How do you wipe something clean?

The actual process of decontamination a surface is the same for both cleaning and disinfection. Due to the effect of biofilms, surface wiping is needed to assist in the removal of surface contamination. Wiping should never be carried out in a circular motion as this causes the wipe in its dirtiest state to be passed over an area which has just been cleaned. This point needs to be reinforced with operators, as a circular wiping pattern is the most comfortable and convenient but not the best practice.

The correct technique is to wipe, towards you, in straight horizontal lines, each time overlapping the previous one by 10-25%. A contaminated wipe should not be passed over an area that has just been wiped, unless it is folded and refolded to provide a clean surface. Usually quarterly folds are recommended but must be validated with each operator concerned, as a quarterly fold can lead to confusion as to which surfaces of the wipe have been used. In this case wipes folded in half should be used. Surface wiping should be carried out from top to bottom, from back to front, and from cleanest to dirtiest. The wipe itself should be constructed from a low particulate material.

The source of this information is Cleaning of Isolators - A Vital Part of a Contamination Control Program By: Karen Rossington; April 2004.