
#7625764 - 11/12/07 01:45 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Why do you need to fully insert a 1.5" needle?
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elbisivni
Registered: 10/01/06
Posts: 2,839
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Re: Using alcohol for disinfection? Look here. [Re: zathan]
#7625776 - 11/12/07 01:47 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Honestly, I don't remember - it's just how I picture it in my memory hole.
-------------------- From dust you are made and to dust you shall return.
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