Why should specialized brushes be used for medical instrument cleaning — even though they seem small, they are a key factor in Infection Control?❓
Did you know that besides using proper cleaning chemicals, selecting the right brush significantly affects the cleaning outcome, ensuring all surfaces and channels are thoroughly cleaned according to standards?
🛑 Here’s why specialized brushes are essential — and why regular household brushes should not be used:
1️⃣ Clean according to the instrument’s design
✔ Many medical devices have small clamps, narrow gaps, internal lumens, or long and narrow channels (endoscopes, catheters, cannulas, etc.).
✔ A specialized brush is designed with the correct diameter, length, and bristle stiffness, enabling it to clean all internal and external surfaces.
✔ Regular brushes cannot reach deep or micro-crevices → leaving behind contamination.
2️⃣ Prevent damage to instruments
✔ Medical instruments made of stainless steel, medical-grade plastics, or optical components can be very delicate.
✔ Specialized brushes feature: Soft nylon or PBT bristles that won’t scratch surfaces. Coated wire cores to avoid damaging internal channels. Appropriate stiffness to avoid bending or deforming the device
3️⃣ Improve disinfection/sterilization effectiveness
✔ Mechanical cleaning is the most important step in the reprocessing cycle.
✔ If blood, proteins, or organic residues remain: Sterilization becomes ineffective. High-level disinfectants cannot fully penetrate surfaces → infection risk remains
✔ Specialized brushes remove debris more thoroughly, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
4️⃣ Comply with standards (AAMI, CDC, ISO)
✔ Medical brushes are manufactured with appropriate tensile strength.
✔ Available as single-use items or can be sterilized following validated procedures.
✔ Non-compliant brushes can: Become a source of cross-contamination. Fail hygiene requirements after multiple uses
5️⃣ Prevent cross-contamination from the brush itself
✔ Specialized medical brushes: Are easier to clean. Often single-use. Have bristle structures that minimize debris retention
✔ Regular brushes trap debris → bacteria multiply → contamination transferred to the next instrument.