[Histonet] Cleaning the gunk off grossing instruments

[Jeffrey Silverman]

Hi Michelle, 
I use dilute bleach, no specific dilution, usually 10-20%, melts blood and grime away. I always make a fresh bucket each day  and keep it in the sink to rinse the instruments and store them when I'm away from the grossing bench. Don't leave them overnight though, some forceps will corrode at the welded point. 

But then again, I'm not using formalin- I use Histochoice for 95% of my specimens and formalin for the other 5%. Formalin and bleach fumes are not to be mixed since a potent carcinogen, bis-chloromethyl ether,  can be formed. Just keep the formalin away from the bleach. 

If you want, I'll drop off a gallon on my way to work tomorrow :-).  It's the least I can do to repay your letting me cut those kidney sections for my QIHC all those years ago. 


Jeff Silverman- just trying to be neighborly