Nippers & Cutters

Instrument Care & Maintenance

Instruments can last for years with proper care and handling. Please follow these guidelines for all your stainless steel instruments.

Manual Cleaning

If your instruments are exposed to blood, tissue, saline or any other foreign matter, they must be rinsed in warm water and scrubbed to remove all debris before they are allowed to dry, otherwise they may adhere to and stain the instruments. After rinsing, immerse them in a cleaning solution prior to putting them into an ultrasonic bath.

Ultrasonic Cleaning

Instruments such as Nippers & Scissors etc should be opened fully at the joints and hinges so that all areas are accessible. Do not pile instruments on top of each other. When the cycle has finished, remove, rinse and dry them immediately. Allow them to dry thoroughly.

Ensure that different metals are not mixed together in each cycle.

Autoclaving and Lubrication

Before autoclaving, lubricate all instruments with moving parts. Use surgical lubricants, i.e. Premixslip - NOT industrial oils as these may cause damage to your instruments.

All instruments should be sterilised in an open or unlocked position so that all areas are accessible.

Ensure that different metals are not mixed together in each cycle.

Cold Sterilisation

We recommend that you do not immerse the instruments for more than 20 minutes, as prolonged immersion in disinfectant or sterilisation solution can be detrimental to surgical instruments. Rinse and dry the instruments thoroughly.

The use of an autoclave is recommended as this saves time and is gentler to the instruments.