Reprocessing, Cleaning, and Disinfecting

Part of the most effective IPAC processes (elimination); cleaning, disinfecting, and reprocessing of the environment and medical equipment is highly necessary in all healthcare settings. Please review the following guidance documents that outline proper processes for environmental cleaning and the disinfecting/reprocessing of medical equipment. Can't find a certain resource? Try the General Resources webpage or email us. 

Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices In All Health Care Settings, 3rd edition

This document is intended for health care providers to ensure that the critical elements and methods of decontamination, disinfection and sterilization are incorporated into health care facility procedures. The document describes essential elements and methods in the safe handling, monitoring and auditing, transportation and biological decontamination of contaminated medical equipment/devices.

Best Practices for Environmental Cleaning for Prevention and Control of Infections in All Health Care Settings, 3rd Edition

This document details the processes for cleaning and disinfection of the physical environment in health care settings, as they relate to the prevention and control of infections. It also deals with the cleaning and disinfecting of noncritical equipment (i.e., equipment that only comes into contact with intact skin).

Environmental Cleaning Toolkit

This toolkit has been designed to support environmental services managers and infection control professionals in providing training to staff regarding effective procedures for environmental cleaning.

Environmental Reprocessing Areas Checklist

This checklist is an excerpt from Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices. It outlines physical space requirements that should be in place to support reprocessing best practices.

Recommendations for Physical Space for Decontamination Areas

These recommendations are excerpt from Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices. They outline physical space requirements that should be in place to support reprocessing best practices for decontamination.

Reprocessing Decision Chart

This chart is an excerpt from Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices. It provides information about instrument classification, level of reprocessing and examples of products to help with decisions related to reprocessing.

Reprocessing Steps Chart

This document outlines key components that must be included during each stage of reprocessing in order to achieve disinfection or sterilization of medical equipment/devices in community health care settings.

Routine Practices and Reprocessing

This reference sheet is an excerpt from Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices. It outlines routine practices for reprocessing areas.

Storage Areas for Sterile Items and Maintaining Sterility

This reference sheet is an excerpt from Best Practices for Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization of Medical Equipment/Devices. It outlines physical space requirements for maintaining sterility of instruments.