Cleaning blood fridges

[pluto]

Has anyone guidance on cleaning blood fridges

Obviously need to empty contents

How often do you do it ?

Do you switch fridge off or leave on ?

Do you take samples for microbilogy ?

thanks

[Lcsmrz]

I have a smalll inventory, so I just move the untis on the side to wipe down the racks. The hardest is the bottom, which is difficult to get to and always the dirtiest.

[RR1]

Has anyone guidance on cleaning blood fridges

Obviously need to empty contents

How often do you do it ?

Do you switch fridge off or leave on ?

Do you take samples for microbilogy ?

thanks

Hi Pluto,

I will post my fridge cleaning SOP on the Quality forum - when I get to work today..under 'help' area. Blood component storage equiment generally needs cleaning monthly, with a deeper clean scheduled quarterly. We find if this is done in this manner- its very quick to perform.

For the deep cleans- the blood is removed into a different but appropriate storage area- but we don't generally turn the fridge off, otherwise takes ages to get back upto temp. The fridge charts obviously need to be marked to show that reason for the temperature excursions.

As to the micro cultures...i'm still trying to find out about how to validate a cleaning method !- i'm sure this will turn out to be very simple.

Edited April 30, 2009 by RR1
typo.

[Ellen Zeigler]

You need to have a procedure to specify what you do (generally), the frequency you do it and some way to document it. We had clean refrigerators (per FDA) but were cited for not having a procedure...

You don't need to empty the entire refrigerator, or turn it off. You'll need to deal with your temperature alarms (comment: cleaning). For refrigerators or environmental chambers go shelf by shelf starting at the top and working down so if you knock, or spill, you don't have to re do.

Freexzers are a bit more challenging depending on the type (chest or upright) you may have a defrosting issue at the same time.

Frequency - how about quarterly unless spill. If you have little bits of broken plastic (only) you may be able to vacuum these up.

Clean using whatever general disinfectant your facility uses and also have the blood spill cleanup process referenced.

For general product storage there's no requirement to culture. That might give you more information than you ever wanted to know and then you have to deal with it.

Remember to consider the refrigerator/freezer compressors cleaning (vacuum out the dust) if not already handled by facilities/maintenance.

If you have a walk in, you can sweep and use disinfectant wipes attached to some form of "mop" for the floor