Make it a priority: We have a group of people who work in the lab that all depend on being able to find clean and dry glassware and other lab equipment. You can click here to remind yourself of the keys to cleaning. Below you can find quick information (and some video demonstrations) on how to clean specific items. Please review as necessary.

Glassware: must be cleaned by first degreaseing and greased joints by using a wash-pentane bath and pipe-cleaners/Kimwipes. Once degreased, glassware must be thoroughly scrubbed clean with soap and warm water. The cleaned glassware is then rinsed with DI water followed by a small amount of acetone for the inner part of glassware and finally the outsides are dried with paper towels and the flasks are placed on the peg board (or if the rack is full or you have fragile glassware - on a benchtop with paper towels under them).

Syringes, needles, cannulae, etc.: must be cleaned immediately after they are used! We clean them using the 4 solvent method (click link for video demonstration). Hook up a vacuum filter flask to the ouse vacuum line and place a septum over the mouth of the flask. Using very slight vacuum, insert the labware (e.g. needle, cannula) into the septum and the use a wash bottle (for syringes and sometimes needles) to inject the wash-solvents through the labware in the order: 1. acetone; 2. methylene chloride; 3. DI water; 4. ethanol (95%). As a rule of thumb, give three small squirts for each solvent - only use more if necessary. Alternatively, for long needles and cannulae, you can simply dip the end that is not in the septum into beakers containing the wash-solvents in the same manner as above (again 3 quick dips per solvent). If you encounter a clogged needle, cannula, syringe, etc. please contact Dr. Daley immediately.

Other Labware: must be cleaned as necessary. An example is to clean out dewers and traps, wipe down stirplates, etc.

Keys to cleaning:

1. Glassware must be cleaned within 24 h of end of reaction except for the glassware containing your final product, which can be left for 48 h before the product must be transfered to a pre-weighed, labeled, vial either in the glovebox (if air and or water sensitive) or in the fumehood (if not air an/or water sensitive).

2. Syringes, needles, cannulae must be cleaned immedaitely after use. At minimum they must be rinsed with acetone until clean and not-clogged. They can then be cleaned using the 4 solvent method within 24 h. Once cleaned, the cannulae and needle (stainless-steel ones) go into the oven for storage. Glass syringes are stored back in their appropriate spot with the plunger removed and set beside them.