CLEAN AS A WHISTLE – ISSUE NO. 48

What does the phrase "Clean as a whistle" have in common with what we do every day? "Clean as a whistle" is a phrase that refers to how well a whistle is made from a reed or a piece of wood, that it will emit a clear tone - but a good reed whistle can easily be damaged. Even small particles of debris or a few drops of moisture will change the sound of a handmade instrument. In order to emit the pure notes intended by its maker, a whistle must be absolutely clean. Anything or anyone as clean as a brand-new reed whistle or as clear as its sound is bound to be good, as the saying goes. Just this past week we had another headline that focused in on cleaning and it dealt with dirty scopes. Those scopes were not as "Clean as a whistle". We can learn a lot from this simple statement. We need to take care in everything we do when it comes to cleaning. We cannot leave behind any bioburden. If we do, we will have problems just like the whistle. If particles of debris are left behind in the making of a reed whistle it will not give a true sound. If we leave behind particles of bioburden when we clean, the scope might not be able to be high level disinfected or sterilized. So when it comes to cleaning, we need to make sure everything we do is as "Clean as a whistle". Take care and remember to always "Keep it Clean"