[Alice Aubert]

Dear all,

I would like to know which cleaning method you are currently using for your glass shaker flasks (the ones for insect cells, without baffle).

At EMBL Grenoble we are decontaminating the flask and getting rid of the ring of cells with a brush and some 10% acetic acid and we then rinse extensively with distilled water.

Some people here find this procedure tedious and would like me to investigate the possibility to change for something faster (or to have somebody hired in order to do it 🙂 ).

Many thanks for your help!

Best,

Alice

[Sabine Suppmann]

Dear Alice
we do the same, brush, incubate in VirkonS and then wash in the dish washer.
The alternative is single use like Vitlab (we reuse also these, but price wise it would be possible as single-use
Best
Sabine

[Patrick Celie]

Dear Alice,

We have a similar procedure; first cleaning and decontaminating by diluted chlorine (bleach) solution using a brush and extensive washing with water. This is followed by an additional cleaning with 10% acetic acid and extensive rinsing with water. The flasks are subsequently dried in an incubator (set at 65 °C) and nexy day they are placed in the autoclave.

best,
Patrick

[Astrid Sander]

Hi Alice,

we´re also using the acetic-acid-method with extensive rinsing with water afterwards and then washing in a dish washer.

best,
Astrid

[Alice Aubert]

Dear all,

Many thanks for your replies, it is very helpful!

My concern with Virkon is that it would potentially leave residues and slow down, if not prevent the cell growth. But from what you say, Sabine, it seems that it is fine…

Anyway, the main step involving the users is the brushing step and it seems from your replies that it’s not avoidable.

Many thanks again!

Best,

Alice

[Joop van den Heuvel]

Dear Alice,
we do almost the same. We rinse and decontaminate however with 0.1 M NaOH. Swirl the flask to wet the collar with the hydroxide. Then brush it. After removal of the hydroxide rinse with water and we put the bottle in RBS O/N until the dishwasher service picks up the bottles. The Dishwasher is without any detergent. Just water wash.
This is the minimal work you have to do or pay someone to do it for you.

Regards Joop

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