This past week we posted a few stories about the importance of hand and dish washing and doing it the right way. It has been shown that if we do not wash our hands properly we can spread germs. So washing them for at least 20 seconds is very important in reducing cross contamination, especially during the flu season. So washing your hands the correct way each and every time will reduce the chance of cross contamination with another person. We also posted a story about the concerns with dishwashing and the problems associated with that process. What I found interesting is the chart that dealt with stains on glass ware: Problems Causes Solutions Spots and film on glassware Wash water temperature too low. Insufficient amount of detergent. Increase water temperature and rinse thoroughly in hot water. Increase amount of detergent. I immediately thought of a medical facility and stains and spots found on instruments after the cleaning process. It is important to know what type of stain it is so you can fix the concern. Since the instrument is visually spotted or dirty you have to re-clean it, but if you re-clean it the same way you just might repeat the error. One way is to test the instrument for residual blood. If the stain is positive for blood, just like with glassware, you may have had a water temperature or detergent concentration problem. For instance, the water used during the pre-rinse could be too hot and that caused the blood to denature making it very difficult to remove. By checking your water temperature at that stage you would reduce the chance of that happening again. Thus you will prewash at the correct temperature each and every time. So regardless if it is your hands, glassware or your surgical instruments you need to perform the cleaning process the right way each and every time. So as I always say, Keep it clean