Decontamination Procedures & Recommendations
Proper incubator decontamination and techniques are essential for avoiding cell culture contamination issues. Below is an overview of the recommended strategies to mitigate and address active contamination. More detailed information can be found in our white paper: Strategies for the Management of Microbial Contamination in Laboratory Incubators
Preventing cell culture contamination requires consistent, dedicated effort. Regularly cleaning your incubator and maintaining a clean workspace go a long way towards keeping your cultures uncontaminated.
Recommended Strategies
- Maintain a clean work area away from high-traffic pathways.
- Always wipe workstation, equipment, and gloves with IPA before handling cells.
- Regularly test lab surfaces for presence of bacteria and other contaminants to ensure early detection.
- Routinely replace incubator filters and inspect for proper function. Wipe down cell culture incubator and run decontamination cycle at least 1x per month.
Pro Tip: MycoFog’s hydrogen peroxide vapor-based system makes regular decontamination easy!
Immediately addressing active contamination issues is vital to preventing spread and further sample loss. Everyone in the lab should know basic decontamination techniques.
Recommended Strategies
- Isolate and quarantine contaminated cultures from healthy ones, sealing to prevent cross-contamination.
- Thoroughly disinfect all lab surfaces, equipment, and hardware.
- In case of recurring or problematic contaminations, utilize external services or lab contractors to precisely identify contaminant.